Gym library
Rugby gym exercises
Blueprint Rugby's gym library has 60 strength, power and injury-resilience exercises for rugby players, in 15 categories from squats and deadlifts to jumps, carries and neck work. Each one has the setup, the steps, coaching cues, common mistakes and sets and reps by goal.
- Exercises
- 60
- Categories
- 15
- Price
- Free
Exercises by category
Lower body
- SquatThe box squat to learn the pattern, then the back squat and front squat for heavy leg strength.
- HingeThe trap bar deadlift and the conventional deadlift, for heavy whole-body pulling strength.
- Lunge and single legSplit squats, lunges, step-ups and the Copenhagen, one leg at a time and in every direction.
- HamstringNordics, Romanian deadlifts, razor curls and sliders, for hamstrings that hold up when sprinting.
- Hip extensionThe barbell hip thrust and the 45-degree back extension, for strong hips with little spinal load.
Upper body
- Horizontal pushThe bench press, incline bench and dumbbell bench press, for pressing strength in contact.
- Vertical pushThe strict press, push press, landmine press and dips, for overhead strength and the fend.
- Horizontal pullBarbell, dumbbell, chest-supported and cable rows, to balance all the pressing.
- Vertical pullThe lat pulldown and the weighted chin-up, for pulling strength relative to bodyweight.
Power
Trunk and carries
Lifts to learn first
New to the gym? These are the entry points the heavier lifts build on.
- Box SquatTeach the squat pattern and standardise depth across a squad.
- Trap Bar DeadliftBuild whole-body pulling strength with a shorter learning curve than the conventional deadlift.
- Split SquatLearn the single-leg pattern and expose side-to-side differences.
- Dumbbell Bench PressBuild pressing strength with more range and less shoulder stress than a barbell.
- Lat PulldownBuild vertical pulling strength on the road to a first pull-up.
- Romanian DeadliftLoad the hamstrings in a lengthened position, which is where they get injured.
- Box JumpExpress concentric jumping power with a low landing cost.
- Dead BugLearn to brace against extension before you load a hinge.
- Isometric Neck HoldsBuild neck stiffness in all directions with no equipment at all.
How to use these exercises
Each exercise page starts with what it is for and the quick facts: the equipment, whether you work one side at a time, and the positions it suits. Then it gives you the setup, the steps in order, what to focus on and the mistakes to look for.
The sets and reps table shows a starting point for each goal: strength, size or power. Strength work uses heavier loads, fewer reps and longer rest. Power work is fast and done fresh, with full rest so every rep is quick.
A sensible week has two or three gym sessions in the off-season and pre-season, and fewer, shorter ones in-season around training and games. Some exercises have a lift to learn first; the page names it.
Looking for field work instead? The rugby drill library has skills, speed and conditioning drills for team training.