Rugby star Jack Nowell takes his training to the next level

Part of the charismatic English rugby union player's return to the sport involved working with Red Bull to put his body through its paces on a challenging coastal obstacle course

Jack Nowell, the England and Exeter Chiefs winger, is lying in the sand at Holywell Bay beach, Cornwall, utterly exhausted.

He has had numerous tries at completing a fiendish training course that is inspired by his family’s fishing roots and designed by the Strength and Conditioning team at Exeter Chiefs to test him to the limit.

Jack has failed to reach the end within 60 seconds again and again – and it’s little surprise, thanks to its absolutely incredible demands. Not only must he drag a huge anchor across the thick sands and flip over heavy fishing boats as part of his rugby strength training, but in between, he must throw pinpoint accurate rugby passes into barrels, chip one into a net, and then take a high catch – all executed to perfection.

Greg Coleman

With body burning and frustration running high, can he possibly keep going? Of course he can. Once he’s able to breathe from the last attempt, he sits up and smiles. “Let’s go again,” he says.

It vividly illustrates the mindset of an elite athlete – and it’s no surprise to his mum and dad, who are looking on. “I’ve never known him to give up on anything,” says his father, Michael. “He’s always been competitive.”

“It’s just about being the best he can be in everything,” adds his mum, Louisa. “He’s a dad now, so he’ll want to be the best at that. That’s what’s made him so successful in rugby. If you give him a challenge, he’ll surpass it.”

Jack is not only looking to help Exeter Chiefs secure their second Premiership title, but also regain his place in the England line-up, as he returns to rugby after a season disrupted by injury and unprecedented circumstances

To do that takes grit and determination. To learn more about Jack's training, how he fuels and prepares for matches, visit the Red Bull Pro Hub.

Greg Coleman

The Red Bull Pro Hub provides a place to learn from professional athletes – from how they fuel themselves and how they train, to how they became pro – and gives people the chance to raise the standard of their own game or training.

The Hub also offers exclusive glimpse into the lives of Red Bull athletes. In Jack’s case, that includes his training regimes, claiming that his brother Frankie might soon be a better player than him – and going hell-for-leather to try and beat the beach challenge. “We aren’t friends any more,” he says to the course at one point.

To find out more about Red Bull Pro, visit redbull.co.uk/pro