96 replies to this topic

[HildebrandRarity]

There have been three areas for me.

1. I try to either go to the gym or for a run at least 4 times a week...sometimes even up to 6 times per week. When I go, I take it to the max and sweat buckets. He mentioned that all one needs is 1 hour per day and so that's where I stop. 50 to 60 minutes total. I do not have a six pack but I can now run further and harder than I ever have in my life.

2. I wear business attire five days a week...but now, especially after Quantum, I have been consistently wearing discrete white pocket squares in my suit jacket pockets (as long as my shirts are white or have white in them) a la the Quantum posters one and two. I no longer wear a tie - again, Quantum poster number two - but everything else is crisp and clean and always polished.

3. I have no idea why this is (could be maturity) but I treat women with greater respect and dignity than I ever have. I don't want to chalk it up as giving credit to how James Bond has been written for Craig's portrayal as a relatively new 00, but perhaps it has subconsciously seeped in. I may be grasping here.

What about you good folk?

[Safari Suit]

I went to see his films at the cinema. Later I bought the DVDs.

[Loomis]

Craig definitely inspired me to take a bit of exercise. My only regret is that I waited until my early thirties to start getting in shape, and didn't do any exercise (beyond one memorable game of squash with a friend, which his sister was trying to get called off because she thought I was going to have a heart attack, and also a jogging session that lasted about one minute) in my twenties, when all I cared about was eating, drinking and being merry.

1. I try to either go to the gym or for a run at least 4 times a week...sometimes even up to 6 times per week.

Be careful not to overdo it. The body needs its days off to recover and build muscle, as I'm sure you're aware. Four - six gym visits a week is fine (albeit borderline overexercising), but do weights on one day and cardio the next. I recommend imbibing a post-workout recovery shake containing protein, glutamine, creatine, etc. as soon as possible after you've finished, i.e. mere minutes after you've finished. (Note: this last bit of advice is only for the really serious/obsessed. Just having a moderately healthy diet is fine, and other kinds of "chemical help" are probably best avoided.)

Curiously, it's sometimes the case that you'll notice your gains a few days after having done no gym work at all. The gym is great, I'd recommend it to everyone (although, make no mistake, I'm no Stallone in appearance), but it mustn't be overused/abused.

When I go, I take it to the max and sweat buckets. He mentioned that all one needs is 1 hour per day and so that's where I stop. 50 to 60 minutes total.

That's it. Really go for it when you're working out, and keep those sessions short. Even 45-minute sessions, assuming you work your butt off, will do the trick. As little as three a week will be fine. If you don't know what you're doing, get yourself a trainer who does. Up the weights and set yourself more testing running targets.... but only when you're ready.

I do not have a six pack but I can now run further and harder than I ever have in my life.

A six pack depends on more than just the effort/frequency you put into your workouts. Your genetics will play a large part, as will your body fat percentage. You need to be round about the 10% mark. The lower your body fat percentage, the more your six pack will show, but, obviously, you'll probably find that a very low body fat percentage will be bad for your health. If you want to work on this area, work hard on the weights and cardio and up your intake of protein and fats while decreasing your intake of carbs.

I went to see his films at the cinema. Later I bought the DVDs.

[David Schofield]

I changed my Aston DB7 Vantage for a new DB9 the other year thanks to CR.

After DAD, the reports on the Vanquish - particularly the transmission -were lousy so I had thought of switching marques to a Bentley Continental GT.

But Dan's choice made me stay with Aston. Great marketing from the team at Gaydon.

[HildebrandRarity]

A six pack depends on more than just the effort/frequency you put into your workouts. Your genetics will play a large part, as will your body fat percentage. You need to be round about the 10% mark. The lower your body fat percentage, the more your six pack will show, but, obviously, you'll probably find that a very low body fat percentage will be bad for your health.

True true. I have found that obsession with having a six pack leads to poorer quality of life...less enjoyment of life. You can't be social over pints or the dinner table, for example, and people can be turned off with another's obsession with food/drink intake while in their company. Remember, Craig could drink pints only on Sundays for about 8 months and couldn't wait to get back to eating/drinking reasonably normally after the movie was in the can.

It's one thing being 'fit' and it's another thing being bloody obsessed and socially anal.

I changed my Aston DB7 Vantage for a new DB9 the other year thanks to CR.

After DAD, the reports on the Vanquish - particularly the transmission -were lousy so I had thought of switching marques to a Bentley Continental GT.

But Dan's choice made me stay with Aston. Great marketing from the team at Gaydon.

Love the story! Thanks, David Schofield.

With respect to brands, DC has not changed my loyalty to Rolex Submariners.

[Loomis]

A six pack depends on more than just the effort/frequency you put into your workouts. Your genetics will play a large part, as will your body fat percentage. You need to be round about the 10% mark. The lower your body fat percentage, the more your six pack will show, but, obviously, you'll probably find that a very low body fat percentage will be bad for your health.

True true. I have found that obsession with having a six pack leads to poorer quality of life...less enjoyment of life. You can't be social over pints or the dinner table, for example, and people can be turned off with another's obsession with food/drink intake while in their company. Remember, Craig could drink pints only on Sundays for about 8 months and couldn't wait to get back to eating/drinking reasonably normally after the movie was in the can.

It's one thing being 'fit' and it's another thing being bloody obsessed and socially anal.

Exactly. Even the great Craig doesn't have a six pack in CR/QoS (he has a fairly flat stomach, but it's not as though he has super-defined Mark Wahlberg abs - far from it, in fact). And women, by and large, don't give a damn about whether a guy has a six pack (any more than blokes are exclusively attracted to women with "perfect" large breasts, although thousands of women get their perfectly acceptable chests inflated with silicone for this stupid reason) - they look more boyish than manly, and if you look at the cover models of mags like Men's Health six packs often just look freakish and weird.

[HildebrandRarity]

A six pack depends on more than just the effort/frequency you put into your workouts. Your genetics will play a large part, as will your body fat percentage. You need to be round about the 10% mark. The lower your body fat percentage, the more your six pack will show, but, obviously, you'll probably find that a very low body fat percentage will be bad for your health.

True true. I have found that obsession with having a six pack leads to poorer quality of life...less enjoyment of life. You can't be social over pints or the dinner table, for example, and people can be turned off with another's obsession with food/drink intake while in their company. Remember, Craig could drink pints only on Sundays for about 8 months and couldn't wait to get back to eating/drinking reasonably normally after the movie was in the can.

It's one thing being 'fit' and it's another thing being bloody obsessed and socially anal.

Exactly. Even the great Craig doesn't have a six pack in CR/QoS (he has a fairly flat stomach, but it's not as though he has super-defined Mark Wahlberg abs - far from it, in fact). And women, by and large, don't give a damn about whether a guy has a six pack - they look more boyish than manly, and if you look at the cover models of mags like Men's Health six packs often just look freakish and weird.

I entirely agree.

[Brian Flagg]

He hasn't. I prefer Ian Fleming's approach to fitness:

"I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them."

Of course, he's dead, too. But we'll all get our turn.

Seriously, I'm glad that Craig's Bond has inspired some of you to improve your physique; I hope that extends to improving your mind, as well.

[Loomis]

Seriously, I'm glad that Craig's Bond has inspired some of you to improve your physique; I hope that extends to improving your mind, as well.

Ooh. Miaow.

[Brian Flagg]

Seriously, I'm glad that Craig's Bond has inspired some of you to improve your physique; I hope that extends to improving your mind, as well.

Ooh. Miaow.

Down, boy! I know that comes across as snide in print, but it wasn't meant that way. Now, go and read your Nabokov...

[Loomis]

[Zorin Industries]

He has encouraged me to give loaded messages to Austrian airport receptionists and made my line in cardigans sexy.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I have been trying to get in better shape(biking,hiking,pull-ups,push-ups,dips). Seems like having a "gun show" was not cool for a long time.The skinny chainsmoking brit fron Layer Cake brought it back.

[00Twelve]

I find tight swim trunks much more appealing than I used to.

[OmarB]

He has not influenced me at all.

[jaguar007]

I have started to storm into foreign Embassy's and shoot them up.


Seriously, I belonged to a gym and worked out prior to Craig being cast, but I seemed to get a bit more serious and stepped up my game after he was cast as Bond.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Craig hasn't had any notable influence on my life, though he did make me interested in 007 again, which I guess could count.

[Harry Potter]

I part my hair on the other side

[JimmyBond]

I have started to storm into foreign Embassy's and shoot them up.

You too? I thought I was the only one!

[Loomis]

I've now learned to laugh and crack jokes while having my balls beaten.

[HildebrandRarity]

I've now learned to laugh and crack jokes while having my balls beaten.

[Zorin Industries]

I've now learned to laugh and crack jokes while having my balls beaten.

Each to his own. Each to his own.

[danslittlefinger]

Seriously, I'm glad that Craig's Bond has inspired some of you to improve your physique; I hope that extends to improving your mind, as well.

Ooh. Miaow.

Heaven forbid.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I've now learned to laugh and crack jokes while having my balls beaten.

Marriage will do that to a man.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Seriously, I'm glad that Craig's Bond has inspired some of you to improve your physique; I hope that extends to improving your mind, as well.

Ooh. Miaow.

Down, boy! I know that comes across as snide in print, but it wasn't meant that way. Now, go and read your Nabokov...

Which reminds me: Who else is picking up the new Nabokov novel when it comes out, The Original of Laura? I haven't read the man's other works, but I know I want to snap that one up.

As for Craigy influencing me, well, he has; I've been trying to go on long strolls when the weather is nice, and it's improved my mood enormously.

[Professor Pi]

I've now learned to laugh and crack jokes while having my balls beaten.

Marriage will do that to a man.

LOL! Having recently been separated, I burst out laughing on that one. And in the book, at least Le Chiffre serves Bond coffee.

As for Craig's influence on me, there are three things:

1 measure of vodka (Stoli 100 proof)
3 measures of Gordon's (actually, Tanqueray No. 10 nowadays)
1/2 of Lillet

... but not six of them!

[danslittlefinger]

I eat fewer takeaways.

[scottish peasant]

Hildebrand - if you want a workout that 007, or any other elite agent/fighting force would do, check out CrossFit. It is a 6-day/week program, all workouts posted on the site and can take as little as 20 minutes or an hour (or more). I've done it as few as 3-4 days/week and been in the best shape of my life.

http://www.crossfit.com/

You'll notice a lot of soldiers, police and firefighters now use this as a main staple.

Best - Scottish Peasant

[Aris007]

I find tight swim trunks much more appealing than I used to.

Exactly!

[HildebrandRarity]

Hildebrand - if you want a workout that 007, or any other elite agent/fighting force would do, check out CrossFit. It is a 6-day/week program, all workouts posted on the site and can take as little as 20 minutes or an hour (or more). I've done it as few as 3-4 days/week and been in the best shape of my life.

http://www.crossfit.com/

You'll notice a lot of soldiers, police and firefighters now use this as a main staple.

Best - Scottish Peasant

Most appreciated, Scottish.

Cross training - i.e. 'mixing it up' - is important. I even vary my runs. In any given week I may go on two to four runs, depending on what type of cardio i'm doing at the gym (eliptical, bike or treadmill...and weather dependent (like not going out if it's swealtering hot)).

Of those runs I do 1 timed run per week over a specific route as a benchmark. I try to give it everything and do my best to lower my time...so it's virtually flat out for about 23/24 minutes...and then I do about 10-15 mins of weight machines (arms, legs, pecs, lats) and abdominals using a ball.

The other run/runs is/are longer - 38 to 45 mins - and I pace it for that and it's over varied routes...followed, again, by machines and abs using a ball.

As per your website, I will take a good look at it but I have to say I am not regimented...I know I want to sweat buckets four to six times per week...but I don't plan the week in advance. More ad hoc.

What I need to do is increase my pull ups/chin ups and use of squats. Squats definitely help.

Once again, thanks for the link.