If you are like me you are fairly stoked for the new James Bond movie Skyfall hitting theaters soon. If you need a little change from the superhero/supervillian, Batman and Avenger stuff then you are ready for an action spy thriller with style, action and the ever so anticipated twisted plot.
Of course this inspired me to think about how a spy like 007 would train and eat when not kicking ass and saving the world and the girl. How would he schedule his time, workouts and meals? What strategy would he put into action to stay in shape (or maybe initially get into that kind of shape in the first place)?
I came up with my own list of requirements needed to accomplish the mission of being a functionally fit, mobile spy with the side effect of looking pretty damn good at the same time.
- Very little equipment needed: A double O doesn’t have the time or patience to look for an upscale, fully stocked gym. More importantly, he can’t afford to wait around for popular pieces of equipment when doing circuits or supersets.
- Full of variation: Not only will variation keep the body guessing, adapting and changing but it will also allow for easy and practical substitutions when other equipment or areas are not available. This will serve him well when he needs to think quickly on his feet.
- Time efficient: The workouts must be relatively short in duration. By keeping his workouts from 45 minutes to an hour long he will ensure he are putting in the correct amount of work and intensity which leads us to our next point.
- Intense: Since he is watching the clock intensity will be at an all time high. However, this will only result in more muscle built and more fat lost.
- Functional: Functionality is a must for this type of life. Not only will it serve him well on missions but it will also help stay fit and injury-free during everyday activity. As a side benefit, this will also make the training fun and keep motivation levels high.
- The diet must be practical: A double O is busy so a diet that requires a ton of preparation and cooking is not in the plans. Meals need to be quickly made and easily accessible.
- The diet must be mobile: Meals should be transportable and ready to eat. The last thing he needs is to be caught off guard and having to turn to unhealthy options. If he does find himself trapped, he will know where to go to find the best alternatives.
Daniel Craig definitely looks the part!
The Workouts:
- Do workouts A, B, C and D once per week (such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) with Wednesday and weekends off. On off days fell free to partake in other activities outside of the gym.
- For HIIT cardio start with a 2-3 minute warm-up then do 30 seconds of high intensity work then 2 minutes of low intensity. Each week increase the high intensity work and decrease the low intensity work by 30 seconds (High/low): 60 sec/90 sec, 90 sec/60 sec, and 120/30.
- Perform this workout for 4 to 6 weeks before taking a short break or switching programs.
- There is no rest between supersets. Rest 1-2 minutes after all supersets are completed and before moving on to the next superset group.
Workouts A and B are designed with the minimal equipment available mindset. A double O travels quite extensively so he may not have access to a well-fitted gym or any gym at all! The following upper/lower body split will build total body power and strength with the addition of only some light dumbbells or strength bands and a pull-up bar – both very mobile while on a mission. Don’t hesitate to mix up the order either – thinking on your feet is a necessity in this game.
Workout A
| Moves |
Warm-up sets |
Work sets |
| Superset: 3-way push-up (First set: feet elevated, second set: feet on floor and third set: hands elevated on bench) and close parallel-grip pull-up |
2 x 10-20 |
3 x AMAP |
| Superset: Clean and press with dumbbells or bands and elbows wide inverted row |
- |
3 x AMAP: As Many As Possible |
| Superset: Shoulder-width or wider pull-up and dumbbell or banded chest press off of floor |
1 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-20 |
| Superset: Dumbbell or banded curl and dumbbell or banded kickback |
1 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: Plank and bicycle crunch |
- |
3 x 20-30 seconds on planks and 15-20 on crunches |
| Cardio: 15-20 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Your choice of type |
- |
See notes above |
Workout B
| Moves |
Warm-up sets |
Work sets |
| Superset: Single leg Bulgarian split squat and single leg dumbbell calf raise |
2 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-16 each |
| Superset: Box jump and walking lunge |
- |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: Farmer’s walk with dumbbells and heel raise off of floor |
- |
3 lengths of walks and 10-20 reps of raises |
| Superset: Floor crunch and leg lift off of bench |
- |
3 x 15-20 each |
| Cardio: 15-20 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Your choice of type |
- |
See notes above |
Workouts C and D are for those agents with some gym equipment but don’t want to be bogged down with too many stations to wait on. Even though you will want to stay quick and agile, you will still need to build some muscle and strength for those throw-downs and made-it-by-the-skin-of-my-teeth escapes! The workouts below will build some quality muscle when you finally do find yourself on your home turf and a minimally equipped gym is readily available.
Workout C
| Moves |
Warm-up sets |
Work sets |
| Superset: Incline dumbbell press and two-arm dumbbell row |
2 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: incline dumbbell fly and one arm dumbbell row |
- |
3 x 10-16 |
| Triset: 3-way dumbbell raise (bent-over, side lateral and front raise) no rest |
- |
3 x 10 each angle |
| Superset: Parallel dip and barbell curl |
1 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: 3-way twisted sit-up and Roman chair leg lift |
- |
3 x 15-20 |
| Cardio: 15-20 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Your choice of type |
- |
See notes above |
Workout D
| Moves |
Warm-up sets |
Work sets |
| Superset: Front squat and Romanian deadlift |
2 x 10-20 |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: Jump squat (no weight) and reverse lunge |
- |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: Seated calf raise and calf jump |
- |
3 x 10-16 |
| Superset: Russian twist and hanging leg raise |
- |
3 x 15-20 |
| Cardio: 15-20 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Your choice of type |
- |
See notes above |
The Diet:
- Be sure to drink at least one gallon of water throughout the day.
- Approximate totals: Calories – 2650 calories, 180 grams of protein, 300 grams of carbs, 65 grams of fat.
- This diet is designed for the 180 pound male. You may adjust portions according to your body weight.
- If you are to adjust calories, try manipulating carbs first.
- Allow yourself one or two “cheat” meals per week preferably on the same day on the weekend.
| Meal 1 | ½ cup oatmeal combined with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter, cinnamon and sweeten with Splenda 3 whole eggs scrambled or 1 scoop of whey protein combined with water |
| Meal 2 | 1 cup of Greek yogurt 2 oz. of mixed nuts |
| Meal 3 | 4-6 oz. of turkey or chicken, 2 slices of whole wheat bread or Ezekiel bread, 2 tbsp of low-fat mayo, lettuce and 2 slices of low fat cheese 1 banana |
| Meal 4 | (Pre workout) 1 apple1 scoop of whey protein combined with 1 cup of skim milk |
| Meal 5 | (Post workout) 1-2 scoops of whey protein combined with 1 cup of skim milk |
| Meal 6 | 6-8 oz. of lean beef, fish, chicken or turkey 1 cup of mixed vegetables or any vegetable of your choice ½ medium sweet potato or ½ cup of rice, cooked |
I did Workout A today… Wow, you’ve put together another great workout plan Brad! This one will be fun, haha
Hi Jeremy, thanks! I hope you get a lot out of it – let me know how you do.
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with Triset: 3-way dumbbell raise (bent-over, side lateral and front raise) no rest, you say to do 3 x 10 each angle
so is that 1 set , 10x 10x 10x and then another two sets following
Nick,
Yes, that is correct. another two sets like that.
Brad
thanks for that. also im in the process of trying to lose weight ,can i do that by following the workout and diet.
Yes, absolutely!
Hey Brad,
I had some questions about this routine that I tried to email you but I think it keeps sending me a failure notice? (Sorry if it actually has gone through and I sent you multiple emails!) Thank you.
-Tim
Hi Tim,
Sorry to hear that, I will check into it.
What can I help you with?
Thanks Brad,
I am really interested in starting either the Avengers or 007 routine for the new year and I was wondering which one would be a better fit?
I would like to ideally gain more muscle mass since I’ve started working out this summer but I feel like I’ve toned up more than bulked up if anything. I’d also like to lose some weight from my stomach and I guess like everyone else in the world, get a six pack haha.
Right now my stats are 22, 5’11 and 145lbs. I have access to a gym and am looking to follow the diet plan as well.
One other question I had was about the diet plan since the caloric intake would be a lot more than I am taking in now, what adjustments would you suggest in order to make sure I don’t gain weight that isn’t muscle?
Thank you for your time Brad and am definitely looking forward to starting one of these routines soon!
Tim,
I would definitely try the Avengers Program. You will put on some serious size and get stronger – trust me.
As far as the calories go, simply lower the carbs a bit on a couple of meals if you feel you need to, otherwise you may need a few extra calories for growth.
Okay, thanks Brad!
What should I do about cardio? I’ve just been running 2-3 miles a day but I was reading about the high intensity interval training as a better alternative. When should I do that exactly during the workout routine?
If you plan on doing some HIIT cardio try doing it after weight training.
I Brad, thank you for this program and diet. However, as a french guy, i don’t really understand the workout, such as “Front squat and Romanian deadlift” etc.. Can you explain to me a little bit more or point me a site or video that shows how to perform the moves?
In any case, thanks a lot for your website cause it as been a long time since I haven’t took care of myselfe and it feels really good, and a lot thanks to you!
Best regards
Hi Alexandre, all you have to do is go to youtube.com and type in what you want to look at. I am sure there are many videos available. Also, bodybuilding.com has a good archive as well.
Done, thanks for the tips!
Hey new to the forum , just starting the 007 program. I’m 5ft 10 ,47yrs,180 lbs, the gym that I go to tell me that I have 28% body fat , I hold all of it between my mid section and up to my chest area. I have been working out religiously for over 10 years min three times per week , but for the first time I’m taking the diet seriously. I have maintained the same look, hardly any muscle gain and flabby around the mid section. I really hope this works my ultimate goal is to get rid of the access fat completely..
Thanks
Anthony,
Awesome! Let me know how you do.
Brad
Hey Brad this is a great plan. I think its great you put these routines together for us and thank you! I have a question thou. When you say AMAP, let say on the push ups. Do you mean for us to do push ups until failure three times? Or to set our own personal set number (in ex. 3 x 10 sets)?
Jonathan,
All three sets taken to failure. With good form of course.
Thanks!
Brad
Awesome. I’m glad you said that since that’s the way they were being done. Thanks again!
Let me know how you do.
Hey Brad. I’m really liking this work out so far. I’m almost have a condesnding smugness about me as I walk thru the gym following these routines. but don’t worry I keep that to myself lol. But I have another question. I’m not sure if you cover this somewhere else on the site or in the article, thou I’m pretty sure I read it through and have not found the answer to my question.
What do you recommend for a HIIT exercise?
I’m not sure what to do at that point other then jog and run.
Hey Jonathan!
Actually smugness was built into the program – so you are justified. For HIIT you can do a variety of things: bike, run sprints, eliptical, stairclimber, take a class at your gym, combinations of box jumps, battle ropes, plyometrics, kettlebells, etc. The list is pretty endless. Be checking the site often. I will be having more on HIIT very soon!
Best!
Brad
Kid’s and work have been easy excuses to be a couch potato! But this workout looks like something I can start with as a beginner and work myself up to “doing it right”!
A question about the diet…is there an optimal set of time between meals? For example, have a meal every 4 hours but not after 6:00…or something like that.
And if I need to work out at 5 in the morning, do I start with the pre and post workout meals and then do the rest in the same order?
Hi Dennis,
The short answer is yes to both. That is exactly what I would recommend. Please let me know how you do on the program.
Best,
Brad
Week 1 went better than expected! Another question…it seems like for me, workout A is actually the hardest one because my arms turn to spaghetti after the superset of push ups. When I go to do the pull ups and chest press my arms seem to give out before I feel like my back or chest have even warmed up. Is this normal for a beginner like me? Should I be doing anything different?
Yes, just be sure you are using great form on all moves. If possible have someone critic your form every once in a while. You should be focusing on chest and back and not just trying to finish the set(s) while loosening up your form.
Got through the six weeks! I didn’t lose a single pound, but I increased the weights I used every week, and I actually have some chest muscles now! This has definitely given me some direction (and confidence) in the gym. Before I felt aimless and confused. Thanks for everything on your website!
Hi Brad,
I just discovered this site and this article, and I have a few questions.
I’m not sure if you write many articles for women, or are familiar with adjusting the ones you’ve written for women, but I love this article and wanted to know how I could adapt it to suit my needs.
I’m 22, 5’9″ and weigh 165lbs. Technically I’m still within the “normal” weight range for my height, but this is the most I’ve weighed my whole life and I’ve gone up at least 4 sizes. The only place fat really shows is my tummy and a bit on my thighs, and I can hide it well (whenever I say I want to lose weight, people look at me like I’m nuts,) but I’m tired of not being as fit and strong as I could be. I feel like I should be up to my fullest physical potential while I’m young, at least, no? Heh.
I used to do Kung Fu and Kickboxing a couple of years ago and was vegan at the time. I was the healthiest, strongest, and most fit I’ve ever been, but a lot of time has passed and, uh, things have changed. I’m finding it hard to work out since I don’t really have the funds to do Martial Arts classes or join gyms right now. Also, I just hate working out in front of other people, so I like the idea of doing it at home. That’s what was nice about Martial Arts, they’re personal sports.
Anyway, I was just wondering about your opinion of adopting a “spy” regimen as a female and what adjustments to make to maximize the results.
Thanks!
-Alyse
Hi Alyse,
Wow! You used to do all of those sports? That’s great! I understand the mindset you are in. I have (still do) trained many women over the years and have always had the attitude that women can workout just like the men!
You can absolutely use this routine as-is and get great results. Give it a few weeks and let me know how you do – if you need any more guidance, adjustments, etc.
Best,
Brad
I just finished the first week. I am already seeing some good results. You’ve made a great program here. I love it! Thanks man!
Hi Jeremy,
Great, thanks! I want to hear about your progress in the near future.
Best,
Brad
Just finished my second week of the program. My abs are more defined than ever! Workout A kicks my butt every time, but I love it. I have never seen these type of results when trying to cut my body fat! My fiancee is currently doing Insanity. When she finishes that, I am making her do this! lol. Thanks again for the workout/nutrition plan!
Thanks man! I am glad it is helping.
This workout looks amazing! my question is per the meal plan, Im 20 im about 5’2 and weigh around 111 and last time i had my body fat checked i was around 20% (checked by the gym i go to by this trainer lol) Im struggling with how much i should be eating, because i want to build more muscle, would this meal plan work for me? I usually eat pretty clean too and my meals sort of look like this minus the 3x protein a day, perhaps thats what i am missing, i only do after workout protein. Thanks!
Hi Carla!
Yes, it can definitely work for you. Simply reduce the calories and macros around 25% or so due to your body weight. Or keep doing your own diet plan and just increase the protein intake.
Hello Brad,
Do you happen to have any tips on how to stay on track? I find myself able to stick to the plan for a few days but then steer away from it when I have a bad day. I also find it difficult to get up in the morning. Which is my only time to workout. I always talk myself out of sticking to the program for some reason. Any tips or possible book I could read to help me out?
Hi Brandon,
The main point to remember is to have that goal (whatever it is) firmly planted in your mind. Also, write down your goal(s) and/or picture of your ideal physique and pin it up to your mirror or refrigerator. Review those goals every night before you go to sleep and make the promise to yourself that you will progress every day.
Stick to this each day and you will start to see a habit forming and it will get easier.
Also, stay tuned on this site, I have some motivational stuff I am working on!
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Craig seems to have always been in shape right from the start. Looking at his physique he seems to have a naturally low bodyfat percentage. I have got around 12 weeks to my holiday and will be staring my diet next week. Brad! love the workout lab!
Thanks Daniel! Means a lot.