James Bond actors have always been famous for being in pretty good shape but Daniel Craig certainly raised the bar when he appeared shirtless in his first 007 movie, Casino Royale. And thanks to a recent interview, now we know how he got the look that made people either jealous or weep in pleasure 15 years ago.
The latest James Bond movie, No Time To Die, is smashing all sorts of box office records, but admittedly, even Daniel Craig's swan song can't come close to his performance in Casino Royale. Both Craig's acting and physique peaked in that movie, but interestingly, he wasn't too impressed with the latter and wished he worked out differently in anticipation for his seminal spy movie.
That scene in Casino Royale of Craig walking out to the shore is as iconic as it is sexy: his body gleaming in the sun, pecs popping, shoulders looking swole. And although it's not like Craig wasn't buff before – just remember that Venice Hotel scene from the 2001 movie Tomb Raider – he put on even more muscle mass to take on the role of the legendary British spy James Bond. Maybe a bit too much, if you ask him.
- Upgrade your home gym today
- Best dumbbells
- Best barbells
- Best adjustable dumbbells
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Craig took questions from such esteemed "readers" as George Lazenby (former James Bond actor himself), Toni Collette (who was Craig's co-star in 'Knives Out') and more. One of the questions came from rugby player Elliot Daly who asked Craig the question we all wanted to know the answer for: "What was his training plan for Casino Royale?"
In his reply, Craig said his training for the movie "was not great" and that the plan was to make him look like he'd "just come out of special forces". They also wanted to "get him big" and truth to be told, big he became, even according to himself.
Craig does regret skipping cardio, though. "I wish I'd spent more time running", Craig added, "I kind of glocked myself up a bit." Glocked up presumably means stacked, ripped and buffed, and it's true; Craig did look a lot more more glocked up and swole than any other Bond actor.
His abs were also showing but not in a Cristiano Ronaldo way. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this look: we are all different, and Craig's example shows really well just how good one can look, even without sub-10% body fat.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
- PT says you should avoid the viral "75 Hard Workout Challenge" on TikTok - here is why
- 007-star Lashana Lynch did 600 sit-ups per day to get ready for No Time To Die
- Jason Momoa got in shape for Aquaman 2 with a very non-aquatic workout
As for how he got so big, his answer was straightforward: "It was heavy weights." This is probably less shocking than learning that Henry Cavill's favourite exercise is the back squat. Big weights, plenty of time under tension and consistent training will help most people build muscle eventually.
Want to look like James Bond? Check out Daniel Craig's Bond workout that got him fit (again) for the role of James Bond. Don't forget he is 53 years old by now but looks rather tasty nevertheless in those shirtless scenes in No Time To Die.
Check out these star-studded workouts too: here is a totally awesome Henry Cavill workout, a Chris Hemsworth workout that'll make you look like Thor and Dwayne The Rock Johnson workout to get you big.
Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.
-
Google could be tearing up its copy book for the Pixel 9a
The next affordable Pixel phone might launch sooner than expected
By Chris Hall Published
-
Samsung phone owners will have to wait longer for Android 15 – until the Samsung Galaxy S25, in fact
It looks like it will be worth the wait though
By Britta O'Boyle Published