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Training Gets Underway in Kansas
Written by Newcastle Utd
Assistant Manager John Carver tells nufc.co.uk how the lads are right on track ahead of Wednesday's friendly
The hard work started on day one of Newcastle United's pre-season tour of the States with a morning training session at the Swope Park Training Centre in Kansas.
And, speaking to nufc.co.uk, assistant manager John Carver explained how the training session went and what's in store for the lads over the coming days.
"The first training session this morning was really good," he explained.
"It was important after a long journey on Sunday to get some work done today. That said, we kept it to a light 45-minute session so we're easing the lads in slowly and allowing them to acclimatise to the heat and get used to the facilities. That is very important.
"The facilities in Kansas are fantastic and Swope Park is just what we need to make the most of our match preparation. After stretching and running we focused on ball work with short drills that get the heart rate going and sharpen the skills.
"We have to be aware of the effect of the heat on the players and make sure we give them time to acclimatise to these conditions. Their initial reaction is that it's an uncomfortable heat, but you'd be surprised how quickly they adjust and deal with it.
"Obviously we keep a close eye on how players are reacting to the heat and make sure they're taking enough fluids on board to keep them hydrated. It doesn't really change the way we train, it's just about monitoring their performance closely - it's easy to work too hard and not realise that you're overdoing it or getting dehydrated.
"The lads' fitness levels are great. After Friday's game at Darlington it was important for them to have a rest day on Saturday before flying out here. But now it's good to get stuck into training again. Fitness-wise they are right at the stage that we want them to be.
"This evening's training session will be tougher. Now that they are familiar with the facilities and the heat we can turn up the intensity. We are all looking forward to Wednesday's game. The Livestrong Stadium is a fantastic new facility and we'll have a training session there tomorrow as part of our preparation."