Featured Image Credit: Image: Liverpool FC
Topics: Liverpool, Premier League, James Milner
Josh Lawless
Topics: Liverpool, Premier League, James Milner
Liverpool midfielder James Milner left his teammates in the dust during a pre-season running challenge and the footage is ridiculous.
Jurgen Klopp's side are over in Austria for a pre-season training camp and will take on Bundesliga champions Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday.
They've been getting stuck into some fitness drills and one documented by Liverpool on their Instagram feed saw a group of players running around a track.
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Milner led the way when they started off and and the 36-year-old, still an absolute physical freak, smashed everyone.
When the intensity was increased and it became a sprint, Milner was well ahead of colleagues like Mo Salah and Jordan Henderson.
Liverpool labelled the former Manchester City and Aston Villa man as "the machine" on Instagram and it's the perfect summary of his fitness.
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On Reddit, one user said: "Milner is a terminator set thru time to save John Conner [sic]. He did it and became a LFC legend afterwards."
Another commented: "Absolutely insane that he's still head and shoulders above everyone else."
A third added: "I’d actually love to know what he could do in a 5k."
Having signed a new contract extension, Milner is preparing for his 21st season in the Premier League and every year since he joined Liverpool, he's beat everyone else in the gruelling pre season lactate tests.
The test takes the lactic acid level of players after they've run an increasing distance. Those with levels too high are eliminated as the activity progresses.
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Last year, the former England international showed off his running times, posting his splits for an 8km run.
Milner has always been one of the top players at covering distances on the pitch but fans were still stunned to see him run 5.5 miles in a staggering 34 minutes.
Milner is a master at looking after his body and is insane shape as a result. He's never been one to drink alcohol and ensures he eats the right foods.
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Paul Webster worked with Milner at City during his time as a sports therapist and revealed some of the secrets to his longevity.
"He looks young, he looks fit, he's probably got eight per cent body fat or something ridiculous," he told Goal.
"He's a bit like Ronaldo. I've never worked with Ronaldo, but I know people that have and I get the same impression. It's all the little things that add up, and they have more little things to add up.
“It's everything: drinking, James doesn't touch alcohol; food, he's meticulous with how much he eats; his timekeeping is perfect; he has goals – he wants to be fitter and stronger as months go by; his general behaviour and his internal discipline.
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"It's no surprise to me whatsoever that he's still playing, and he'll roll on for another few years yet.”