I like simple. Also, there’s something funny about the modern fitness world. We’ve got gyms that feel like aircraft hangars, treadmills with more buttons than a regional radio console, and influencers who swear you can’t possibly get fit unless you buy their $189 resistance band set that looks suspiciously like the one from Walmart.
Meanwhile, sitting in the corner like the forgotten vinyl record in your uncle’s basement is the 5BX — a workout cooked up by the Royal Canadian Air Force back when televisions had rabbit ears and nobody needed a smartwatch to remind them to stand up.
And here’s the twist: it still works.
I started poking around this program after seeing calisthenics trending again. Suddenly everyone’s rediscovering the idea that your body — that thing you walk around in — can double as perfectly good workout equipment. No cable machines. No high-tech nonsense. Just gravity, a floor, and enough self-respect to try a few sit-ups without making a dramatic sound.
The 5BX fits right into that vibe. Five exercises. A few minutes. A daily habit that sneaks up on you until one morning you notice you’re actually stronger, and you didn’t have to fill out a waiver or book a parking spot.
What hooked me wasn’t nostalgia. It was the simplicity. There’s no algorithm judging your form, no leaderboard taunting you with some stranger’s seemingly impossible plank time. You just start where you are — not where you wish you were — and move forward.
There’s a strange freedom in something this stripped down. No barrier to entry. No hidden upsell. The RCAF wasn’t trying to build bodybuilders; they wanted people who could function, react, stay sharp. That’s a refreshing mission in a world where fitness is often packaged like a futuristic self-improvement saga.
I’ve already decided to try it, and I think more people should. Not because it’s “retro cool.” Not because some wellness guru will tell you it aligns your chakras while tightening your core. It’s worth trying because it’s honest — a rare quality in the fitness space.
It also scraps the classic excuses.
No gym? Doesn’t matter.
No equipment? Perfect.
No time? It takes less than the length of a commercial break during a hockey game.
And for anyone feeling overwhelmed by modern “fitness culture,” the 5BX is basically a reset button. A way to remember your body doesn’t need a social media strategy — it needs movement.
Is it the perfect plan for every single person? Of course not. But it’s a place to start. A reliable one. And if you’re like me, and you’ve spent years glued to screens, schedules, meetings, headphones — this tiny sequence of old-school exercises feels like a promise to yourself that you’re still in there somewhere.
So if you see me doing leg raises in the living room and muttering at myself, you’ll know why. I’m giving this thing a fair run. And maybe you should too. Worst case, you lose a few minutes a day. Best case, you discover fitness doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to help you feel like you’re back behind the controls again.
What’s stopping you from giving it a shot? Here is an early video from the Canadian Royal Air Force teaching the 5BX training.