At 80 years old, Dame Helen Mirren continues to captivate audiences with her vibrant energy and impressive screen presence. Far from relying on elaborate, high-tech gym routines, Mirren attributes her remarkable fitness and sustained vitality to a simple yet highly effective 12-minute military workout that she has reportedly followed for six decades. This accessible, bodyweight-only program, known as the XBX Plan, offers a testament to consistency and functional fitness.
The Enduring Legacy of the XBX Plan: Origins of a Timeless Workout
Helen Mirren’s workout of choice is the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) XBX (Ten Basic Exercises) plan, a program designed specifically for women in the late 1950s by Dr. Bill Orban. The XBX plan emerged from a need to provide military personnel, often stationed in remote locations without gym access, with a means to maintain their physical fitness. Its male counterpart, the 5BX (Five Basic Exercises) plan, was developed simultaneously.
The core philosophy behind both plans was to achieve a high level of fitness with minimal time and no specialized equipment, focusing on bodyweight exercises. The XBX plan’s design aims to increase muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and the efficiency of the heart. It was innovative for its time, resembling an early form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with its continuous flow of exercises.
Helen Mirren’s Daily Dose of Discipline and Perspective
Mirren, who turned 80 in July, has openly expressed her strong belief in the RCAF women’s exercise regime, calling it “a nice little exercise program”. She revealed that she has been performing the routine daily for the past 60 years. What truly resonates with Mirren is the program’s accessibility and the fact that “exercise doesn’t mean joining expensive gyms”.
Despite its progressive difficulty, Mirren humbly admits she has “never gotten past the second level,” underscoring that consistent engagement at an appropriate level is more crucial than constantly seeking higher challenges. Her commitment highlights that long-term fitness is often about sustainable habits rather than extreme efforts.
Breaking Down the 12-Minute XBX Workout
The XBX plan consists of 10 basic exercises, performed consecutively within a 12-minute timeframe. These exercises are organized into four charts, each with 12 levels of increasing difficulty, primarily by demanding more repetitions. Helen Mirren often works through Charts I and II. The workout provides a full-body approach, incorporating compound and unilateral exercises, alongside crucial mobility work.
Here’s a breakdown of the typical exercises found in the initial charts of the XBX plan:
Warm-up and Flexibility (Exercises 1-4)
The first four exercises are designed to improve flexibility and mobility, serving as a vital warm-up for the body. Each is often performed for around 30 seconds.
- Toe Touching: Standing with feet apart, bending at the hips to touch the toes or floor. This targets hamstring and lower back flexibility.
- Knee Raising: Standing, alternately bringing each knee to the chest while balancing. This works balance and hip flexibility.
- Lateral Bending (Side Bends): With feet shoulder-width apart, raising one hand overhead and sliding the other down to the knee, bending sideways. This improves spinal flexibility and targets obliques.
- Arm Circling: Keeping a shoulder-width stance, rotating arms in wide circles, forward and backward. This mobilizes the shoulders and upper back.
Strength and Aerobic Conditioning (Exercises 5-10)
These exercises focus on building muscle strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness.
- Partial Sit-ups: Lying on the back, performing sit-ups to strengthen the abdominal region and front thigh muscles. The XBX plan emphasizes proper form over high reps.
- Chest and Leg Raising: Lying on the front, raising the chest and legs simultaneously to work the back, buttocks, and backs of the thighs.
- Side Leg Raising: Lying on the side, lifting the top leg straight up. This targets the muscles of the sides of the thighs and hips.
- Push-ups: Starting with wall push-ups, progressing to knee push-ups, and eventually full push-ups. This is primarily for the arms, shoulders, and chest. Mirren emphasizes perfect form.
- Leg Lifting: Lying on the back, lifting legs straight up and slowly lowering them without touching the ground, engaging the lower abs and hip flexors. This contributes to core strength and posture.
- Run and Hop: Running in place for a set duration or number of steps, often followed by “scissor jumps” or hops. This is the aerobic conditioning component, crucial for heart and lung efficiency.
The Progressive System: Charts and Levels for All Fitness Levels
The XBX plan’s genius lies in its progressive structure. It comprises four charts, each divided into 12 levels, totaling 48 levels of difficulty. The “time limit for each exercise remains the same in all charts, but the number of times the exercise is performed increases at each level within each chart”. This allows individuals to start at a very basic level and gradually increase their effort, building fitness without excessive strain. The program advises against moving to the next level until the current one can be completed without excessive strain or fatigue within the 12 minutes.
Why the XBX Plan Stands the Test of Time
The longevity and effectiveness of the XBX plan, as evidenced by its enduring popularity and Helen Mirren’s endorsement, stem from several key benefits:
- Accessibility: It requires no special equipment and can be performed anywhere, making it ideal for home workouts or while traveling.
- Time Efficiency: The 12-minute duration makes it highly manageable for busy schedules, encouraging daily consistency.
- Full-Body Engagement: The 10 exercises target various muscle groups, promoting overall strength, flexibility, endurance, and cardiovascular health.
- Progressive Adaptation: The chart and level system allows for gradual improvement, accommodating individuals from beginners to more advanced fitness enthusiasts.
- Focus on Functional Movement: The exercises build functional strength and mobility, essential for daily life and maintaining physical independence as one ages.
Incorporating the XBX into Your Routine
For those inspired by Helen Mirren’s dedication, the XBX plan offers an excellent starting point for a sustainable fitness journey. It’s recommended to start at Chart 1, Level 1, and gradually progress. The key is consistency and listening to your body, especially for older individuals or those new to exercise. Finding a consistent time each day to perform the exercises can help solidify the habit.
Helen Mirren’s consistent adherence to this simple, yet powerful, military workout underscores a profound truth about fitness: sometimes, the most effective routines are not the most complex or expensive, but those that are sustainable, accessible, and consistently practiced. Her unwavering commitment to the XBX plan serves as an inspiring example of how to maintain health and vitality across decades.
