When he isn’t busy training for his next match, Jamaica international rugby league player Mo Agoro is introducing teams of business people in West Yorkshire to a carefully considered methodology which he has developed, that focuses on improving work-life balance and teamwork in the work environment.

Currently signed to Oldham, Mo believes colleagues who have trained hard together during the team training in the gym are better placed to work together in a business environment.

Mo says he is passionate about physical fitness and mental wellbeing and believes relationships developed through exercise with colleagues improve key performance indicators at work as well as supporting personal fitness goals.

“The colleagues who meet in the gym for our team training might not have met before, particularly if they’re in different departments, so the programme is a great way for them to build camaraderie and trust,” explained Mo.

“Team workouts have a fun and competitive element so that when people go back to the office and perhaps find themselves working together on a project, that bond is already there.”

Mo reveals that his own professional training regimes focus heavily on teamwork and the fact that physical health and mental performance go hand in hand.

“I wanted to develop a programme that would make it easy for companies to integrate employee health and fitness into their culture and reap the benefits of increased productivity, job satisfaction and better team dynamics,” he said.

Mo grew up in Leeds and played for Leeds Rhinos Academy before signing his first professional contract with Oldham at the end of 2012. He started his professional playing career in 2013 and has played over 200 professional games, representing Jamaica on the international stage and spending time with Gloucestershire All Golds, Newcastle Thunder and Keighley Cougars before rejoining Oldham last year.

His experiences in national and international teams helped him evolve a regime that would translate to any team in any setting.

Mo runs his corporate programme through his fitness brand MLA Performance, which also offers one to one coaching online. Corporate clients currently training their staff regularly under the Strong and Ready programme include Bradford firm Don Whiteley Scientific and Leeds firms SBFM and Volta Compliance. Training sessions are based at PureGym Leeds Thorpe Park and at client workplaces.

His Strong and Ready programme sees staff teams meet for regular group training - but it isn’t all about the reps.

“Strength and conditioning training is a big part of this because physical strength and stamina are the building blocks for a healthier lifestyle but this is also about sharing experiences, challenging and supporting each other and learning how to train your body to cope with everyday challenges at home and work,” said Mo.

“I don’t believe wellbeing and work should be compartmentalised and if we can overcome that mindset, we can be more fulfilled in all aspects of our lives.”

The pro rugby star putting Yorkshire’s businesses through their paces