It’s the king of all workout routines.
King Charles III is battling an unspecified form of cancer — but the super-fit 75-year-old follows an intense daily workout plan that could help him bounce back from treatment far quicker.
According to The Mirror, the monarch is “an avid devotee of the 5BX routine,” an 11-minute military workout developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force in the late 1950s.
The routine is the brainchild of Bill Orban, an academic who designed the program to help military personnel maintain an optimum level of fitness in a minimal amount of time.
In the decades since its creation, 5BX has become beloved by many outside the military, including Charles’ father, Prince Philip, who regularly performed the routine and lived until the age of 99.
Charles — who served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy — is said to start and end each day with 5BX, which is composed of five different exercises.
Four of the moves are calisthenics designed to improve flexibility and strength, while the fifth is intended to boost aerobic fitness.
The first exercise is a forward fold stretch, whereby a person aims to bend over and touch their toes before moving back up and reaching their hands toward the ceiling.
As part of 5BX, the exercise must be repeated for 2 minutes, slowly loosening up the body.
The second exercise in the 5BX routine is sit-ups performed for 60 seconds, while the third is a back extension.
A person has to lie on their stomach and lift their arms and feet off the floor before bringing them back down, repeating for 60 seconds.
Push-ups are the fourth aspect of the 5BX routine, with a person doing them for 1 minute without stopping.
Finally, 5BX is finished off with 6 minutes of running in place to enhance aerobic capacity.
If the 11-minute workout sounds too hectic, don’t sweat — the routine is designed for people of all abilities.
5BX has six different charts, with each featuring exercise modifications.
Chart one, for example, is designed for beginners, and boasts mini sit-ups and push-ups and less intense stretches. Chart six is for super-fit athletes with optimum strength and agility, with the exercises tweaked to be more vigorous.
It’s unclear which chart King Charles adheres to.
In addition to the daily workout, the king is reported to enjoy horseback riding, hiking, and rowing, which also keep him in tip-top shape.
He also maintains a healthy diet and does not consume much alcohol.
“The King has led a healthy and active life which will leave him perfectly placed to face his cancer battle,” one insider told The Mirror, sounding upbeat about the chances of a full recovery for the royal.