Every time you turn on the TV, there’s a commercial for a new piece of workout equipment that allows you to work out in a revolutionary new way. Fads come and go and it seems every week, another celebrity spokesperson is touting the benefits of a new workout program or piece of equipment they used to get their rock hard body.
I’m here to tell you about another one. It’s perfect for travel, a quick workout in a secluded corner of the office, at the gym, or at home. It fits in your pocket and costs less than a cup of coffee. To top it all off, you probably already have one in your house.
Let me introduce you to the fitness applications of a simple deck of cards.
All you do is choose any four individual exercises and assign each a suit. The number on the card is the number of reps you do (Ace is one, face cards are worth 10). For instance:
Hearts: body weight squats
Diamonds: calf raises
Clubs: body weight lunges
Spades: side lunges
Simply deal yourself seven cards at a time, and do the exercises!
Not feeling a leg day? Substitute push up variations and bench dips. Are you injured and have prescribed PT exercises every day? Substitute your band exercises and stretches. Do you want to do some yoga? Substitute in some basic poses, like downward facing dog and Warriors 1-3, and see how you can move from one to the other. Want a super explosive workout? Jump squats, Burpees, Clapping push ups, and Box jumps will give you just that. Choose a suit for each, and go for it.
Include the Jokers for extra fun – 30-second plank per Joker, or run a lap around the block.
If you like, you can even download one of the great apps available. My favourite is Let’s WOD Deck of Cards
