{"id":927653,"date":"2026-10-14T09:02:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T09:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/927653\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T09:02:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T09:02:13","slug":"xbx-fitness-program-explained-helen-mirren-credits-12-minute-military-workout-with-lasting-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/927653\/","title":{"rendered":"XBX fitness program, explained: Helen Mirren credits 12 minute military workout with lasting health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most exercise regimens call for an expensive gym membership<\/a>, hours of commitment and a bag stuffed with gym gear \u2013 but Helen Mirren\u2019s<\/a> calls for nothing more than the comfort of your own home, and 12 minutes of your time.<\/p>\n

The 81-year-old star has credited one simple collection of body weight and mobility exercises as her go-to method for staying fit \u2013 and its tiered format means anyone can do it.<\/p>\n

\"Helen<\/p>\n

Helen Mirren has shared her 12-minute routine for lasting health.\u00a0AP<\/p>\n

Speaking to Women\u2019s Weekly about how she stays strong, Mirren cited a program devised for the Royal Canadian Airforce in the 1950\u2019s, which she has done \u201coff and on [her] whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the star, following the so-called \u2018XBX<\/a>\u2019 (short for \u201910 basic exercises\u2019) program has kept her fit for over 60 years \u2013 without ever needing to sign up for a gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through, it can become quite difficult,\u201d Mirren said in an interview with Women\u2019s Weekly, per Women & Home<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s easy to do at home \u2013 all you need is a mat.<\/p>\n

What does XBX involve?<\/p>\n

The XBX program<\/a>, created for RCAF women by Dr. Bill Orban, is simple: 12 minutes, 10 exercises done in the same order each time, with no equipment required.<\/p>\n

Structured into four separate \u2018charts\u2019 comprised of 48 levels, the workout gradually increases in difficulty as you progress through each chart. According to Mirren, she\u2019s always stopped at chart two.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never gotten past the second level, but it\u2019s a nice exercise program,\u201d she candidly admitted to Women\u2019s Weekly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The XBX routine is simple, and easy to do at home.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

The first chart includes the following 10 exercises, which are slowly swapped out for harder moves as you progress through the various charts:<\/p>\n

Toe touchesKnee raisesLateral raisesArm circlesPartial sit-upsChest and leg raisesSide leg raisesKnee push-upsLeg liftsRunning on the spot with small hops<\/p>\n

The premise is to only move up to the next chart once you can comfortably complete the exercises on your current chart \u2013 it\u2019s advised not to rush through, but rather to take your time and adapt to the routine before moving on.<\/p>\n

And the true appeal of this rapid-fire regimen is it\u2019s easy to start, simple to sustain (whatever your current fitness level may be) \u2013 and actually backed by science, to boot.<\/p>\n

Why it\u2019s so good for you<\/p>\n

According to research by the University of Sydney, tiny, daily bursts of vigorous incidental physical activity can almost halve the risk of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged women.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

XBX is adjustable based on age and fitness level.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

An additional report by McMaster University<\/a> found three to four short bursts of vigorous activity a day (around one minute each) could reduce risk of death by up to 40 per cent.<\/p>\n

The study, though purely observational, aligns with the wider mentality that remaining consistent with brisk exercise beats gruelling, extended workout periods.<\/p>\n

Mirren\u2019s routine also ticks a box many people over 65 miss. Per the Australian Government\u2019s Department of Health, Disability and Ageing<\/a>, it\u2019s recommended they engage in muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.<\/p>\n

Recommendations according to your age<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been sold on Mirren\u2019s routine, and want to give it a go at home, there are a few key considerations.<\/p>\n

Per the XBX booklet, there are several recommendations for the minimum number of stays spent on each chart before progressing \u2013 and an average overall \u2018goal level\u2019 each age group should strive to attain.<\/p>\n

7-8 years: The goal level is 30, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, one day on chart two and two days on chart three. Do not progress past chart three.<\/p>\n

\"Training<\/p>\n

Anyone of any age can attempt it – and sustain it.\u00a0iStock<\/p>\n

9-10 years: The goal level is 34, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, one day on chart two and two days on chart three. It is not required to progress past chart three.<\/p>\n

11-12 years: The goal level is 38, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, one day on chart two, two days on chart three and three days on chart four.<\/p>\n

13-14 years: The goal level is 41, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, one day on chart two, two days on chart three and three days on chart four.<\/p>\n

15-17 years: The goal level is 44, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, one day on chart two, two days on chart three and three days on chart four.<\/p>\n

18-19 years: The goal level is 40, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, two days on chart two, three days on chart three and four days on chart four.<\/p>\n

20-25 years: The goal level is 35, with a minimum recommendation of one day spent on chart one, two days on chart two and three days on chart three. It is not required to progress past chart three.<\/p>\n

26-30 years: The goal level is 30, with a minimum recommendation of two days spent on chart one, three days on chart two and five days on chart three. It is not required to progress past chart three.<\/p>\n

31-35 years: The goal level is 26, with a minimum recommendation of two days spent on chart one, four days on chart two and six days on chart three. It is not required to progress past chart three.<\/p>\n

36-40 years: The goal level is 22, with a minimum recommendation of four days spent on chart one and six days on chart two. It is not required to progress past chart two.<\/p>\n

41-45 years: The goal level is 19, with a minimum recommendation of five days spent on chart one and seven days on chart two. It is not required to progress past chart two.<\/p>\n

46-50 years: The goal level is 16, with a minimum recommendation of seven days spent on chart one and eight days on chart two. It is not required to progress past chart two.<\/p>\n

51-55 years+: The goal level is 11, with a minimum recommendation of eight days spent on chart one. It is not required to progress past chart one.<\/p>\n

Consistency is key<\/p>\n

This is not a routine you have to master \u2013 it\u2019s one you, like Helen Mirren, can safely maintain well into your later years.<\/p>\n

All that\u2019s necessary to improve your health is consistency, not perfection. So get back to basics, and give it a go!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Most exercise regimens call for an expensive gym membership, hours of commitment and a bag stuffed with gym…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":927654,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[64,63,538,137],"class_list":["post-927653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fitness","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=927653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927653\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/927654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=927653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=927653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=927653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}