Harriers return to pre-season training

Kidderminster Harriers today cut no corners as they began pre-season training for the new campaign.

The new-look squad were put through their paces at the club's Zortech Avenue training ground before heading off to Hypoxi, a fitness studio in Kidderminster, for first day assessments.

The players were put in body suits and had their weight and body mass measured by Hypoxi staff, who will continue to assess the squad as pre-season training wares on.

Away from Hypoxi, the players were taken outside for 'bleep' tests, designed to ease them back in training gently with short bursts of running.

Manager Steve Burr and his assistant Gary Whild ran the rule over the squad, which contained no less than 10 new signings after a busy summer of transfer activity at Aggborough.

All in all 20 players are commited to Harriers' course for next season and physio Gavin Crowe today wasted no time in getting down to work with the squad.

Hypoxi is a new tool in the club's pre-season work but Whild believes it's a key part of their preparations, ensuring there can be no shirking from the players ahead of the new campaign.

He said: "With a view to fitness coaches these days and the things that they do, it certainly has evolved over the years.

"The lads will be coming in and having a lot of tests done down at Hypoxi which is something we're going to find really useful this season, it's an excellent tool in that respect.

"Gavin will be working with them, obviously, and then it's down to the bleep test!

"The end aim, as ever, is to get the lads as fit as possible and, if they can enjoy it in the meantime, then that's good for all concerned."