The Deck of Cards Workout

Want some fun home workouts, but struggling for ideas, or don't know what to do?

Then use a deck of cards!

Reps are decided by card value.

1️⃣➡️🔟 Numbers 2 to 10 are... well, 2 to 10.

♠️ The Ace and the Picture Cards are 12... no one needs 11, or 13.

🃏 The Joker is 20 reps on each movement... or 25 if you really like Matt Wenning.

Exercise is decided by suit, with some examples below!

Full Body: done 3 to 4 times a week

♠️ Spades - Squat

♥️ Hearts - Push

♣️ Clubs - Hinge

♦️Diamonds - Pull

Lower / Upper: split into alternating days

♠️ Spades - Squat / Push Bilateral

♥️ Hearts - Hinge / Pull Bilateral

♣️ Clubs - Squat Unilateral / Push Isolation

♦️Diamonds - Hinge Unilateral / Pull Isolation

You could even do a body part, or movement split across 4 days.

Have 1 fully shuffled and stacked deck to completely randomise your session.

Or split the deck into their suits, give each suit a shuffle and work through one card from each deck to create a round system.

You’ll do a total of around 102 reps of each exercise across a total of 12 rounds... unless you include and hit the joker... 😈

If a full decks to much, half it and only do evens, or odds with only 2 picture cards and no jokers.

Its great for in the house when the usual strength training session isn't feasible, or at home gyms when the weight available to use just isn't enough.

Top and tail it with some mobility work and you’ve got a pretty decent session.

These are just a couple of ideas, but the possibilities are pretty endless!

If you don’t have a set of cards... Theres probably an app for this.

Alternatively, you could make some out of whatever you have... it’ll be a nice thing to do with the kids. 😁

Adam Johnston, 17th March 2020