Shuffle, sweat, and sculpt: The ultimate guide to the deck of cards workout

The deck of cards workout provides both simplicity and versatility, making it an excellent choice for individuals looking to switch up their exercise routines. This dynamic workout involves assigning exercises to each card in the deck and then drawing cards at random to determine the sequence.

A simple deck of cards can be the new fitness companion for people who are tired of their regular bro-split or push-pull-legs.

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Pre-requisites of the deck of cards workout

A deck of cards (Image via Getty Images)

1. Gather your materials: Grab a standard deck of cards and designate a workout space that provides enough room for your movements.
2. Choose your exercises: Select a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups, including cardio, strength, and core exercises.
3. Assign exercises to cards: Assign a specific exercise to each card in the deck. For example, hearts could represent push-ups, diamonds could be squats, clubs could be lunges, and spades could be burpees.
4. Warm-up: Before diving into your workout, warm up your muscles with dynamic stretches and light cardiovascular activity.

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Guide to the ultimate deck of cards workout

Cardio blast: Ace through King challenge

The Ace through King challenge is a wonderful way to get the heart rate up and burn calories, so assign a cardio exercise to each card value from Ace to King. For instance:

• Ace: Jumping jacks
• Two: High knees
• Three: Mountain climbers
• Four: Jump squats
• Five: Burpees
• Six: Skaters
• Seven: Jump rope
• Eight: Butt kickers
• Nine: Running in place
• Ten: Tuck jumps
• Jack: Side-to-side hops
• Queen: Box jumps
• King: Sprints

Deck of cards workout (Image via Getty Images)

Shuffle the deck and draw a card one by one, performing the corresponding exercise for the number of repetitions indicated by the card value. Challenge yourself to complete the entire deck for a high-intensity cardio session.

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Strength and endurance: Number-based exercises

Incorporating number-based exercises into a deck of cards workout helps build strength and endurance, so assign specific exercises to each number as follows:

• Two: Push-ups
• Three: Squats
• Four: Lunges (each leg)
• Five: Sit-ups
• Six: Tricep dips
• Seven: Russian twists
• Eight: Bicycle crunches
• Nine: Plank jacks
• Ten: Shoulder presses
• Jack: Bicep curls
• Queen: Deadlifts
• King: Overhead presses

Bicep flex (Image via Getty Images)

Draw a card from the deck and perform the exercise for the number of repetitions corresponding to the card value. Repeat until you've completed the entire deck, focusing on maintaining proper form and technique throughout the workout.

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Abdominal attack: Suits for core strength

The core stands for stability and overall strength, so assign different core exercises to each suit in the deck:

• Hearts: Crunches
• Diamonds: Russian twists
• Clubs: Planks
• Spades: Leg raises

Crunches (Image via Getty Images)

Shuffle the deck and draw a card from each suit, performing the designated exercise for the card's value. This will engage the abdominal muscles, helping to achieve a sculpted and toned core.

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Full-body burn: Combining different exercises

Deck of cards (Image via Getty Images)

To target multiple muscle groups and create a full-body burn, combine different exercises for each card drawn by assigning exercises to specific card values and suits, creating a diverse and challenging workout routine. For example:

• Hearts: Push-ups
• Diamonds: Squats
• Clubs: Burpees
• Spades: Plank jacks

Draw a card from the deck, and depending on the suit, perform the exercise assigned to that suit for the number of repetitions indicated by the card value and repeat this process. Focus on maintaining proper form and intensity throughout the workout.

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Adding variations to the deck of cards workout

Biceps (Image via Getty Images)

• Increase repetitions: Perform more repetitions for each card value drawn.
• Change exercise order: Rearrange the order of exercises in the deck to keep your body guessing.
• Time-based challenge: Set a timer and try to complete as many cards as possible within a specific time frame.
• Advanced exercises: Replace basic exercises with more advanced variations as you progress in your fitness journey.

Customize your own deck of cards workout to fit your fitness level and goals, pushing yourself to new heights of strength and endurance.