Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Fitness Flashback: The XBX & 5BX Fitness Plans

Woody and I made it home Monday night from our long weekend back in Michigan for Thanksgiving. We had a great time staying with my parents, visiting with family and friends. Usually when we visit them we only have a few days so it was nice to have time to do more than just run around.

After spending a great Thanksgiving at my Great Aunt and Uncle’s house – complete with a delicious meal and a quick drive to see Bob Seger’s house – we also found time to take in an MSU basketball game, saw “Skyfall,” went to the gym, visited the just re-opened Detroit Historical Museum, had dinner in Corktown at Slow’s Bar BQ, saw more relatives, friends and spent several hours going through boxes we had packed and left in my parent’s basement. Let me tell you, that was fun!

I couldn’t believe all the toys and stuffed animals my parents had packed away. And all the pictures and scrapbooks I’ve saved along the way. We went through other boxes of stuff that have accumulated in the basement too and in one box I found something so entertaining I was literally laughing out loud on the plane back to NYC.

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A fitness plan from 1962!

I have no idea who this belonged to, but I love it!

Well, some of it. I find it curious that the plan for women calls for a series of 10 exercises done over 12 minutes (per day) while the men’s program calls for just 5 exercises over 11 minutes. Apparently women have a lot more muscles to tone.

The book does explain however, that extra fat does increase risk for heart problems and that to be truly healthy, a balance of a healthy diet and exercise is necessary.

I know you’re dying to see what this is all about. Here are some great outtakes -

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The plan doesn’t promise results in a few days, or even a few weeks. And it assumes that everyone participating starts from a sedentary level, so the plan start slow and works up to the advanced levels.

I’m really tempted to give this a try and see if it does anything (on top of my usual workouts, of course!).

  • What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving weekend?
  • Do you have boxes full of childhood memories stashed somewhere?
  • What do you think? Should I give this workout a try?

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Today’s workout -

  • 45min bike
  • 3x12 tricep push-down
  • 3x10 squat
  • 3x10 hammer curl
  • ab exercises
  • stretching

1 comment:

Lisa said...

I think you should give it a try. My Mother used to practice it for years in the seventies and she really kept her weight and a good fitness. She´s older now and we still have the book. Now it´s me. I´m doing the programme and I find it useful since I have Fybromialgia and hard workout sitffens my muscles. So, try it, I think you´ll like it.