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!

Stuff I like

I’ve been training a long time, over 20 years and at the risk of blowing my own trumpet I have experimented with just about every type of training ever invented! I’ve seen fads come and go, and often come back a second or even a third time. I’ve followed some trends and ignored others and now, after all this time, I have a bunch of training stuff I really really like. I’m not saying this is a definitive list of training ideas or equipment but its stuff I’ve used on my self, my personal training clients and my students with great success.

So, in no particular order, here is my list of stuff I like.

1) Weighted sled
I got my sled mail order from a company in the States and it cost me a fortune in shipping but it was worth every penny. Had I known it was such a simple device I’d have got one made by my local metal worker but that’s life. I have used my sled for GPP (General Physical Preparation) work, interval training, power training, aerobic training, upper body training, sprint training and even strength training. It’s a very versatile piece of kit which just about every fitness enthusiast would benefit from using. There's a sled article coming soon so stay tuned!

Sled, tow straps, belt and ankle cuffs


Finish position - sled bicep curls


2) Sandbags
Sandbag training is cheap, very versatile, and challenges the core and forearms like no other training method can. Light sandbags can be used for circuits, GPP and interval training etc whilst heavy sandbag lifting can develop prodigious strength in the arms, back and legs. Imagine trying to lift and press an object which is constantly shifting in your hands and forces you to adjust your grip and stance constantly. Exercises like squats, rows, cleans, presses and dead lifts have never been so challenging! Sandbag training is ideal for martial artists, football and rugby players and anyone else who wants to train on the cheap out of doors. A word of caution: make sure your sandbags are well made – there is nothing worse than dumping a load of sand in your face while trying to press a weight over head! Use rubble bags in side a navy style kit bag to minimize spillage or buy the custom made sandbags and kits that are now available.

Sand bag with mini sandbag weights


Dragging the bag – great exercise!


3) Ab wheel
If you want to develop serious core strength, nothing works better than an old fashioned ab wheel. These scourges of TV infomercials are actually genuine hard core training devices and therein lies the problem. An ab wheel will work your core like no other exercise can but the risks for untrained individuals is high. If you have good (make that great) core strength then the ab wheel is for you. If you are not able to perform full ab planks for 60 seconds plus, do roll outs using a Swiss ball or maintain good spinal alignment when performing squats and deadlifts, you should stay clear of the ab wheel until you have a bit more core strength. When first using an ab wheel, progress slowly from the kneeling position to standing and only increase your range of movement when you feel comfortable. If you experience any over extension of the spine or back pain STOP and go back a level.

My $10 ab wheel – a great piece of kit







4) Weighted vest
Just about every exercise you can imagine can be performed whilst wearing a weighted vest and the increase in difficulty (and results) is staggering. By wearing one whilst doing cardio, you will increase your energy expenditure dramatically. Performing standard callisthenic exercises like press ups, burpees, squats and lunges while wearing a weighted vest turns simple exercises into tests of strength and determination. Exercises like sprinting and jumping become real lower body power exercises when a weighted vest is used and wearing a weighted vest whilst doing your daily chores turns mundane house work into a calorie burning fest which will lead to being lean and mean in no time! I think it’s clear I like weighted vests – I expect you will too.

Weighted vest – versatile and effective


5) Rubber bands
No, not light weight fitness bands but seriously strong rubber bands used by power lifters and available from good fitness equipment suppliers like Iron Woody and Jump Stretch. These bands come in strengths from about 10lbs to a staggering 140lbs making them the ultimate in portable strength training equipment. Just about any exercise you can imagine can be replicated with a band which means that effective and cost effective home training is within most peoples grasp. Bands can also be used in conjunction with standard resistance training exercises such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts and even combine well with old favourite exercises like press ups and pull ups to add a whole new dimension to bodyweight training. A good set of bands may put you back $200 but they last a long time and offer supreme convenience for the fitness enthusiast.

Selection of rubber bands


6) Jump rope
If it’s good enough for Rocky Balboa, Mohammed Ali and Evander Holyfield then it’s good enough for me! Jumping rope is a great cardio workout which can also be used for anaerobic interval training, increasing foot speed, warming up, improving foot work for boxers and martial artists, increasing lower body muscular endurance and improving whole body co-ordination all for about $10 or less! Granted, jumping rope is a skill that not everyone grasps initially but with a little time, effort and perseverance it won’t be long until you are doing double unders, cross overs and sprints in place like a boxing pro. Take a little care with jump rope though – ensuring you wear well cushioned and supportive shoes, workout on a forgiving surface (not concrete) and avoid staying on the spot too much to avoid possible lower body injuries.

Jump ropes - cheap and effective



7) Medicine balls
Medicine balls are another very versatile training tool which won’t cost you much but from which you’ll gain many benefits. Medicine balls come in two main types…soft and hard. Hard ones can be hurled, bounced and dropped with impunity whereas soft ones tend to be better suited to throwing and catching drills and less to being bounced as they are prone to splitting. They come in a range of sizes, from 1-2 lbs to 50 lbs and above. Medicine balls are fantastic for developing core strength, upper body and lower body power, hand/eye co-ordination, aerobic fitness and anaerobic conditioning, depending on the weight of the ball used and the drills performed.

I own two medicine balls, a 10lb ball and a 22lb ball, both of the hard variety. My favourite exercises include medicine ball slams, where the ball is repeatedly hurled at the ground from over head which challenges the arms and core as well as the cardiorespiratory system, over head throws which works the posterior chain of hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back, rotational throws for the core, medicine ball thrusters - a front squat/push press combo and chest pass throws which challenge the anterior chain of quadriceps, hip flexors and chest as well as the core. If your budget doesn't allow you to purchase a medicine ball, you can make your own from and old basketball, some sand or lead shot, some strong rubber glue and some duct tape. Want a fun training tool? Get some balls!

Medicine balls


Med. balls lend themselves to numerous exercises – chest pass throws


8) Sledgehammers
Athletes have been using sledgehammers for years to develop strength, power and conditioning and lately a few companies have even produced hammers specially designed for exercise. Whilst I think these special exercise hammers are a bit like re-inventing the wheel, the concept of training with hammers is sound. They can be used for high rep sets to develop amazing upper body and core endurance or low rep sets for muscular power. Striking patterns can be from over head straight down to strengthen the rectus abdominus, arms and latisimus dorsi muscles or across the body to target the obliques (sides of the trunk) – like a golf swing.

As far as striking surface goes, it’s best to either hit an old rubber tyre (bigger is better) or swing into sand – a beach being ideal. Hammer weight is dependent on the individual but I own a 8lb and an 10lb hammer and would suggest that for all but the biggest athletes, these weights are quite adequate.

There are a number of ways to go about organising your sledgehammer workout...you could see how many strikes you can perform in 10 minutes (a brutal workout!), or perform multiple sets of 10-20 strikes with 30 to 60 seconds rest or to improve power, 5 strikes as hard as you can followed by longer recoveries. You may get some odd looks from your neighbours next time you are out in your yard smashing the heck out of an old tyre with your sledgehammer but rest assured, your performance and physique will soon show the benefits of your unusual training tool! Remember when using a sledgehammer to be aware of anyone nearby walking into your swing range and take a few minutes to practice your technique before unleashing your full effort. Make sure you hit well away from your feet and that your striking surface is solid enough to take your mighty efforts.

Check out my last few blog posts to read all about sledgehammer training.

The beach if a great venue for hammer training


9) Things you can buy in your hardware centre
Next time you stroll around your local do-it-all hardware store, take a look at the goods for sale and I’ll bet you can come up with some very cheap but effective bits of kit which will provide you with a great workout. Here are a few of my favourites:-

“The slosh pipe”: Take an 8 - 10 foot length of 6 inch diameter pipe. Fix screw type end caps to both ends. Fill it ¾ full with water and then lift it, squat with it, walk with it or run with it to really challenge your whole body – especially your core. This piece of training gear cost $20 to make and kicks your butt like you wouldn’t believe!

One of many uses for the “slosh pipe”


Snow shovels and metal buckets: simply fill the metal buckets with dirt/sand and walk/run with them for time or distance. This is a killer cardio workout which also pumps up your grip in no time. It’s like doing a “farmers walk” only not in the gym with dumbbells but as it was intended to be done – outside.

Fill ‘em up and then run with ‘em – killer workout!


Wheelbarrows: Fill the wheelbarrow (an exercise in it’s self) and then take it for a walk/run. Could be done as an interval session (periods of work interspaced with periods of rest) or in a single effort. Wheelbarrow pushing is great for the legs, arms and back. Take your wheelbarrow “off road” and you have a real co-ordination challenge too!

Chains: Buy a 20 foot length of heavy link chain and you have another very versatile training implement. You can pull it hand over hand, wrap it around your self and walk/run with it, attach it to an old tyre and drag it, put it in a sand bag and lift if, put it into a bucket and carried – lots of variety to be had. One word of warning – it’s worth wearing some heavy gloves to avoid suffering pinched skin on your hands.

10) A programmable timing device.
No matter what type of exercise you do, an accurate, easy to use, hands free timer is a must. I have a number of such devices...one I can clip to my clothes, another I wear on my wrist and also one I can run on my computer. Using a timer for your workouts forces you to maintain a good pace throughout your session. If you aren’t using a timer to measure your rest intervals between sets then SHAME ON YOU!

Using a timer will help you maintain focus, stop you dilly dallying when you should be training and generally increase your productivity in the gym. Additionally, some training methods only really work if you have a timer to hand e.g. interval training. Interval training is THE way to blast body fat and requires you to alternate between periods of 1-2 minutes of high intensity cardio alternated with periods of 1-2 minutes recovery. Using a timer forces stops you sneaking a few extra seconds of recovery which might detract from the effectiveness of your workout. A particularly good interval session which is only really practical if using a timer is called Tabata training. Tabata training involves doing high intensity activity for 20 seconds (e.g. sprinting) with 10 second rests performed for 8 – 10 sets. I know what you are thinking – that adds up to only 4 – 5 minutes but trust me…Tabata training will kick your ass! Exercises which lend them selves well to this method of training include burpees, jump rope, medicine ball/barbell/dumbbell thrusters, sprinting and squat thrusts. Or how about a Tabata circuit of press ups, squats, sit ups, lunges, skipping and burpees – half an hour of fat burning mayhem guaranteed to leave you in a pool of melted body fat.

Two different timing devices


So, that’s my list of stuff I love. I can’t imagine training without access to the items listed above and I sincerely hope you’ll give some of them a try to enhance your workouts.

Descending Pyramid Training

When I was in the Royal Marines, doing Egyptian PT (Physical Training) meant sneaking off for a power-nap. Descending rep pyramids, however, have nothing to do with Egypt, Egyptians or grabbing some sneaky shut eye...watch the video below to see exactly what descending pyramid training is all about.

To perform a descending pyramid select a whole-body exercise for which you have mastered the technique. You're going to be doing a lot of reps so it should be an exercise you are really familiar with and can do well - even when fatigued. Exercises like burpees, sledgehammer swings, box jumps and kettlebell swings are all excellent choices.

Once you have chosen your exercise, decide on how "high" you want to start your pyramid. It pays to be a bit conservative here as what looks easy on paper can add up to a huge number of reps...

5-1 = 15 reps total
10-1 = 55 reps total
12-1 = 78 reps total
15-1 = 120 reps total
20-1 = 210 reps total
25-1 = 325 reps total

Next comes the easy (!!!) part...start your stopwatch and perform the first level of your pyramid e.g. 12 reps, then rest as long as necessary (but no longer - this is against the clock!) and then perform 11 reps, rest again before performing 10 reps and so on until you work you way all the way down to your final rep. Rests are intuitive and are dictated by your current fitness level. As you get into better and better shape you should be able to perform the same workout in ever decreasing times as you rest less and increase your work rate.

Descending pyramid training is a great addition to your workouts for a number of reasons...

Simplicity - all you have to do is count downwards...no sets to count, no rests to time, no weights to change. Just an opportunity to switch off your brain and churn out the reps!
Improved muscular endurance - the high volume of reps that will be performed virtually guarantee a big endurance benefit
Fatigue management - the first few sets of any pyramid are the most dense in terms of reps to be completed but as you fatigue, the rep count comes down. The result is that it's possible to maintain a high work rate for the whole duration of the workout even though you are tiring.
Aerobic & anaerobic conditioning - higher rep counts will challenge the aerobic system where as lower rep counts will challenge the anaerobic system making descending pyramid training very versatile and suitable for a wide range of exercisers and fitness goals.

Descending pyramid training can also be applied to pairs of exercises...
for example pairing 20-1 sledgehammer swings with 20-1 lunges creates a great whole body workout i.e. 20 sledgehammer swings, 20 lunges, 19 swings, 19 lunges, 18 swings, 18 lunges etc. You could even group 3 or more exercises together to make a very demanding descending pyramid circuit. I'm sure you can come up with lots devilish variations to torture yourself or your clients with. If you come up with a good one, why not post it in the comments box so we can all share in the fun!

Multiple pyramids...
Another nice variation of the descending pyramid workout is to perform multiple sets. This approach works really well with lower rep pyramids e.g. 5-1 chin ups, rest 1-3 minutes and repeat or 10-1 press ups. This is a variation of ladder training which is discussed in this article and provides a useful way of increasing training volume above normal levels.

Of course, is you are a real sadist, you could do an ascending pyramid, increasing the reps set by set. The rep count would be the same but the training effect would be very different as the hardest sets would come when you were at your most fatigued - a challenge for even the fittest exerciser!

Numerical significance - there is a very popular version of descending pyramid training called the Prisoner Burpee challenge where 20-1 burpees are completed in the shortest time possible. It's a tasty workout which I've done a few times and gotten very close to completing in sub 20 minutes. To "celebrate" my 40th birthday, I decided I'd do the Prisoner Burpee Challenge but rather than the standard 20-1 reps, I performed 40-1 reps making a grand total of 820 Burpees (complete with press up and jump). This took my a shade under 2 hours! My point? Why not celebrate a day of numerical significance by doing your own descending pyramid challenge? If nothing else it will give you serious bragging rights down at the bar afterwards!

Regardless of your goals, descending pyramid training can provide a fun addition to your workout so why not give it a go? But beware...those numbers can look very tame on paper when in reality they add up to a whole load of hurt!

Summer Beach workout

A popular feature of our fitness qualifications courses is our weekly beach workouts. The workouts are simple, using very little equipment but very effective.

In this video you can see my business partner Jim Conaghan and I putting ourselves through a beach workout, practicing what we preach!

This particular section consisted of...

1. Sprint
2. Beer barrel overhead presses - 10 reps
3. Sprint
4. Squat jumps - 10 reps
5. Sprint
6. Beer barrel bent over rows - 10 reps
7. Sprint
8. Sledgehammer swings - 10 reps

This video is of the last of 5 sets by the way and before which we had already performed numerous other drills!

Please excuse the shaky hands camera work...I'm new to this hi-tech video camera lark!

Simple but effective - Sledgehammer swings/walking lunges and press ups mini circuit

I woke up on Saturday morning knowing I wanted a short but sharp workout that would hit my whole body whilst burning lots of energy, give me a great cardio workout and be fun. This is what I came up with!

Sledgehammer swings/walking lunges and press ups mini circuit...

20 Sledgehammer swings (10 per side)


20 walking lunges (10 each leg)

20 Press ups using push up handles


Walk back to the start and repeat!

I completed this sequenece 5 times before reducing the reps to 10/10/10 for a further 5 sets - the total workout time was just over 20 minutes. 20 minutes doesn't sound like a long time but I was constantly moving for the whole time and, apart from the walk-back recovery periods it was an all-out workout.

The workout was completed with 5 super-sets of 12 reps of bodyrows and swissball mountain climbers (A superb core exercise! Place your hands on a medium size Swissball and extend your legs so you are in a classic press up position. Keeping the abs tight and the spine neutral, perform alternate leg squat thrusts while endevouring to keep your abs and your spine rock solid).


This was an awesome No-Frills workout which left me feeling pleasently fatigued and happy knowing I'd achieved everything I'd set out to. Give it a go!