A little while back I read about an 11 minute exercise routine that both Prince Charles and William engage in each morning that is or was mandated by the military at some point and now they just do it to get in tip-top shape, or something like that.
In case you didn’t know, I have had a on-going fitness regimen parade, chock full of of starts and stops, marching for years now. My baton is now directing the parade to this time saving / good enough for royalty routine because among other reasons, for someone who lives and dies by the clock, where one minute really matters (i.e. being one minute late for a train might stick me in Hoboken for 90 minutes), it is especially attractive. So, I decided to find out what they were doing and do it. And it really didn’t take too much effort.
I learned they are using the 5BX (Five Basic Exercises) Plan, which is an exercise program developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) by Bill Orban in the late 1950s, first published in 1961. That explains the dated but awesome artwork, font and tone and voice in the original pamphlet that I saw.
I read it three times to get familiar with the exercises and then used a scan of the original 5BX Booklet to work out tonight for the first time, and am happy to say that I got C’s, B’s and an A on Chart 1 which means there is only room for improvement (one can go from chart 1 to 5). I just need to buckle down and exert will power over my bad self. Easier sad than done, but I’m optimistic.
For instance, I will easily run the slowest 5k of my life this coming Saturday but I’m going to start and finish the damn race because its Valentines Day and giving myself a better physical shape is a good present. Plus, the race is my town’s installment of the Cupid’s Chase, which is a pretty cool charity race. Not only is it a race that raises money for charity (in this case one that develops homes and employment for people with developmental disabilities) but its held simultaneously in 25 different cities in 10 different states. The home page features a video of the race last year in the Rock, and that because a Real Housewife of NJ actor ran it. Yay Jerz!