How lockdown workouts prepared All Whites striker for professional career

posted in: All Whites, News

All Whites striker Alex Greive has revealed how twice-daily gym workouts during New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown helped get him in shape for his move into professional football.

The former Birkenhead United player joined Scottish Premiership club St Mirren this year, a move that also helped earn his spot in the New Zealand team at the Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Qatar.

Main photo: Greive scores against New Caledonia.

In an interview with The Scottish Sun, Greive (22) explained his fitness regime had prepared him for the move.

‘I worked out twice a day, as hard as I possibly could’

Asked by reporter Robert Grieve if it was true he had arrived with only 3% body fat, the Kiwi striker said:

“I don’t know the actual number but it was pretty low.

“We were in lockdown in New Zealand before I came over to Scotland and I was living in a flat with six other boys — and all we did was work out in a gym downstairs.

“I worked out twice a day, as hard as I possibly could. I knew I was coming over to St Mirren and wanted to get into the best shape possible.”

The move to St Mirren followed a three-club partnership struck between Birkenhead, Nelson Suburbs and the Scottish club. Read more about the partnership here >>>>

Greive … now with St Mirren.

Greive has made a decent start to his Scottish career but has also impressed with the All Whites, scoring twice against New Caledonia and earning praise from the likes of All Whites legend Ricki Herbert.

In his World Cup Briefing column for Friends of Football, former national coach Herbert said Greive had made the most of his international opportunity and “looks quite at home in an All Whites shirt”.

Click here to read Herbert’s briefing >>>>

Greive’s childhood hero: ‘He’s a machine’

In the rest of the often light-hearted interview with The Scottish Sun, Greive explains his dislike of snakes and golf, his like for surfing and shopping and even revealed the last time he cried.

Asked to name his childhood hero, Greive said:

“The All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. He’s a machine. He once played with a broken foot for an entire World Cup.”

The striker — who won last year’s Northern League Golden Boot — says his ambition is “to be the best player I can be and have a good, long career in football.

“I also dream of getting to the World Cup with New Zealand. That’s something I would really love to do.”

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