Tag: pancreatic cancer

Many of us recognize the name Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We know her as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, just the second women to be chosen for the Supreme Court. But do you also that Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a role model for those with major illnesses? 

Before reading below, check out her Wikipedia biography by clicking the image.

Be sure to look at the video below of Justice Ginsburg exercising with Stephen Colbert. 🙂

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Role Model for Those with Major Illnesses 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is now 85 years old. She is about 5 feet tall and weighs less than 100 pounds. She has overcome significant health issues and remains active on the Supreme Court. She even has a well-chronicled exercise routine. Despite your political persuasion, Justice Ginsburg is a great role model for those of us dealing with major health issues.

As reported by Wikipedia from several sources:

“In 1999, Ginsburg was diagnosed with colon cancer; she underwent surgery that was followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. During the process, she did not miss a day on the bench. Ginsburg was physically weakened by the cancer treatment, and she began working with a personal trainer. In spite of her small stature, Ginsburg saw her physical fitness improve since her first bout with cancer; she was able to complete twenty full push-ups in a session before her 80th birthday.”

“On February 5, 2009, she underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg had a tumor that was discovered at an early stage. She was released from a New York City hospital on February 13 and returned to the bench when the Supreme Court went back into session on February 23, 2009. On September 24, 2009, Ginsburg was hospitalized in Washington DC for lightheadedness following an outpatient treatment for iron deficiency and was released the following day.”

“On November 26, 2014, she had a stent placed in her right coronary artery after experiencing discomfort while exercising in the Supreme Court gym with her personal trainer.”

Justice Ginsburg and Exercise

As described by Katherine Ellen Foley for Quartz Media in March 2017:

“Ginsberg is in better shape than most 83-year-olds (and possibly most people), according to Politico. Twice a week, RBG meets with Bryant Johnson, a 52-year-old ex-military personal trainer, who guides her through an hour-long workout consisting of some cardio, followed by three sets of 10 to 13 reps of weight training for her whole body—including pushups, which she does without the use of her knees, according to Johnson. She also does single-leg squats, and a standing maneuver where she throws a medicine ball to Johnson before sitting down and catching it.”

More recently, Elana Lyn Gross wrote for Business Insider:

“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is not defined by her 85 years of age – she works out with her personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, twice a week for an hour. Ginsburg’s workout is a series of full body strength exercises that target arms, chest, legs, back, shoulders, glutes, and abs. Johnson and Ginsburg have been doing the one-hour workout that he details in his book, ‘The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong and You Can Too‘ for 18 years, aside from the three years he was deployed in Kuwait.”

“The workout starts with a five-minute warm-up and light stretching followed by a strength training session that includes push-ups, planks, chest presses, squats, and hip abductor exercises, then another round of stretches to cool down.”

 
Here’s a video clip of Justice Ginsburg with Stephen Colbert.