How healthy is Bond?

osris

I know it says somewhere in the novels Bond does 20 push ups a day, but the novels don’t mention any rigorous workouts, as far as I know. And as far as the novels go, he drinks and smokes very heavily, and his diet when not on a mission seems to consist of only scrambled eggs and black coffee. Given this, how healthy do you think he is?

Barbel

"This officer remains basically physically sound. Unfortunately his mode of life is not such as is likely to allow him to remain in this happy state. Despite many previous warnings, he admits to smoking sixty cigarettes a day. These are of a Balkan mixture with a higher nicotine content than the cheaper varieties. When not engaged upon strenuous duty, the officer's average daily consumption of alcohol is in the region of half a bottle of spirits of between sixty and seventy proof. On examination, there continues to be little definite sign of deterioration. The tongue is furred. The blood pressure a little raised at 160/90. The liver is not palpable. On the other hand, when pressed, the officer admits to frequent occipital headaches and there is spasm in the trapezius muscles and so-called `fibrositis' nodules can be felt. I believe these symptoms to be due to this officer's mode of life. He is not responsive to the suggestion that over-indulgence is no remedy for the tensions inherent in his professional calling and can only result in the creation of a toxic state which could finally have the effect of reducing his fitness as an officer. I recommend that No. 007 should take it easy for two to three weeks on a more abstemious regime, when I believe he would make a complete return to his previous exceptionally high state of physical fitness."

(From Chapter One of TB)


On the other hand, in FRWL, he does "twenty slow press-ups, lingering over each one so that his stomach muscles had no rest.... straight-leg lifts until his stomach muscles screamed...touching his toes twenty times... arm and chest exercises combined with deep breathing until he was dizzy."

And in both LALD and DN, he has Quarrel put him through a training program (running, swimming, etc) to get fit before he takes on the bad guys.

This earlier thread may be of interest- http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/26862/james-bond-workout/

osris

Thanks. I forgot about LALD.

Gassy Man

It would be hard to say what Bond's health would be in real life. There's some evidence coming out now from exercise physiologists that moderate exercise -- such as walking and 20 push ups a day -- may be about as effective as vigorous exercise and perhaps even better than strenuous exercise, which may injure or wear out the body over time. Despite his bad habits, Bond is active, and in this sense, he may be in reasonably good health.

The excess of cigarettes and drink, though, would for most people lead to problems. However, genetics seems to play a lot into this. We probably all know someone who abuses themselves with such vices and lives a long, full life. My grandfather on one side of the family heavily indulged in cigarettes for more than half his life and drank a fair amount pretty much all through it and made it to his mid 80s, and that was 25 years ago.

That's where, I think, casting an actor who seemed more blue collar and testosterone driven was in many ways unavoidable when creating the Bond series. Most of the people I know who are in good shape but self indulgent about drinking and the like fall into that camp.