WIGAN Athletic have started altitude training to help them climb the Premiership table.

Paul Jewell's players are undertaking the same level of a high intensity endurance test used by mountaineers who climb Everest.

The new drills at the club's training ground are designed to boost energy levels and increase an individual's lung capacity.

The scheme is the brainchild of head physio Alan Tomlinson. He comes from a rugby background and the scheme used by Wigan has proved beneficial for the New Zealand All Blacks.

Wigan's Scotland international midfield star Neil McCulloch says the drills have proved a superb addition to training routines - where they have also helped speed up recovery time from injury.

McCulloch said: "We put on a mask taking the oxygen over a 15-day period - it's just like doing shuttle runs throughout the day but it increases energy levels so that we can run our socks off.

Problems

"I was one of the first players to try it out last season, it helped me when I was trying to get fit for the Carling Cup final - it's very forward thinking but it's been used a lot in rugby. The lads think it's great and if anything like this can help then it's worthwhile taking on."

McCulloch hopes the altitude training can help him overcome his latest problems with a knee injury and guarantee he figures in Sunday's clash with Blackburn.

He has also had an injection and is ready to step up his on-field training.

Manager Jewell admits Latics need to be far more inventive after picking up just five points and being sucked into a dour long ball clash with Watford last weekend.

Jewell said: "We want to move on from how we played against Watford; I wasn't happy with the performance. But with new players having come in, things will take time and it won't happen overnight." Tweet