England Captain Owen Farrell Gave Us His 5-Move Workout for Power and Strength

Power, agility and stamina: elite rugby players come as close as a man can get to physical perfection. To develop such a mighty blend of functional and aesthetic fitness, players such as Owen Farrell build from the base. “The coaches put us through our heaviest work pre-season,” he says. “We focus on power in the lower body.” This is where you’ll start.

Crash through this workout, designed by Farrell and Luke Worthington of Third Space, three times a week for a fortnight to get ready for kick-off. Complete the set twice, with a 30-second break between each exercise. Ready? Engage.

Hold a kettlebell to your chest with your feet at shoulder width. Keeping your chest up, slowly lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and return to standing. Your legs, hips and lower back should be working fluidly, with your upper body hardly moving. Complete your reps, then grab another kettlebell.

Stand tall with a kettlebell in each hand, keeping your feet in line with your hips. Push your glutes back as far as you can, so your hips move horizontally, not downward. As you approach the floor, keep your chest high and core tight to stabilise your lower back. Lift your chest and push your heels into the floor to stand, with a firm grip on the weights.

Drop one of the kettlebells and hold the other in both hands with your feet hip-width apart. Step back with your left foot, lowering until your back knee almost touches the ground. Exhale as you drive through your right heel and return to standing. Pause at the top, then repeat on the other side. You’ll start to feel the burn in your quads.

From standing, still holding the kettlebell, lunge out to the left and plant your foot solidly on the floor, so you don’t rock your ankle. Bend your left knee but keep your right leg straight. Pause, then drive your left foot into the floor to push yourself back up to the starting position. Reverse and repeat.

Hold both kettlebells by your sides, then lift your left foot off the ground. Lean forward with your back straight, raising your left leg for balance, and lower the weights until your torso is parallel to the ground. Pause, then tense your glutes to return to standing. Switch sides. Once you’re done, have a quick breather, then do it all again.