Simon Waterson: International Man of Fitness

Right from the parkour-inspired opening of Casino Royal, it was clear Daniel Craig was a new breed of Bond. Recklessly smashing through walls on a hectic construction site, viciously dragging a bomb maker through an embassy-turned-war-zone, and strutting around bare-chested, showing off his ripped new bod, it was obvious we were seeing a state-of-the-art 007. This brawny, muscle-bound Bond was thanks in part to Craig’s off-screen work ethic, but a nod certainly has to go to the insatiable drive and expert guidance of his personal trainer, Simon Waterson.

A former commando of the British Royal Navy, Waterson’s resolute determination, unrelenting motivation and incorporation of military philosophy into exercise has made him a leading man in Hollywood personal fitness. “That kind of philosophy suits the film business very, very well, because they’re very, very similar,” explains Waterson. Between tight deadlines, strict regiments and the constant need to improvise for an always-shifting filming location, Waterson’s muscle-packing military method has yielded fantastic results.

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Before transforming Craig into an athletic MI6 agent, Waterson began in Hollywood working with Pierce Brosnan on both The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day. He’s also been Craig’s go-to-guy on The Invasion, The Golden Compass, Quantum of Solace, Defiance, and the upcoming, unnamed 23rd James Bond movie.

Although transforming petite performers into warrior-like Gods has become his trademark, Waterson feels that personal fitness doesn’t have to consume your life. “Everybody’s different, but keep yourself a little book or a little chart with your goals and aims of what you would like to achieve,” recommends Waterson, who recently trained Jake Gyllenhaal on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Source Code, as well as bulking up Chris Evans for Captain America: The First Avenger. He is currently keeping Sam Worthington in Spartan-like shape on Clash of the Titans 2. Setting realistic goals and making the most of your time at the gym is still a more than adequate means of getting into shape, “As long as you’re doing something rather than nothing then psychologically it makes you feel better and it motivates you for the next time,” says Waterson, author of Body Challenge and Commando Workout.

For those of us who don’t have two hours a day for training, Waterson suggests finding ways to elevate your heart rate for 15 minutes and using your own body weight for exercise. “You always have it with you and you’ve got no excuse that you don’t have the equipment,” says Waterson. “Everyone can do push-ups, everyone can do some abs and everybody can do some squat lunges.”

www.simonwaterson.com