Helen Mirren's 70-Year Fitness Secret: The 12-Minute XBX Workout

At 80 years old, Helen Mirren continues to captivate audiences with her performances and timeless elegance.

Her secret? A 1950s fitness program she's been doing "off and on my whole life."

The Oscar-winning actress swears by the XBX plan, a 12-minute workout routine originally developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

"It just very gently gets you fit," Mirren told Hello! magazine. "It is 12 minutes long and they have charts you follow.

Each day, you have to do the exercises within the 12 minutes, and until you can you can't move up."

The program aligns perfectly with Mirren's philosophy that exercise doesn't require "joining expensive gyms."

Curious about this decades-old routine, I tracked down the original XBX booklet and put it to the test.

What Is the XBX Plan?

XBX stands for "10 basic exercises"—exactly what the program delivers.

This bodyweight-only routine features 48 difficulty levels, with each level requiring slightly more repetitions than the previous one.

Every 12 levels, the exercises become more challenging.

Everyone begins at level one and progresses only after comfortably completing their current level.

The booklet suggests target levels based on age: those aged 26-30 should aim for level 30, while people aged 46-50 should target level 16.

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How long is your ideal workout?

30 min

45 min

60+ min

Here's how the progression works:

Level One (12 minutes total):

• First 2 minutes: 3 toe touches, 4 knee raises, 5 lateral bends, 24 arm circles
  
  
• Then: 4 partial sit-ups (2 minutes), 4 chest and leg raises (1 minute), 4 side leg raises (1 minute), 3 kneeling push-ups (2 minutes), 2 leg lifts (1 minute), 50 run and hops (3 minutes)
  
  

Level 30 (12 minutes total):

• First 2 minutes: 12 toe touches, 18 knee raises, 14 lateral bends, 30 arm circles
  
  
• Then: 33 straight-leg sit-ups (2 minutes), 33 chest and leg raises (1 minute), 54 side leg raises (1 minute), 30 elbow push-ups (2 minutes), 15 leg-over tucks (1 minute), 50 run and half knee bends (3 minutes)
  
  

Testing Helen Mirren's Routine

Starting with level one as instructed, I found the workout pleasantly gentle.

The Pilates-style movements felt refreshing after a morning at my desk, making it an excellent option for people wanting to add more movement to their day without gym membership.

However, level one left me wanting more intensity, so I jumped to level 30—the target for my age group. This proved significantly more challenging.

The first four flexibility exercises felt rushed, requiring 74 repetitions in just two minutes. Even moving quickly, I exceeded the time limit.

The strict timing did elevate my heart rate, creating a HIIT-style effect, but sometimes at the expense of proper form.

The straight-leg sit-ups provided a solid core workout, while the Superman exercises effectively targeted my upper back—muscles that are difficult to work without equipment.

The side leg raises felt hurried, requiring nearly one rep per second, and I struggled with the leg-over tucks timing.

By the end, my abs had received the most attention, along with smaller hip and thigh muscles.

While my breathing was elevated, larger muscle groups in my chest, back, and thighs felt somewhat neglected.

The Verdict: Timeless Principles in a Vintage Package

Diving into this 1950s program revealed fascinating insights about fitness fundamentals that remain relevant today.

What Works Well:

The XBX plan excellently implements progressive overload—gradually increasing workout intensity to ensure continued progress.

This structured progression is one of the program's strongest features.

The routine also addresses mobility by incorporating all three planes of movement: sagittal (forward/backward), frontal (side-to-side), and transverse (twisting).

Modern workouts often focus heavily on sagittal movements like squats and push-ups, while XBX regularly encourages bending and twisting, leaving me feeling refreshingly mobile.

The program's accessibility is impressive: 12 minutes, no equipment needed, and multiple difficulty levels to suit various fitness levels. If you have floor space, you can do it.

The Limitations:

For those seeking serious strength gains, bodyweight exercises have limitations. Some people prefer the challenge of lifting heavy weights, and there's a ceiling to progress with these 10 exercises alone.

Conversely, some individuals might need to build up to exercises requiring more mobility, like toe touches and lateral bends.

The program's one-size-fits-all approach doesn't account for individual differences—a common issue with standardized routines.

The original booklet, filled with charts and numbers, can feel intimidating and requires considerable time to understand fully.

The Bottom Line

The most compelling argument for the XBX plan? It works for Mirren and has for decades.

In our age of constantly evolving fitness trends and internet critiques, it's hard to argue with 70 years of success.

This brings us to the crucial point: the best fitness advice is finding movement that works for you and building your routine around it.

For Mirren, that's the progressive XBX plan. For others, it might be CrossFit, Pilates, or daily dog walks.

Whether you choose Helen Mirren's vintage routine or something entirely different, the key is consistency and enjoyment.

After all, the workout you'll actually do is infinitely better than the perfect one you'll skip.

The XBX plan proves that effective fitness doesn't require complicated equipment or trendy movements—sometimes, the simplest approaches stand the test of time.

Source: independent

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.