Robert Eggers is back with his latest feature film, The Northman. Following up the impressive The Witch and The Lighthouse, the writer/director takes us into the brutal world of the Vikings. What could have easily been a simple revenge story turns into something far more complex in this excellent new tale. The cast is sensational. Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and even Björk. Eggars’ latest is a stunning flick with intense action and brilliantly done battle sequences. But if your lead actor needs to be a beast of a man with his physical prowess, you better get someone who can get him there. May I introduce you to the amazing Magnus Lygdback?
Last week, we had an invitation to look inside the training and the diet of Mr. Skarsgård for the #TrainLikeTheNorthman event. During this cool little excursion, we witnessed all things Magnus. The afternoons’ schedule included an expresso bar, healthy refreshments, and a DJ spinning tunes. Yet the main event we were there for was to sweat. The exercise was the draw. And even with a limited version of Alexander’s workout routine, it still gave us a clear vision of the immense training that the actor received.
Once the collection of journalists and influencers were ready to get to work, Magnus began leading us on our path. The Northman Workout included the following: Bear Crawl warm-up, banded side step with toe touch, goblet squat, standing row with a super-band, as well as holding the band with a partner (thanks Perri), lateral raise, skaters – working with the super-band on our backs – and finally rolling knee tuck, and rotating kick through. while we had a much lighter version than the film’s hero, it was enough to get a bit of a workout in with a legendary physical trainer, and some solid rooftop workout tunes. And yes, we have a video of this, plus a quick interview with did with Magnus:
It’s very likely that JoBlo readers are going to appreciate this incredible feature film. It’s brutal, visually stunning, and enthralling, with several incredible performances, making for a true cinematic escape. The Northman opened yesterday, and it’s a must-see on every level.
All photo credits:
Photographer: Ivanna Jackson
Hotel: 1 Hotel West Hollywood
