The British and Irish Lions were well beaten by New Zealand in the first of their three Test series against the All Blacks, but there were definite positives for the tourists to draw from the encounter.
Along with the wonder try scored by Sean O’Brien in the first half, fans particularly enjoyed the impact of Saracens forward Maro Itoje from the bench, and the 22-year-old’s impressive display earned him a starting spot in the second Test.
Itoje is one of English rugby's rising stars, and his talent and boundless energy could spur the Lions on to success in the second Test. It’s set to be the biggest test of Itoje’s fledgling career so far, but the work he puts in during training should stand him in good stead to go toe-to-toe with the intimidating might of the All Blacks.
To showcase the kind of work he does in the gym, Itoje has created this short video with Maximuscle featuring a leg-focused four-move workout. If you fancy spending some sessions strengthening your legs you could do a lot worse than adding these four exercises to your routine (as well as this testing legs workout).
Back squat
Sets 5 Reps 6-8
The king of leg exercises. Back squats work your quads, hamstrings and calves, and strengthen the stabiliser muscles and supporting ligaments in your legs.
Nordic hamstring curl
Sets 5 Reps 6-8
Known as the “Nordic hammie”, this is an especially tough move if you don’t have someone to hold your legs down, but one that strengthens the hamstrings and helps protect them from injury.
Front foot elevated split squat
Sets 4 Reps 8-10
The quads are the main muscles hit by this move, which also improves stability in the lower body and addresses any imbalances in the strength of your legs.
Romanian deadlift
Sets 4 Reps 8-10
This deadlift variation targets your hamstrings in particular, ensuring that the backs of your legs are just as powerful as the fronts.
Maro Itoje is a Maximuscle athlete
More Sessions For Rugby Players
- Get rugby fit with England hero Maro Itoje
- Rugby workout to get back in shape for the pack
- Rugby training lessons from England Rugby
- 6 rugby drills for elite-level athleticism
