US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once tried Jazzercise and has said she’s a devotee of daily Canadian Air Force bodyweight workouts. But twice a week she reportedly does a 90-minute gym session that raises the bar (get it?) for fit people everywhere.
Photo by Andre McEnroe. Sorry, I tried, but there don’t seem to be any pictures of RBG in workout gear.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/04/get-in-shape-with-this-11-minute-fighter-pilots-workout/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/jzuoowzmcorbip9j3mnj.png” title=”Get In Shape With This 11-Minute Fighter Pilots’ Workout” excerpt=”It may be Canada’s best-kept exercise secret. an 11-minute, no-equipment workout program designed to keep pilots and other Air Force members in top shape even when they were posted to remote areas without gym facilities.”]
POLITICO’s Ben Schreckinger did a session with RBG’s personal trainer. His account is an entertaining essay, but it gives enough detail that you can try the Supreme Court justice’s workout at a gym near you. It’s a solid workout full of moves you can do at any well-equipped gym.
The workout begins with a five-minute warmup on an elliptical machine. Next comes a stretching session that includes a seated toe touch and a butterfly stretch. After that, RBG begins exercises on machines, and it sounds like she does three sets of 10 or more for just about everything:
- chest press machine
- leg curl machine
- leg press machine
- chest fly machine
- lat pulldown machine
- seated rows
- standing rows
- single-leg squat (standing up from a bench)
- pushups, and uneven pushups with one hand on a medicine ball
- 30 seconds plank
- 30 seconds side plank (each side)
- wall squats with an exercise ball
- dumbbell curls
- step-ups with knee raise
The last few exercises are described more vaguely: She does some kind of “leg exercises” while standing and holding on to a staff for balance. Then squats on an “upside down” bosu, whichever way that is. Finally, she stands up from a bench to toss a medicine ball to her trainer. This is the exercise that her trainer says keeps you from needing a full time nurse in your old age. If you can’t stand up from the toilet, after all, you need help.
This all adds up to about 90 minutes, and seems to be a well-rounded, challenging workout for anyone. Just choose an appropriate weight on the machines, and adjust the push-ups to be harder or easier, as needed. Read more about RBG and her exercise moves at the link below.
I Did Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Workout. It Nearly Broke Me. [POLITICO]
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