RBG Never Skipped the Gym

Misbar discovered that, according to MSN.com, Ruth Bader Ginsburg stayed strong with the help of her long-time trainer, Bryant Johnson. She attributed her long professional career to her physical fitness. Johnson had been working with Ginsburg in the gym since 1999. 

In 2017, Johnson wrote a book about Ginsburg called The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong . . . and You Can Too! In the Seattle Times, Johnson said he put Ginsburg through an entire intense fitness routine. “Full-strength planks, push-ups, chest and shoulder presses, bicep and leg curls, one-legged squats and knee raises, pull downs, cable-rows, inner- and outer-thigh, and glute work,” Johnson said. He said the two met two to three times each week to work out.

Ginsburg, who battled cancer, started training with Johnson after her first bout with cancer in the 90s, when her husband noticed she looked especially frail after undergoing treatment. She said she understood very well the connection between the work she put into her body in the gym and her longevity on the supreme court. 

Ginsburg was often viewed as a role model for older Americans as she demonstrated what was possible physically for an older person. According to the National Council on Aging, millions of older Americans struggle every day with health and safety challenges all of which can severely impact quality of life. 

Ginsburg always made time for fitness despite her age, serious illnesses, and hectic schedule.