What happened
Tom Hiddleston maintains an elite physique at 44 for 'The Night Manager' through unforgiving circuit workouts designed by trainer Simon Waterson. This strategic, data-driven approach focuses on functional strength, explosive power, and endurance, mirroring the character's military background. It blends intense...
Tom Hiddleston may be a decade older than he was when he last played ex-military man-turned-hotel manager Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager – but that doesn't mean he's lost any of his enthusiasm or discipline for fitness. Various roles have required the 44-year-old to pay particular attention to that area of his work, and his reprisal of Pine only made him more dedicated to his training.'
I love movement, and I love movement in cinema,' Hiddleston told BBC Radio 2. 'Anything physical – especially this character Pine, he's so competent and capable, and I get a thrill in the audience when I see other actors doing stunts. So there was a lot of sprinting and fight training and jumping over walls.'
Building a physique worthy of a former soldier for the new series meant Hiddleston endured lots of training. As always, he worked alongside celebrity trainer Simon Waterson, who devised a training plan capable of matching the physical demands required of Hiddleston during filming.Tom Hiddleston's Dedicated Training RoutineHiddleston has always maintained a high base level of fitness, with his role as Loki in Thor and Avengers films, and James Conrad in Kong: Skull Island, all requiring him to stay lean and film-ready.
Training for the second series of The Night Manager proved no different – in fact, the intensity was ramped up even more.'The dedication needed to complete these action movies/series is unprecedented,' Waterson said on Instagram. 'Tom is meticulous in his prep on every level. Consistent and never left anything on the table.
Train hard, film easy.'---Build strength, add muscle and strip body fat in 2026 with this simple four-week training plan from Men’s Health fitness director Andrew Tracey. You’ll also get a fully comprehensive nutrition guide, giving you the tools to create a smart, sustainable calorie deficit – without compromising your training.
Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to the Men’s Health app and start training today.Click here---Hiddleston's training revolves around a combination of strength, functional and conditioning exercises. Waterson incorporates circuit-style training into the British actor's routine to build an athletic physique – one recent workout Waterson shared saw Hiddleston complete one set of 30 different exercises across a gruelling session.
It featured a mixture of heavy compound movements, bodyweight exercises, and intense conditioning work.This approach is intentional. 'The workouts I designed were fast and efficient,' Waterson added. 'The sessions contained all the crucial elements to portray the character both physically and mentally.'
Running Is the Priority – But in ModerationWhile Hiddleston spends a lot of time in the gym preparing for roles, he absolutely loves running. 'The baseline of my routine is running, because it keeps my stamina up, and it keeps me on an even keel,' he told MH. But the 44-year-old doesn't just do the odd 5k here and there – he's competed in five ultramarathon events since 2021, most recently completing the 174km Montane Summer Spine Challenger in less than 34 hours.
Waterson actually had to stop Hiddleston's daily 10k runs while preparing for Kong: Skull Island: 'He's a runner – he wants to run everyday. It's his form of escapism. For the job of Kong, he had to put on more muscle tissue. And to put on more muscle tissue, I have to literally say, "You can't go and run 10k every single morning, because the muscle tissue I'm cultivating on a daily basis is being burnt off".'
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Publication Date: January 19, 2026
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Tom Hiddleston may be a decade older than he was when he last played ex-military man-turned-hotel manager Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager – but that doesn't mean he's lost any of his enthusiasm or discipline for fitness. Various roles have required the 44-year-old to pay particular attention to that area of his work, and his reprisal of Pine only made him more dedicated to his training.'
I love movement, and I love movement in cinema,' Hiddleston told BBC Radio 2. 'Anything physical – especially this character Pine, he's so competent and capable, and I get a thrill in the audience when I see other actors doing stunts. So there was a lot of sprinting and fight training and jumping over walls.'
Building a physique worthy of a former soldier for the new series meant Hiddleston endured lots of training. As always, he worked alongside celebrity trainer Simon Waterson, who devised a training plan capable of matching the physical demands required of Hiddleston during filming.Tom Hiddleston's Dedicated Training RoutineHiddleston has always maintained a high base level of fitness, with his role as Loki in Thor and Avengers films, and James Conrad in Kong: Skull Island, all requiring him to stay lean and film-ready.
Training for the second series of The Night Manager proved no different – in fact, the intensity was ramped up even more.'The dedication needed to complete these action movies/series is unprecedented,' Waterson said on Instagram. 'Tom is meticulous in his prep on every level. Consistent and never left anything on the table.
Train hard, film easy.'---Build strength, add muscle and strip body fat in 2026 with this simple four-week training plan from Men’s Health fitness director Andrew Tracey. You’ll also get a fully comprehensive nutrition guide, giving you the tools to create a smart, sustainable calorie deficit – without compromising your training.
Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to the Men’s Health app and start training today.Click here---Hiddleston's training revolves around a combination of strength, functional and conditioning exercises. Waterson incorporates circuit-style training into the British actor's routine to build an athletic physique – one recent workout Waterson shared saw Hiddleston complete one set of 30 different exercises across a gruelling session.
It featured a mixture of heavy compound movements, bodyweight exercises, and intense conditioning work.This approach is intentional. 'The workouts I designed were fast and efficient,' Waterson added. 'The sessions contained all the crucial elements to portray the character both physically and mentally.'
Running Is the Priority – But in ModerationWhile Hiddleston spends a lot of time in the gym preparing for roles, he absolutely loves running. 'The baseline of my routine is running, because it keeps my stamina up, and it keeps me on an even keel,' he told MH. But the 44-year-old doesn't just do the odd 5k here and there – he's competed in five ultramarathon events since 2021, most recently completing the 174km Montane Summer Spine Challenger in less than 34 hours.
Waterson actually had to stop Hiddleston's daily 10k runs while preparing for Kong: Skull Island: 'He's a runner – he wants to run everyday. It's his form of escapism. For the job of Kong, he had to put on more muscle tissue. And to put on more muscle tissue, I have to literally say, "You can't go and run 10k every single morning, because the muscle tissue I'm cultivating on a daily basis is being burnt off".'
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