Latest news with #XBX
Irish Examiner
06-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Fast-track your fitness with five minutes of exercise each day
Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren has been following a simple, 12-minute exercise routine for six decades. She is an advocate of the Royal Canadian Air Force women's exercise regimen, also known as XBX or the '10 basic exercises,' a programme designed in the 1950s. I have always believed in short snatches of exercise: Sit-ups after getting out of bed, press-ups while waiting for the kettle to boil, and standing on one leg while brushing my teeth. New research reports that even a short, daily bodyweight workout can offer impressive benefits for people who have little time to exercise. A recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that just five minutes of daily strength training for four weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals. The exercises consisted of bodyweight eccentric exercises performed at home. Eccentric exercises are where muscles contract while lengthening, such as when lowering your body during a squat or a bench press. For the study, 22 sedentary, but otherwise healthy, individuals, aged 32 to 69, undertook daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops. They were required to follow strict guidelines on how to perform the exercises. These included lengthening the eccentric (or lowering) phase of each repetition for five seconds, followed by the concentric (or elevating) phase for approximately one second. The chair squat, for example, would involve sitting down slowly for five seconds and standing up as normal. This approach to strength training is a proven formula based on established principles, incorporating progressive overload through a combination of exercises that targets most muscle groups. Adherence to the programme was impressive, at 91%, with participants completing 18-28 sessions over 28 days. There were no significant changes in body composition, resting heart rate, or blood pressure after 28 days of training. However, significant improvements were seen in overall physical fitness and mental health. In terms of physical fitness for the overall group, the ability to perform the isometric mid-thigh pull improved by 13%, push-up endurance improved by 66.1%, sit-ups by 51.1%, and sit-and-reach flexibility by 9.1%, while the three-minute step test heart rate decreased by 4.8%. Mental health scores also significantly improved, by 16% overall, and a subjective vitality assessment by 20%. The researchers concluded that, overall, a five-minute daily exercise routine over four weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting that even a small dose of exercise performed daily can be of real benefit. The high levels of adherence to the programme are reassuring, indicating that new long-term habits were being formed. This accessible routine could provide a gateway to regular exercise participation for people who are sedentary, helping individuals overcome barriers associated with perceived lack of time, said lead researcher Professor Ken Nosaka, from Edith Cowan University, Australia. For people who have desk-bound jobs, another study found that taking five-minute walking breaks every hour could make a significant difference. Researchers at the University of Colorado found that it helped boost people's mood, increased energy levels, and decreased their appetite. In the study, participants who took short walks every hour reported feeling better than those who either sat all day or took a longer walk in the morning. Notably, the five-minute breaks didn't significantly affect their ability to concentrate. For people who want to take their exercise a step further, a study led by Dr Keith Diaz, from Columbia University, found that taking five-minute walking breaks every 30 minutes significantly reduced blood sugar spikes and lowered blood pressure, compared to prolonged sitting. For people who want to take their exercise a step further, a study led by Dr Keith Diaz, from Columbia University, found that taking five-minute walking breaks every 30 minutes significantly reduced blood sugar spikes and lowered blood pressure, compared to prolonged sitting. Participants also reported that their mood had improved and they felt less tired. People who are time poor, but have ambitions to improve their exercise performance, may want to check out the work of Dr Martin Gibala, professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, Canada, and author of The One-Minute Workout. He argues that short bouts of intense exercise — such as one minute of hard effort within a 10-minute routine — can significantly improve cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, and muscular endurance. 'Intensity is more important than duration,' Gibala wrote. 'Relative to all sorts of health benefits, it is more time efficient to exercise hard for a short amount of time than it is to exercise easy for a long amount of time.' His signature 'One-Minute Workout' goes as follows: Warm-up: 2 minutes easy cycling or jogging Sprint: 20 seconds all-out effort (e.g., cycle, sprint, stair run) Recover: 2 minutes of light movement Sprint: 20 seconds all-out Recover: 2 minutes of light movement Sprint: 20 seconds all-out Cool-down: 3 minutes of light activity According to Gibala's research, the results are similar to those of 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. We are often told that being fit demands hard work, dedication and, above all, time. Or does it? The research suggests that less time is required than you think. Dr Catherine Conlon is a public health doctor Read More How to keep your knees in good shape for lasting joint relief
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I tried little-known workout loved by King Charles - it's perfect'
Does King Charles and Helen Mirren's favourite exercise plan still stand the test of time 64 years after it was invented? We put it to the test - with surprising results Dame Helen Mirren has been urging older adults not to fear ageing and to make 'little changes now to help them in later life', and if anyone can inspire people of all ages to get moving it's the actress, who turns 80 in July. Dame Helen - who was famously snapped in a red bikini at the age of 63, looking far younger than her six decades - is personally a 'big believer' in the Royal Canadian Air Force's XBX plan which she's followed 'off and on' for most of her life and takes just 12 minutes a day to do. The actress, who turns 80 in July, told Vogue, 'It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through, it can become quite difficult. I've never gotten past the second level, but it's a nice little exercise programme. Nothing extreme, but you need to do it every day.' She's in good company as the King, too, has confessed to following a similar workout - though he favours the '5BX' version for men, also from the Royal Canadian Air Force, which consists of five basic exercises 'to develop and hold a high level of physical fitness'. They were both developed in the 1950s and published in 1961. At 45, I'm not yet in Mirren's age bracket, but I am at the age when exercise, in particular strength training, becomes essential to build and maintain muscle tone. I avoid anything too energetic, preferring to do yoga, walk the dog and go for the odd swim and game of tennis. By comparison, XBX looks easy, but if Dame Helen is anything to go by, it gets results. And while the pamphlet is old fashioned to say the least, it is also reassuring and unthreatening. I've had enough of online fitness gurus who want me to design my whole life around their approach to exercise. If this is good enough for an ageless beauty like Dame Helen and a famously hard-working and energetic monarch, then it's good enough for me. How to do the exercises The instruction booklet gives strict instructions on which one of four exercise charts to follow depending on your age (they get progressively harder as you climb up the levels) along with how many repetitions to aim for. You stick at each stage for a number of days, so it would take several months to get to the end. I decide to start at level five - a few rungs up from the suggested level one - reasoning with myself that I am not coming at it from a standing start. It's strange to have a paper chart to refer to and fill in when so much is done online, but it's also comforting to have a hard copy of my efforts from day to day. Once you have worked out the basics, it's easy to use. However it does feel dated in terms of what people over the age of 40 might aim for. At 79, Helen Mirren is officially too old for the XBX plan's age range, as it suggests those aged 50-55 could reach level 11, but should not go higher. To my delight, day one begins with 30 seconds each of four warm-up exercises: touching my toes then reaching my arms above my head; raising my knees one by one and clasping each shin to pull the knee into my body; side stretches; and circling my arms in each direction. Each time you move up a level, you complete more repetitions within the time. I jump ahead on my first attempt and do more than the plan prescribes, bounding through the exercises. These are: half sit-ups, chest and leg raising, side leg lifts, push ups, and leg lifts, finished off by a bout of running and hopping on the spot. This brings the added benefit of waking up the rest of the house. Though the exercises themselves are simple, you do need to keep referring to the chart to check the numbers, but a bit of a mental workout is no bad thing. Why it works? Why is XBX so popular? Rachael Rachael Sacerdoti, a fitness trainer and founder of the It's So Simple program (@itssosimple_rs) who transformed her own physique after having children, explains: 'While it may not be as widely known as modern fitness programmes, it has quietly endured as a practical approach to daily movement thanks to its simple yet effective series of exercises that do not need equipment.' This hits the nail on the head. Many of us need to make cutbacks - but cutting back on physical exercise is surely a poor investment in the long term. One of the key reasons to exercise is to stay strong and flexible until we reach Helen Mirren and our 76-year-old monarch's age, and beyond. Last year, experts praised King Charles 's simple exercise regime as a suitable approach during and after cancer treatment, though individuals should ask their own doctors for advice. Rachael says that the plan's progressive nature means people can advance at their own pace. However, she points out, it aims for regularity over racing ahead. 'What makes it particularly appealing for someone in Dame Helen's age bracket is that it prioritises consistency and gentle progression over intensity, which is exactly the approach that supports longevity in fitness. The emphasis on posture and core stability in many of the exercises is especially beneficial as we age.' What are the downsides? 'It lacks significant strength training components, as it focuses on mobility and basic conditioning rather than building muscle or high-intensity training,' warns Rachael. 'The exercises are also quite repetitive, which may become monotonous for some people who enjoy variety in their workouts.' I quite enjoy the repetition. However, is doing XBX every day enough? 'It's a brilliant starting point for someone just beginning their fitness journey or returning after a long break, as it creates a sustainable daily habit of movement, which is often the biggest hurdle,' Rachael explains. 'However, for maximum health benefits, I would recommend gradually supplementing it with some dedicated strength work and perhaps some cardio training that will elevate the heart rate more significantly. The body thrives on variety and progressive challenges.' Rachael recommends mixing up XBX with resistance or strength work and some cardio alongside flexibility work such as yoga or stretching. My verdict Will I carry on? After two weeks, I miss my yoga mornings and decide to mix it up with these, but I've found that XBX is perfect for the mornings when I feel too time-pressed to even do a short yoga video. I have been singing its praises to anyone who uses my usual excuse of being too busy to exercise, and if you experience any muscle stiffness or general aches and pains, this is an easy way to ease yourself back into physical activity. That said, I can't promise you'll achieve quite the same results as Helen Mirren.
New York Post
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
The under-12-minute military workout Helen Mirren swears by to stay in shape at 79
She's dame fit! Helen Mirren is turning 80 this July, but her energy could put a rookie cadet to shame — and it's all thanks to a quick and classic military-style workout that clocks in under 12 minutes. The award-winning actress told British Vogue that she is 'a big believer' in a no-frills routine first developed in the 1950s to help women in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) stay fit. 5 Helen Mirren s 'a big believer' in a no-frills routine first developed in the 1950s to help women in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) stay fit. WireImage 'It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through, it can become quite difficult. I've never gotten past the second level, but it's a nice little exercise program,' she said. 'Nothing extreme, but you need to do it every day. That's a great start, because it's all to do with taking control of yourself. I'm incredibly lazy and if I can avoid doing it, I will, but every now and then I pull myself back and do what I know works.' The workout was originally laid out in a guide called XBX — short for 'Ten Basic Exercises' — and is famous for its simplicity and accessibility. The entire circuit is designed to be progressive — you increase reps as your fitness improves, but the time commitment stays at a grand total of 12 minutes. 'Physical fitness does not mean bulging muscles nor is it the exclusive property of men,' the manual's foreword reads. 'The ten exercises in this booklet have been carefully selected and their manner of use has been designed to enable women to achieve physical well being for optimum living.' 5 The workout was developed in the 1950s to help women in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) stay fit. Getty Images Here's a typical 11- to 12-minute version of the XBX Plan. Stretching (toe touches) Loosen up with gentle forward bends. Knee lifts (marching in place) Get the heart pumping with exaggerated high-knee steps. 5 Knee lifts are a great, easy warm-up. michaelheim – Arm circles Improve shoulder mobility with forward and backward rotations. Side leg raises Strengthen hips and thighs with standing side kicks. Push-ups (wall or floor) Build upper body strength with classic push-ups — use the wall for a modified, low-impact version. Back extensions (superman pose) Lie on your stomach and lift arms and legs slightly to engage the back. Torso twists Hands on hips, gently rotate side-to-side for core flexibility. 5 Leg lifts can help strengthen your lower abs and hip flexors. Lisa F. Young – Leg lifts (lying down or standing) Strengthen lower abs and hip flexors. Running in place Light jogging on the spot for cardio. Cool-down walk and deep breathing Wind down gently. 5 'It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through, it can become quite difficult. I've never gotten past the second level, but it's a nice little exercise program,' she said. Getty Images for L'Oreal Paris While the routine may be spartan, Mirren's philosophy on aging with joy is far from harsh. 'My advice is to work from the inside out,' she told British Vogue. 'First of all, take control of your diet and find one that makes you feel good. I'm the first one at the fish and chips, but what you're putting inside your body does influence how you feel about yourself, so start there. The next thing is exercise, which doesn't mean joining expensive gyms.' So if you've got a spare 12 minutes and a floor, you've got no excuse. Dame Mirren commands it.
