The Deck of Cards Workout

Ever been at a loss as to what training to do? Ever thought “I’d really like someone to tell me what workout to do today”? Well then – the Deck of Cards Workout is for YOU!

This workout has been around a while and has been written about by the likes of Matt Furey and Ross Emanait and I’m pretty sure neither of them lay claim to having invented it but it’s such a good effective training system it’s worth promoting again.

The Deck of Cards Workout is deceptively simple...using a normal deck of playing cards allocate an exercise to each suit for example Hearts = squats, Diamonds = press ups, Spades = lunges, Clubs = bent-leg sit ups. Then, starting with the well shuffled deck face down, turn over the top card and do the prescribed number of reps for that exercise so if you turn over the 8 of spades you would perform 8 lunges (either in total or per leg – that’s up to you.) Then, with minimal rest turn over the next card and do that exercise and so on until each card has been turned over.

Jokers can be removed or left in to provide extra exercises – the Joker could be something like run 500 meters or do 20 burpees...whatever you feel like putting in. The idea is to complete the deck as fast as possible so it’s an excellent cardio and muscular conditioning workout. Personally I like to make sure the Joker is a real challenge to add some extra intensity to the workout but whilst a challenge is good, making the Joker so tough that you fail to complete the workout would be erroneous so use some common sense!

Regarding the picture cards, there are a couple of options...Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13 or all picture cards = 12 (or higher). The beauty of the Deck of Cards Workout is you set the parameters based on your current fitness level and progress is very easy to logically progress the workouts over time. For example, as time progresses and you get fitter, the ace can increase from 1 rep to 3 reps and later to 5 reps and so on which adds volume to your workout. Ideally, when you have designed and completed a deck of cards workout it’s a good idea to repeat it on a regular basis so you can monitor your improvements as you (hopefully) complete it in less time than before.

The Deck of Cards Workout lends it’s self particularly well to body weight or minimal equipment exercises which keeps the transitions fast and the pace of the workout high but it can work equally well using traditional weight training exercises. Below I have outlined some of my favourite Deck of Cards Workouts to get you started...feel free to use them as they are or mix elements from the different workouts into your own unique training session. If you come up with a particularly good one, why not post it below for others to use?

1) Black cards = push ups
Red cards = bodyweight squats
Jokers = run 500 meters.

2) Hearts = Burpees
Diamonds = double unders (x 2)
Spades = high pulls
Clubs = sit ups
Jokers = 60 second planks.
(For this workout, when performing double unders complete 2 reps for every number of Diamonds i.e. 4 of Diamonds = 8 double unders)

3) Hearts = skipping (x 10)
Diamonds = body rows
Spades = kettlebell swings
Clubs = dipsJokers = row 500 meters.
(For this workout when skipping perform 10 turns of the rope for every number of Hearts i.e. 7 of Hearts = 70 turns of the rope etc.)

4) Hearts = step ups
Diamonds = sandbag clean and push press
Spades = chin ups
Clubs = crunchesJokers = 100 rope turns skipping

5) Hearts = barbell squats
Diamonds = barbell deadlifts
Spades = body rows
Clubs = bench press
Jokers = 60 seconds of twisting sit ups
(For this workout use around 60% of 1RM – it may be necessary to perform the reps rest/pause style i.e. if unable to perform all of the reps when a high card is revealed then do as many of the reps as possible, rest briefly and then continue with the set)

I strongly recommend writing in large letters the exercises you have allocated for each suit and sticking it somewhere visible for the duration of the workout. This will minimise any time wasted trying to remember what exercise you are supposed to be doing and avoid making mistakes.

As the cards come out in a random order, sometimes you’ll get a good run of dissimilar cards but from time to time you’ll think you must be playing poker and you’ll get runs of suits or lots of high cards in a row. Tough! That’s the beauty of this workout – you never quite know what you are going to get and that randomness is part of not just the fun but also the training effect. Runners call this kind of mixed training Fartlek which means speed play so just keep on keeping on – for every “bad” run there will be a good one.

There are endless variations for the deck of card workout and you are only limited by your imagination and as a change from the norm it’s a great but simple workout which really gets the job done!

Stop-the-press!
Feeling inspired after writing this piece so I did a Deck of Cards Workout for my own training today.

I warmed up by skipping for 5 minutes and doing a few dynamic stretches...

Ran 500 meters
Black cards = press ups
Red cards = bodyweight squats
(All picture cards done for 12 reps, other cards for face value)
Jokers = run 500 meters - my pack has 3 of ‘em for some reason!
Ran 500 meters to finish

182 reps completed for press ups and squats plus 2,500 meters running

Total time from start to finish including the additional 500 meter runs = 26 mins 7 secs of FUN!

The joy of short workouts

Getting your daily exercise quota in can sometimes be difficult – life just gets in the way! Maybe it’s work, or family commitments, commuting or availability of nearby facilities because you are on the road. Regardless, some days it can feel like there is a conspiracy to stop you maintaining your healthy lifestyle! If time is short, it’s all too easy to cut exercise completely from your daily schedule but if you have just a few minutes free, it’s possible to get an effective workout “on the go” which won’t take up too much time but will still be beneficial.

Many exercisers fail to see the benefit of shorter workouts but I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that historically, most people’s workouts usually come in at a fixed duration such as 45 minutes or 60 minutes. In addition to the time spent exercising, we also have to get to and from the gym, get changed into workout clothes, pass pleasantries with fellow exercisers, shower after exercise, change back our regular clothes and then get ourselves home. That 60 minute workout could end up using 2 or more hours of valuable time! It’s no wonder that sometimes it’s just not possible to fit in a workout if time becomes short.

Luckily, there is a solution – the periodic inclusion of mini-workouts that can be performed anywhere from the home to the office which use a minimum of gym equipment and take a maximum of 30 minutes from start to finish. Now I’m not suggesting you forgo your regular gym visits in favour of these mini-workouts but when it comes to beating the time crunch any exercise is better than none. You can view these workouts as “break out in case of time emergency” sessions to use when you can’t stick to your normal routine.

Make sure you spend a few minutes warming and before and cooling down after any exercise session.

1) The out and back
This cardio workout will get your heart racing, your blood pumping and burn plenty of calories whilst requiring nothing more than a stopwatch and your regular exercise clothing. Simply head out the door (either walking, jogging, running or cycling) at a steady and comfortable pace (preferably on a flat road/pavement) and continue for 10 minutes and then try to make it back to the start faster than you went out. This first 10 minutes should be graduated (i.e. start easy and build up progressively) and constitutes your warm up. After the turnaround and as you get closer to home, really begin to push the pace so that you race to see how quickly you can complete the return journey. On completion, spend a couple of minutes walking slowly before performing a few stretches for the lower body and you’re done. Adjust the timings of this workout to suit your individual fitness levels e.g. 5 minutes out instead of 10 etc.


2) Alternating sets of squats and press ups for 10 minutes
A great little workout that will keep the major muscles of the body ticking over nicely until you make it to the gym again. All you need is bit of floor space and a stopwatch or a clock with a second hand. When you feel ready start your stopwatch and perform a set of bodyweight squats. At the begging of the second minute perform a set of press ups. For the third minute perform another set of squats and so on. Continue alternating sets of press ups and squats until you have done 5 sets of each and 10 minutes have elapsed. In terms of reps, you have a couple of options...perform as many reps as possible in each minute or choose a number of reps you are comfortable with for each minute and stick to that for the duration of the workout. When I do this particular session I do 20 press ups and 30 squats but you should modify it to suit your individual needs.

3) The Spartan Circuit
I found this workout over on http://fitness-solution.blogspot.com/ and have modified it slightly to suit my own exercise preferences. It’s a great 20 minute workout which really “does it all” in terms of cardiovascular benefits and whole body muscular endurance. All you need is a programmable timer or view of a clock with a second hand, a skipping rope, a mat and a strong exercise band although this is not essential. Appropriate footwear is also a good idea because of the impact associated with skipping...

2 minutes skipping (easy to warm up)
1 minute lunges
2 minutes skipping
1 minute of ab crunches
2 minutes of skipping
1 minute of press ups
2 minutes of skipping
1 minute of squats
2 minutes of skipping
1 minute of rubber band rows
2 minutes of skipping
1 minute of prone back extensions
2 minutes of skipping (easy to cool down)


(Perform as many reps as possible in the 1 minute time blocks but make sure you work within your own fitness limits resting when necessary)


The exercises are interchangeable so feel free to slot in your favourites so long as they are adhere to the legs/upper body/core format described above. If you haven’t got a rubber exercise band available you could use a light weight (e.g. a medicine ball or even a bag packed with books) and perform bent over or upright rows instead. Not a proficient skipper? No worries – just substitute the skipping with step ups, jogging on the spot, shadow boxing or your favourite aerobic move from your exercise class...the workout will be just as effective.


4) The 3 exercise whole body workout
Inspired by http://www.crossfit.com/ the following sessions are simple but very effective. You will need something to do pull ups or body rows from. If you can’t find anywhere suitable then its okay to perform bent over rows with whatever weight you can find e.g. a sand bag, filled sports bag or even a small child! Our three exercises can be arranged in a number of different but equally effective ways to get a whole body workout from just 3 exercises...

a) 5 pull ups/10 press ups/15 squats – perform as many laps as possible in e.g. 20 minutes

b) 10 pull ups/20 press ups/30 squats – perform 1 lap every 3rd minute for 15 minutes

c) 50 pull ups/100 press ups/150 squats – just chip away at the reps until they are all complete trying to perform the whole workout in as little time as possible

d) 5 pull ups/10 press ups/15 squats/20 double unders (double turns of the skipping rope)/skip to next 2 minute point and repeat for 10 sets/20 minutes

e) Perform 3 minute rounds of 5 pull ups/10 press ups/15 squats doing as many laps as possible in the allotted time before resting for 1 minute and repeating for 4 – 5 rounds


As you can see, lots of variation even though only 3 exercises (or 4 if you use the skipping variant) which works every muscle in the body either directly or indirectly. The reps can be adjusted up or down depending on current fitness levels, as can the number of sets/duration of the sessions. Simple and effective!


5) Burpees!
The burpee is one of the classic whole body exercises which are hard to beat when it comes to whole body conditioning. Combining a squat with a press up means the majority of the body’s main muscles get a great workout and also there is a large cardiovascular demand. There are numerous ways of making use of the common burpee and getting a very challenging workout in minimal time. For info on how to perform a burpee check this link...http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/burpeeclip.htm

a) The 20-1 Burpee Challenge
This is a classic! Perform 20 burpees and then rest a few seconds before performing 19 burpees, rest again, 18 burpees, rest, and 17 and so on down to 1. The rests are intuitive but should only be as long as is necessary – the aim is to compete the challenge as fast as possible. 20-1 too much of a challenge? Try 15-1, 12-1 or 10-1.

b) Timed Burpees
Set your countdown timer for e.g. 10 minutes and perform as many burpees as possible in the time. The aim is to do more reps each time this session is repeated!

c) Repetition Burpees
Set yourself a repetition goal e.g. 100 burpees. Perform the 100 reps as fast as possible. The aim is to do the 100 reps faster each time this workout is performed.

d) The Burpee Pyramid Workout
Start your stopwatch and without any rest between exercises, perform the following...5 burpees/10 press ups/15 squats/20 hill climbers or double unders. Repeat for 5+ sets beginning each set every 2 minutes. The faster you work the longer you get to rest...

e) Burpee drop sets
Perform 5-10 full burpees (press up and jump)Perform 5 -10 burpees (no press up but still jumping)Perform 5-1 burpees (no press up or jump)Rest 30–90 seconds and repeatAdjust the rep count and number of sets according to your individual fitness level. For “fun” you could also work your way back up the sequence for a real challenge!


f) 10 burpees, 10 reps, 10 sets, 10 minutes!

Do a set of 10 burpees every minute for 10 minutes – simple! Adjust the rep range according to you own fitness levels.

There you have it - lots of short, sharp and effective workouts to help the time-crunched exerciser get their training done even when there aren’t enough hours in the day. So, no more excuses for missing workouts (sorry about that) and like Nike says “Just do it!”

Belly Busting Bonus!

All of the above workouts will use the muscles of the core, albeit indirectly. If you want to add some core workout at the end of one of the mini-workouts try the following sequence...

Side plank (left) – 30 seconds
*Front “Cossack” plank – 30 secondsSide plank (right) – 30 seconds
**Supine hip bridge – 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds and repeat 1-2 more times (increase or decrease the durations as appropriate)


Side plank http://www.fitnessvancouver.ca/anatomyassets/exercise%20side%20plank.htm

*Front “Cossack” plank – in the press up position, brace your abs and spread your feet to give a good base of support. From this position alternately slowly lift one hand off the floor and touch your opposite shoulder. You should feel a shift of weight through the core muscles as they attempt to stop you rotating. Avoid holding your breath and make sure your spine remains in a neutral position – no sagging or rounding allowed!

**Lie on your back as if you were going to perform abdominal crunches. Pull your feet in close to your buttocks and keep them flat on the floor. From this position drive down through the heels and push your hips up towards the ceiling using your hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles – make sure you don’t use your hands! Perform either for reps or as a timed static hold.