Although Madeira Island is small, the gyms here are very professional.
According to Nuno Cruz, the professional equipment here is not inferior to that of Alcochete in Sporting Lisbon, and some are even better, such as the air-resistance functional trainer that Sudong is practicing on.
This training device, which looks a bit like a four-legged monster, is safer than steel weights and provides more comprehensive training.
It can meet the needs of every part of the body, with hundreds of different training methods. It is even a good hand at rehabilitation training for players after injuries, and can be used in all kinds of sports.
To put it simply, the air resistance trainer allows users to complete training movements at any speed under a certain load, which is something traditional weighted strength equipment cannot do.
Not only that, it is also equipped with an electronic meter that displays data including resistance, number of times, power, maximum explosive force, etc.
When Su Dong completed a set of training movements on the trainer according to Nuno Cruz's requirements, his personal trainer always held a notebook and recorded the real-time data he needed next to the electronic watch at any time.
In his words, this is conducive to long-term tracking and analysis, and continuous improvement of training results.
Another relatively new thing is the speed and explosive power training platform.
As the name suggests, this is a set of equipment that can train players' lateral and vertical explosive power. Players can also perform resistance training with the ball, defensive movement training, etc. Resistance can be applied to players at forty different fixed points.
The rest, like extreme climbing machines, non-powered treadmills, tire flipping machines and vibration trainers, are all standard equipment in professional gyms, and are similar to the gym at Sporting Lisbon.
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In addition to the equipment provided by the gym, Nuno Cruz also purchased two sets of high-tech training vests for Su Dong and Ronaldo, called the Sports Performance Detection and Analysis System.
Nuno Cruz explicitly required them to wear vests when training, whether in the gym or outside, so that he could monitor their training performance, conduct quantitative analysis of their training, truly realize big data, reduce risks, fully tap their potential, and better help them improve.
"Don't underestimate this vest. I asked a friend to order it from the United States. I haven't seen anyone using it in European football yet."
Nuno Cruz seemed quite proud of himself when he introduced himself.
Su Dong and Ronnie are curious about this high-tech product, but they don't understand it.
But one thing is certain, that is, Nuno Cruz looks like an academic, and he spends more time analyzing their physical condition and training performance.
This is probably why he defines himself as a sports performance trainer.
Su Dong and Ronaldo were already accustomed to Nuno Cruz's endless high-tech training methods, but Pepe, who was learning from the side, was stunned and full of admiration.
Whether in Brazil or in Maritimo, when had he ever seen such high-end and mysterious training?
To the extent that the look in Pepe's eyes when looking at Nuno Cruz became very different.
In his own frustrated words, even if he learned by stealing, it would be difficult for him to acquire real skills.
Unless Nuno Cruz is willing to train him the same way he trained Su Dong and Ronaldo, he will just be imitating others.
However, even so, Pepe still kept his promise and served as a sparring partner for Su Dong and Ronnie.
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The following days were very busy and fulfilling.
Sudong and Ronnie get up at five o'clock every day. They first put on training vests, run on the mountain road from Funchal to Santo Antonio, and then do ball training for about an hour in a nearby park.
After coming back and having breakfast, they will be picked up by the driver and go to a resort more than ten kilometers away to receive Melissa's yoga training. There are two classes every day, and the schedule is full.
After yoga, we returned to Funchal and it was basically lunch time.
Nuno Cruz is responsible for all their diets. He prepares different recipes every day and places orders with nearby restaurants. Sometimes he even goes to the market to buy vegetables in person, so as to make their diet more nutritionally balanced.
After lunch break, the two went to the gym for training and stayed there for three hours.
After training in the gym, there is still a period of outdoor training, still running on the mountain roads and playing football in the park.
Pepe has been training with Su Dong and Ronnie since he started at the gym.
He does almost all the odd jobs and is never complaining. Even in running and ball training after the gym, he is willing to be Su Dong's sparring partner. Su Dong intends to use Pepe's strong body to hone his physical confrontation ability.
In return, Su Dong took care of Pepe's dinner.
After dinner, Ronnie either went home to be with his family or chatted on the phone with Jordana, but Su Dong had to continue learning swimming with his swimming coach for two hours.
Since Pepe couldn't swim and swimming lessons were relatively cheap, the Brazilian center back, after obtaining Su Dong's consent, also signed up for the same class with him. The two trained under the same swimming coach every night.
Interestingly, Pepe is indeed physically strong, but he has no talent for swimming.
On the weekend of the first week, Nuno Cruz returned to Lisbon to be with his family, while Sudon, Ronnie and Pepe participated in a hiking trip to a yoga retreat.
Madeira is an island formed by a volcanic eruption. The two peaks in the middle are both over 1,800 meters above sea level. The entire island has rugged terrain and varied scenery, making it a world-famous hiking destination.
It is said that there are more than fifty hiking trails on the island.
This was my first tour with a group, and the route was the easternmost San Lorenzo PR8 line.
The scenery here is really beautiful, but it is not difficult to walk.
The bus went directly to the starting point. After setting off, Su Dong and the other two left the others far behind. The route was not long and the intensity was the least among many routes. In just less than an hour and a half, Su Dong and the other two returned.
Unfortunately, they waited at the bus station for more than two hours.
This failed experience taught them a realistic truth, that is, as professional players, they should challenge more difficult ones instead of hiking with ordinary tour groups.
So, on the weekend of the second week, the three daring teenagers each carried their bags and set out from Funchal early in the morning to hike into the mountains, heading north along the winding cement mountain road.
Ronnie brought a mobile phone for emergency contact, Su Dong promised that he had brought enough food and water, and Pepe brought a tent that could accommodate three people.
In this way, they traveled from Funchal through the mountains and forests, admiring the charming scenery of Madeira Island all the way, to Faial on the north coast, and then headed northwest to Santana.
After a short rest in Santana, the three of them turned back along the mountain road and headed south into the mountains, heading straight for the highest peak observation deck on Madeira Island.
Although the mountain paths are rugged, they are all cement roads, very flat and passable.
We saw shuttle buses going back and forth along the way, and met many hiking tourists. They were all curious about the three hiking teenagers, especially when they heard that they came here on foot from Funchal, they were amazed.
The three of them finally climbed to the highest peak of Madeira Island before sunset and saw the beautiful sunset.
That night, they camped on the open space next to the observation deck on the top of the mountain.
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Night falls.
All the tourists went down the mountain.
Standing at the highest point, you can see the lights of Funchal in the distance to the south. Not far behind you in the low area is a small hotel on the observation deck. Further east on the mountainside is a hotel and parking lot.
On the winding mountain road, a little light from car lights would occasionally flash.
But most of the time, it is so quiet here that the only sound is the mountain breeze.
That's the sea breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
The observation deck at night is completely different from that during the day. Under the bright moonlight, it becomes even more mysterious.
The mountains and hills of Madeira Island crawling at its feet become even more unfathomable, like ferocious beasts kneeling in submission, making people unable to help but feel emotional.
"I've lived here for twelve years, and this is my first time coming to this place." Ronnie said with a smile, feeling very happy.
Looking from a high place, Su Dong and Pepe were equally excited.
"Tomorrow after we get down the mountain, we'll continue west from Santana to São Vicente on the north coast, and then from São Vicente we'll go south along the mountain road, through the mountains and forests to Tabua on the south coast. If time permits, we'll walk back to Funchal, otherwise we'll take a car."
Ronnie has already arranged his schedule perfectly.
In fact, Madeira Island is really not big. The straight-line distance from the easternmost to the westernmost point is 50 kilometers, and the straight-line distance from the southernmost to the northernmost point is 20 kilometers.
Although it goes around the mountains, it is actually a cement road and is very easy to walk on.
This is a bit of a challenge for Su Dong and the other two who are professional players, but it is not really that big.
"I suggest that we go on a hike around the island along the south coast next week," Su Dong suggested eagerly.
"I agree!" Pepe was the first to express his opinion.
"Of course I have no problem with that." Ronnie agreed readily.
After the three of them formally reached an agreement, they sat outside the tent and chatted for a while.
The youngest, Ronnie, was the first to give up and said he wanted to go to bed.
Su Dong and Pepe continued to sit outside the tent, looking at the stars in the night sky and the bright moon, with mixed feelings in their hearts.
Su Dong thought of his family.
He hasn't been home for more than a year and hasn't seen his parents. He doesn't know how they are doing now.
My parents’ dream of buying a house for many years should have come true, right?
Is their work still as hard?
As he thought about it, Su Dong felt a little sad.
Pepe next to him didn't say anything either, just stared at the moon.
I don't know how long they watched, but the Brazilian suddenly broke the silence and said with a sad tone, "I want to go home!"
Su Dong turned his head and saw Pepe wiping his eyes with his hand.
At this moment, how could he be as tough as the mad dog he was on the court?
He looks more like a traveler who misses his hometown and his family.