It’s been 7 weeks since I started the 5BX program, and while it’s not that challenging yet, some exercises are beginning to bite. The app I’m using doesn’t exactly follow the original program—it gives you a timer for each of the five exercises, whereas the booklet just tells you to complete everything within 11 minutes. I actually like the timed approach, but I can see how it might become tricky to finish some exercises in just 1 or 2 minutes.
That said, I’m definitely seeing results. My flexibility has improved—I can touch my toes again—and the crunches are easy. So are the leg pushups at my current level. I’m tempted to upgrade to full pushups, but that raises a question: how do I progress later if I go off-script now? One idea is to alternate styles—wide pushups one week, narrow the next—but I haven’t implemented that yet. Maybe I'll do that when I get to my goal level to make things interesting. What I have started doing is increasing the range of motion using yoga blocks, which feels like a useful tweak.
The hardest exercise for me right now is the alternating-leg “supermans.” They’re meant to be done quickly, but as a posterior chain movement, they feel too rushed. Still, once I move up to the next chart, they’re replaced by full supermans with the reps going way down again, so the pacing issue should resolve itself.
I’m still hitting the gym in parallel, and I can feel myself getting stronger week by week. If you’re looking for a simple, free program that can be done at home in under 15 minutes, I can see how 5BX could help maintain a fitness baseline far above that of most sedentary people. It’s gradual, accessible, and surprisingly effective.
As someone with a heart condition, I’m always balancing the need to stay active with the importance of not overdoing it. That’s one of the reasons 5BX appeals to me—it’s structured, gradual, and scalable. So far, it’s been an excellent way to build consistency without putting too much strain on my system.
