The first players arrived at 7:30 am in the morning: the first day back at training for season 2015/16 started early and it was not over until the early evening when the last players went home. The team was split up into four groups and it was all about performance diagnostics. This means the pros underwent complete check-ups from A to Z, checking on every part of the body right from the eyes to the toes.

The programme for the three goalkeepers Roman Weidenfeller, Henrdrik Bonmann and Roman Bürki consisted of having breakfast together just before 8 am at the training ground on the Adi-Preiβler-Allee, right after that they had to go to a two hour sport-medical examination at the Ruhr University in Bonn. There they had an eye-test and they had to undergo a “spiroergometry” examination.

An analysis of respiratory gases hides behind this technical term. This has been widespread in endurance sports for years and is also nothing new within football. Amongst other things the analysis examines individual heart frequencies within training and the aerobic-anaerobic threshold of the players. Every pressure point is established where the body has to use oxygen. This means that you can assess how much effort every individual exerts within training and thus you can have optimum control over the training for each player.

The new fitness coach Rainer Schrey explained: “we have conducted quite a wide variety of tests.” Apart from an endurance and mobility test, there were many other examinations within the programme. Schrey’s first analogy was: “This way we can have an overview: at what level is every player at this moment? The players were great in the way that they joined in.”

Whilst one group was in Bochum, one of the other four training groups was literally made to stand on their heads in Dortmund. They measured how well the players could jump whilst in the weights room.

Unfortunately Nuri Sahin, Kevin Großkreutz and Adrian Ramos could not take part due to their ongoing injuries. Ciro Immobile, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Shinji Kagawa, Matthias Ginter, Milos Jojic and Sokratis could not take part due to playing internationals right up to the middle of June or because they took part in the U21 EURO and could only start their holidays at a later date.

On Tuesday will be the first time the players get back onto the pitch. The first pre-season friendly will be at VfL Rhede on Friday. The following day will be the season opening in Dortmund. (br)