Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny prepares for battle with Petr Cech by hitting the gym before pre-season training begins

All too aware of his impending battle with Petr Cech for the Arsenal No 1 shirt, Wojciech Szczesny is already hitting the gym prior to the start of pre-season training.

Szczesny made 17 Premier League appearances for the Gunners last season, but in 2015 has only played a part in five FA Cup matches, sitting on the bench behind David Ospina.

And with his job set to get even tougher following the arrival of Cech from Chelsea, Szczesny is going the extra mile with training sessions in the gym.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is already back in the gym to prepare for next season's battle

He played second fiddle to David Ospina for the second half of last season and now has to fight Petr Cech

Szczesny, accompanied by a song from Charlotte OC, also skips in the video which he posted to Instagram

In a video montage posted to Instagram, the Poland shot-stopper lifts weights, performs press-ups and skips as he looks to improve his fitness ahead of the 2015-16 season.

There is a music track accompanying the video - Charlotte OC's 'Cut the Rope' - but Szczesny will surely be hoping the lyrics 'I'm losing it all, from something to nothing' will not apply to his Arsenal career.

The video looks more like something you'd expect to see in Rocky I, and although Szczesny isn't a boxer, he's certainly got a fight on his hands next season. 

Cech's arrival from champions Chelsea to Arsenal could signal another difficult season for Szczesny

Szczesny played five games after January 1, all of them in the FA Cup, and will hope for more next season