Work Out Anywhere With Only a Deck of Cards!

By Andrea Scarberry

Everyone knows that there are lots of exercises that you can do at home or in a hotel room. We also know that these types of workouts can get old... fast. Believe it or not, a deck of cards can deliver a great workout that you can do pretty much anywhere - and the best part is, it will keep you guessing! It's also completely customizable, so you can swap out the five exercises as you like, based on what equipment that you have (or don't have) available to you. The first time I did this workout, it was here at the gym during one of Courtney's Skinny Jeans Challenge boot camps. I really enjoyed it, because it was challenging yet simple. I recently re-used the workout during one of last week's Bikini Bootcamp classes, and got a great response from the ladies participating. Hope you enjoy, and happy sweating!

DECK OF CARDS WORKOUT

Hearts - Push-ups

Diamonds - Sit-ups

Clubs - Overhead press

Spades - Weighted squats

Jokers -15 burpees

Each card's number determines the amount of reps you will do - aces being 1 rep, all the way through 10. Jacks should be counted as 12 reps, queens should be 15, and kings should be 20.

A couple of notes: We used ViPRs for the overhead press and weighted squats, but a barbell, dumbbells, or even kettlebells would work. Also, we had two jokers in our deck, and ended up getting them almost back to back - that's the luck of the draw, I suppose! Don't cheat yourself!

 Again, I hope that you all enjoy this simple yet effective workout. All you really need is a deck of cards and some creativity, and you've got yourself an awesome workout on-the-go. Have a happy and healthy week ahead, and we hope to see you at the JCC!