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Intelligent Fitness: The Smart Way to Reboot Your Body and Get in Shape
"Without Simon Waterson’s help and guidance, I literally wouldn’t have made it through fifteen years of playing James Bond … It’s been an honor working with him." — Daniel Craig
_________________________
Simon Waterson's job is to turn actors into athletes. Now you can learn how to transform your fitness and wellbeing with the film industry's most in-demand trainer.
Simon’s client list reads like a who’s who of A-list actors. He has transformed Daniel Craig into the formidable James Bond for five blockbuster films, shaped Chris Evans into superhero Captain America, trained Chris Pratt for Guardians of the Galaxy and prepared actors such as Thandiwe Newton and John Boyega for the recent Star Wars films.
From 3.30 a.m. training sessions in the desert with Jake Gyllenhaal to virtual workouts with Bryce Dallas Howard, Simon reveals the real training programs he used to take these actors to peak physical health.
Sharing his practical and highly accessible approach to reimagining your body, Simon encourages you to focus on training, recovery and nutrition to build on your performance, rather than aesthetic.
Packed full of behind-the-scenes insights, as well as 007 photographer Greg Williams’ exclusive photographs, this is an essential training manual for any age and fitness level that will motivate you to reboot your body and train like a star.
_________________________
Simon Waterson's job is to turn actors into athletes. Now you can learn how to transform your fitness and wellbeing with the film industry's most in-demand trainer.
Simon’s client list reads like a who’s who of A-list actors. He has transformed Daniel Craig into the formidable James Bond for five blockbuster films, shaped Chris Evans into superhero Captain America, trained Chris Pratt for Guardians of the Galaxy and prepared actors such as Thandiwe Newton and John Boyega for the recent Star Wars films.
From 3.30 a.m. training sessions in the desert with Jake Gyllenhaal to virtual workouts with Bryce Dallas Howard, Simon reveals the real training programs he used to take these actors to peak physical health.
Sharing his practical and highly accessible approach to reimagining your body, Simon encourages you to focus on training, recovery and nutrition to build on your performance, rather than aesthetic.
Packed full of behind-the-scenes insights, as well as 007 photographer Greg Williams’ exclusive photographs, this is an essential training manual for any age and fitness level that will motivate you to reboot your body and train like a star.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
104 people are currently reading
1990 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 6, 2022
Good general info but lacking
Good general info and examples of individual workouts but I would have liked to have seen an overview of how each workout fits into the big picture of the actors program. For example Daniel Craig's upper body workout was shown as 2 days per week but it wasn't explained how this fits into Daniels rest of his program. I.e. how many days lower body? How many days on other activities such as recovery, martial arts, stunt training etc. This was perpetuated throughout.
I also didn't understand how the 5/2 method accounts for overall weekly volume and recovery of body parts compared to traditional body part splits such as upper/lower split, push/pull/legs split etc. In addition the cardio while resting between resistance didn't make sense/wasn't explained because I would have thought cardio would make the resistance excercise weaker and therefore adaptation stall I.e. SAID principle
Good general info and examples of individual workouts but I would have liked to have seen an overview of how each workout fits into the big picture of the actors program. For example Daniel Craig's upper body workout was shown as 2 days per week but it wasn't explained how this fits into Daniels rest of his program. I.e. how many days lower body? How many days on other activities such as recovery, martial arts, stunt training etc. This was perpetuated throughout.
I also didn't understand how the 5/2 method accounts for overall weekly volume and recovery of body parts compared to traditional body part splits such as upper/lower split, push/pull/legs split etc. In addition the cardio while resting between resistance didn't make sense/wasn't explained because I would have thought cardio would make the resistance excercise weaker and therefore adaptation stall I.e. SAID principle
February 20, 2022
Simon had a few decent workout tips. I like his 5/2 method. But goodness, I lost count of the number of times he mentioned training Daniel Craig for all 5 Bond films. This book could be half the length if he’d stop bragging about all his work with celebrities and just share the fitness info. 🤷🏻♀️
July 12, 2023
Good book for beginners. This is a good principle: “train for performance, not aesthetics. The aesthetics will follow”
Other than that, it approaches training, rest, and nutrition in a superficial way, without much detail. I felt it repeated the same message many many times over during the course of the book.
Other than that, it approaches training, rest, and nutrition in a superficial way, without much detail. I felt it repeated the same message many many times over during the course of the book.
January 13, 2026
*2,5
If you’re looking for a book about bts info of actors’ fitness as they prepare for action movies, this is the book for you.
It is not a book that teaches you “the smart way to reboot your body and get in shape”, as the tagline says.
There are very few actionable tips, and most of them are the generic kind you can get anywhere. There’s no info about actually learning about your body and how to properly exercise. Admittedly, there are some workout breakdowns of famous actors’s regimens, but I don’t think they’re beginner friendly.
If you’re looking for a book about bts info of actors’ fitness as they prepare for action movies, this is the book for you.
It is not a book that teaches you “the smart way to reboot your body and get in shape”, as the tagline says.
There are very few actionable tips, and most of them are the generic kind you can get anywhere. There’s no info about actually learning about your body and how to properly exercise. Admittedly, there are some workout breakdowns of famous actors’s regimens, but I don’t think they’re beginner friendly.
April 6, 2023
My For more than 25 years, Simon Waterson has gotten my hubby's favorite Hollywood A-list actors into top physical shape. So, when he saw that this book was coming out, he was beyond excited, and I have to admit, so was I! I mean anyone who helped Chris Evans get into that beautiful shape has to be amazing, right?! But not only him... we're talkin' Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Craig, Chris Pratt, Léa Seydoux, John Boyega, Blake Lively, Jake Gyllenhaal, Harrison Ford, John Krasinski... and more!
Thankfully, Triumph Books came in clutch by kindly gifting us with this awesome training manual in exchange for an honest review!
What we both loved:
👍Waterson's less is more ideology makes me happy! The less I have to workout, the better!
👍His approach to fitness as a mind/body connection makes perfect sense!
👍He's big on sleep and naps, so need I say more😴?!
👍Setting small goals and pacing myself resonates big time with me!
👍The at-home essential kit is manageable with only 5 items necessary.
👍And we both love his focus on stretching!
📷A really fun part is the behind-the-scenes photos of the actors Mr. Waterson has worked with!
💯The best thing is that he makes it so doable for all of us common folk - cuz I can tell you, I ain't no Hollywood star that has the time and resources to focus all my energy on fitness. Thankfully, this trainer understands that and provides a straightforward, effective solution!
Check out more of my reviews on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mamasgottar... !
Thankfully, Triumph Books came in clutch by kindly gifting us with this awesome training manual in exchange for an honest review!
What we both loved:
👍Waterson's less is more ideology makes me happy! The less I have to workout, the better!
👍His approach to fitness as a mind/body connection makes perfect sense!
👍He's big on sleep and naps, so need I say more😴?!
👍Setting small goals and pacing myself resonates big time with me!
👍The at-home essential kit is manageable with only 5 items necessary.
👍And we both love his focus on stretching!
📷A really fun part is the behind-the-scenes photos of the actors Mr. Waterson has worked with!
💯The best thing is that he makes it so doable for all of us common folk - cuz I can tell you, I ain't no Hollywood star that has the time and resources to focus all my energy on fitness. Thankfully, this trainer understands that and provides a straightforward, effective solution!
Check out more of my reviews on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mamasgottar... !
March 27, 2022
Way too light on details, and really vague. Nice to see the workout designed for people and the 5-2 bit was helpful but otherwise hard to actually design a workout based on this. I was really hopeful for some sort of manual for designing workouts and was left underwhelmed from that respect.
Generally everything was way too high level for me.
Workouts - here’s the format but no guidance on like should squats be the main thing or something else. Very hard to design anything around what was provided.
Perhaps high level he doesn’t want to write himself out of a job. Who knows. I took very little useful for my own workout regime from this.
Generally everything was way too high level for me.
Workouts - here’s the format but no guidance on like should squats be the main thing or something else. Very hard to design anything around what was provided.
Perhaps high level he doesn’t want to write himself out of a job. Who knows. I took very little useful for my own workout regime from this.
August 18, 2023
I’m cheating here...one review for two books. The good part: they’re both 5 bill-stars.
The author is Simon Waterson who is British and a long-time fitness trainer to the stars. His most famous client is Daniel Craig of James Bond fame. The two books are 1) Intelligent Fitness, and 2) The 10 Week Intelligent Fitness Challenge. They were published in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Fwiw, neither book has gotten much traction on Amazon or Goodreads.
Ironically, I have no interest in training like a movie star or doing some intense 10 week boot camp. So, what’s with the 5 stars, Bill? Read on.
I really like Waterson’s fitness philosophy where he focuses on having fun and setting a sustainable pace to your workouts. He also emphasizes stimulating your brain in addition to your body to keep you coming to the gym. Each book describes a great list of exercises and exercise combos. The 10 week book is better in this regard with its many pages of color photos showing workout examples.
Waterson offers up his “Holy Grail of fitness programming” as an approach he uses for nearly all his clients. I pay attention when a guy who has been so successful for so long says, "Here's my #1 thing". His 5-2 method intertwines resistance training and cardio for faster-paced workout that focuses on the whole body. I haven't tried it out yet, but soon!
QOTD
Everyone's always saying, 'I want to look like this.' But I believe what you should be saying is, 'I want to feel like this.' Once you have that self-awareness, the by-product is going to be visual. Fitness isn't about achieving a particular look or image. Fitness is primarily about feelings.
- Simon Waterson, Intelligent Fitness
You can grumble about the movie stars and the 10 weeks in these books. Or you can focus on the valuable fitness philosophy and goodies that a top trainer like Waterson in sharing with you.
A great read...times two! thanks...yow, bill
April 9, 2022
I never pick up a book about nutrition or fitness and see it as THE health Bible. I see them more as individual books within the larger health scripture. Intelligent Fitness is a good addition to the field and having done a few 5-2 workouts (the prescribed method in the book) I do feel like I'm pushing myself and living a healthier life. The 5-2 method keeps things interesting, but I do feel like I have to incorporate knowledge from other sources (more on them in a moment).
I liked the stories about behind the scenes of training actors and actresses and the fact that there are workouts for women is a nice change of pace because most fitness books lack the angles of what works for men and what works for women. Simon has a great attitude towards health and exercise that makes you want to exercise not out of necessity but out of fun.
Some pointers:
For the 2 minutes of cardio in between sets, I googled examples. Obviously, if you have access to a treadmill or stationary bike, those are great options. If you don't, like the book says, don't let machines get in the way. I do two minutes of a mix between jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or high knees.
The workout examples in the book are more full body routines. I looked to established trainers to develop more targeted (legs, upper body) workouts like Jeff Cavaliere at AthleanX and then just plugged in the exercises into the 5-2 structure.
In regards to nutrition, I recommend The Wild Diet by Abel James and Fit Men Cook by Kevin Curry. They have some great perspectives on other fitness aspects like fasting and meals without the blandness of most diets.
Hope this helps! Health requires discipline, but it is all worth it!
I liked the stories about behind the scenes of training actors and actresses and the fact that there are workouts for women is a nice change of pace because most fitness books lack the angles of what works for men and what works for women. Simon has a great attitude towards health and exercise that makes you want to exercise not out of necessity but out of fun.
Some pointers:
For the 2 minutes of cardio in between sets, I googled examples. Obviously, if you have access to a treadmill or stationary bike, those are great options. If you don't, like the book says, don't let machines get in the way. I do two minutes of a mix between jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or high knees.
The workout examples in the book are more full body routines. I looked to established trainers to develop more targeted (legs, upper body) workouts like Jeff Cavaliere at AthleanX and then just plugged in the exercises into the 5-2 structure.
In regards to nutrition, I recommend The Wild Diet by Abel James and Fit Men Cook by Kevin Curry. They have some great perspectives on other fitness aspects like fasting and meals without the blandness of most diets.
Hope this helps! Health requires discipline, but it is all worth it!
February 15, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s a mixture of practical advice about workouts and a philosophy for improving (physical) performance. These sections are nicely written in an easy to understand voice.
Each of the ’star’ chapters has a nice lead in about the individual concerned, before getting down to the fitness routines (fort of a character needs analysis).
Some of the detail is lacking, especially about the cardio part of the sessions (heart rate targets etc), but this isn’t a text book or a fitness manual. Had it been a formal training manual I would have been critical. Nice to see the theory of exercises and amalgamations.
Overall an enjoyable read, interesting to pick up from a successful coach/trainer a few tips and ideas. I’ll most likely dip in and out of this book for training ideas in the future.
Each of the ’star’ chapters has a nice lead in about the individual concerned, before getting down to the fitness routines (fort of a character needs analysis).
Some of the detail is lacking, especially about the cardio part of the sessions (heart rate targets etc), but this isn’t a text book or a fitness manual. Had it been a formal training manual I would have been critical. Nice to see the theory of exercises and amalgamations.
Overall an enjoyable read, interesting to pick up from a successful coach/trainer a few tips and ideas. I’ll most likely dip in and out of this book for training ideas in the future.
May 10, 2022
I liked this book because Simon lays out easy to follow exercise plans for all fitness levels that work for a range of people, whether they have no equipment, minimal equipment or a full gym setup. While reading this book, I bought a pair of dumb bells to gives his weights routines a try, and really enjoy doing them. The highest praise you can give any fitness book is that has a positive impact on your own training and this one definitely does. Simon's anecdotes about training Hollywood actors and actresses were fun to read. I now understand how Bryce Dallas Howard was able to run in those high heels throughout Jurassic World. Recommended.
July 6, 2022
Easy to read and understand. I like the fact that I get actual workouts of “the stars” but I don’t think it’s everything they did, maybe a portion. I feel the book lacks in some details and was repetitive if someone else did the same exercise. I would’ve liked more info on nutrition and example recipes as this book only gave two. I do like the layout and background info on the actors. Some of it felt as though he was listing his wrap sheet which there is nothing wrong with. I would’ve liked maybe an example month plan but I know lot of people are different. I guess he’s just really giving an overview of what he did and it obviously works so do what you will with the info.
June 15, 2023
This fitness how-to is more of a mindset guide than an actual, in-gym training manual. Waterson emphasizes protective measures to guard against burn-out and injury. "Performance" is the only true metric, and he recommends tossing the scale. In that sense, the book is meditative and intriguing. It is also fun to see a (very) brief snapshot of various actors' workouts, as calibrated to the performance required by specific movie roles. I'd read another of Waterson's books, though I strongly suspect there isn't much more he has to say.
December 9, 2023
A lot of this fitness advice I have heard from many sources, but I found Waterson's emphasis on recovery especially interesting. I don's usually think all that much about recovery and he says it's really important. There are some interesting workouts explained in the book, but most of them I can't do because I don't have the gear (or "kit" as he calls it). I was interested to know how long actors took to get in shape for their roles; for example Daniel Craig took a year to train for his last James Bond film.
August 22, 2023
4½
It ended up being so much more interesting than I thought since this wasn't just a guide, but he also gave us some behind the scenes on the movies he worked on. My fav was when the director of the 1° Captain America showed him some models to make him understand how he wanted Chris Evans' abs to look like lol
However, speaking of the workout, I wish he had included more that didn't necessarily involve gymnastics equipment. Other than that, it was really helpful!
It ended up being so much more interesting than I thought since this wasn't just a guide, but he also gave us some behind the scenes on the movies he worked on. My fav was when the director of the 1° Captain America showed him some models to make him understand how he wanted Chris Evans' abs to look like lol
However, speaking of the workout, I wish he had included more that didn't necessarily involve gymnastics equipment. Other than that, it was really helpful!
September 16, 2023
Basically a Mens health issue in book form, and that is not a compliment. The usual Hollywood 5 minute workout, toxins and kale shakes propaganda with no science behind it. Also typical dedicating 90% on workouts and only 10% of the whole book on nutrition (which will make the bigger difference)
Look at some of Renaissance Periodization videos that expose those bogus Hollywood workouts with some actual science.
Look at some of Renaissance Periodization videos that expose those bogus Hollywood workouts with some actual science.
December 26, 2022
A good source for inspiration, motivation and guidance. Even though I‘m deep into a fitness journey there have been a lot new thing I tried and enjoyed. I was hoping for more input and fight plan regarding recovery and nutrition. Nevertheless the book also contains a lot of nice tips for these sections.
April 11, 2022
One of the best fitness books I’ve read. His way of talking about health is engaging and entertaining. I’m so motivated to take better care of my body after reading this book. His workouts are amazing as well. This was such a good find!
May 17, 2022
To nie jest kolejna książka z cyklu ABC ćwiczeń do uzyskania plażowej sylwetki. Autor ma bardzo duże doświadczenie w ćwiczeniu gwiazd kina akcji- głównie Marvel(MCU) i Bond. Książka łączy formę biografii i poradnika. Na plus tej pozycji na pewno przemawia fakt, że autor stara się w prosty sposób wytłumaczyć główne założenia aktywnego stylu życia. Pokazuje proste porady, triki, które można szybko dodać i zmienić swoje życie na zdrowsze. Na pewno nie należy traktować tej publikacji jako klucza do dobrej sylwetki, swoistego kompedium wiedzy. Plany treningowe niektórych gwiazd są podobne, ćwiczenia się powtarzają. Dla osób już aktywnych ta książka będzie raczej ciekawostką, a nie wartością dodaną. Warto przeczytać, żeby się zainspirować do ćwiczeń lub jak ktoś interesuje się showbiznesem. Książka krótka, szybko się czyta, ale nie stracimy jeżeli się z nią nie zapoznamy.
June 13, 2022
Not a bad book. Sadly, the information I was looking for was more geared towards working out, as opposed to hearing about actors working out. But that's what the book is about. It had some useful information, but that was the lesser part of the page count.
October 29, 2022
Ciekawy system. Dużo przykładowych planów. Można wprowadzić odmianę do własnego plany ćwiczeń. Brzmi dobrze, świetna referencja, super nazwiska i filmy. Choć jak ktoś już wie jak trenować i ma plan to bardziej jako ciekawostka.
February 9, 2023
A great book with lots of helpful tips and insights. As a trainee personal trainer there is a lot I will take from this book.
Maybe just a little too much name dropping though. Not sure how many times Daniel Craig was mentioned. Haha.
Maybe just a little too much name dropping though. Not sure how many times Daniel Craig was mentioned. Haha.
July 8, 2023
Great recommendation from my son. He has a very common sense approach with no gimmicks or special diets. I trust that it has been played out in the lives of his clients which are an impressive list. Got some good ideas on how to fine tune my workouts.
January 12, 2022
Intelligent Indeed
Teaches you to pay attention to the correct things, much needed in this day of misinformation in bodybuilding and dieting!
Teaches you to pay attention to the correct things, much needed in this day of misinformation in bodybuilding and dieting!
March 13, 2022
Too vague. Illustrations are frustratingly simple and actually confusing. They did nothing to help understand the movements.
March 20, 2022
The author has trained a lot of actors, and provides actionable steps to take to improve your fitness. There is no fluff, it's straightforward and easy to understand. I will start tomorrow!
April 8, 2022
Great book
June 8, 2022
Well meaning, with plenty of tips and words of encouragement, but frustratingly vague and devoid of any thorough workout regiment or program.
October 25, 2023
Its a gimmick book with very little uncommon knowledge about fitness.
December 29, 2023
The author is a trainer to the stars, so what you mainly get in this book is "when I was training so and so, for the such and such movie" and not much else that you won't already know.
May 4, 2025
Dobra dla początkujących sportowców oraz fanów Daniela Craiga
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews