Tom Hiddleston uses a workout called the ‘5/2 method’ to build strength and stamina. Created by Hollywood PT Simon Waterson, it’s a 30-minute metcon that pairs five exercises with two-minute cardio intervals.

‘It’s designed to be short but intense,’ Hiddleston told MH, when he sat down for his cover interview. ‘It’s essentially a metcon where you’re working at a very high heart rate under intensity for 30 mins.’

The structure is an ‘accumulator pyramid’. Start with one exercise, then add another each round, with two minutes of cardio after each combination:

• Exercise A, then two minutes of cardio
• Exercises A and B, then two minutes of cardio
• Exercises A, B and C, then two minutes of cardio
• Exercises A, B, C and D, then two minutes of cardio
• Exercises A, B, C, D and E, then two minutes of cardio

By the final round, you’ll have worked through all five exercises before hitting the cardio interval. Hiddleston says the format gets ‘nastier the higher you get.’

How to Pick Your Exercises

Hiddleston suggests picking five movements, such as goblet squats and kettlebell swings, and pairing them with cardio on a run, bike or rower.

Speaking separately, on the Men’s Health: Built For Life podcast, he describes a version with pull-ups, push-ups and clean and presses, alongside movements such as sprinter lunges and box jumps. Between exercises, he adds two-minute bursts on the power bike, treadmill or with mountain climbers.

‘And no rest,’ he says on the podcast. ‘You’re getting tired, you’re using your stamina, but you’re also doing real strength training.’

The method leaves room to change the exercises to suit your training. On the podcast, Hiddleston says he might swap pull-ups for heavy squats, or choose movements that help him prepare for a particular role.

Use weights and a pace you can manage while maintaining good form. The intensity should come from the accumulating work, not from rushing through sloppy reps.

Read our full interview with Tom Hiddleston at this link. You can subscribe to Men’s Health by clicking here.

Isaac Williams is Site Editor for both Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK, guiding and supporting the content teams to create content across all platforms. Isaac’s love of health and fitness began at Loughborough University, where he graduated with a History and English degree in 2014. His first job was at Men’s Running magazine, where he progressed from Staff Writer to Editor. Among his highlights of those four years include completing a 24-hour track race (never again), just about finishing a multi-day ultramarathon in the Azores, and chugging his way around a ‘beer mile’. Isaac ventured into the world of freelance journalism in 2018, interviewing some of the biggest names in sport – like Anthony Joshua and Ben Stokes – and writing features for the likes of The Guardian, Red Bull, ShortList and BBC Countryfile. He was also a regular contributor to an adventure series called ‘The Man Who’: speaking to some of the world’s most extreme explorers from the wilds of Caffè Nero. In late-2019, Isaac became Editor of Men’s Fitness UK. In his five years there, Isaac was responsible for editing the monthly magazine and managing website content, ultimately helping the brand transition to a ‘digital-first’ approach. He joined Hearst UK as Multiplatform Editor in December 2024, where he manages day-to-day digital output, edits content and writes articles on all things health and fitness. When he’s not hammering at his keyboard, Isaac enjoys exercise and trying –  unsuccessfully, so far – to teach his baby son to kick a football. You can follow Isaac on Instagram @isaacw1993.