Dealer's Choice, On-The-Go
How many of you feel like you don’t have time to workout or it’s too expensive or inconvenient to join a gym? Well if you can relate to this, you are definitely not alone! According to the Center for Disease Control, two of the top ten reasons Americans do not get enough exercise are: 1) a lack of time and 2) find it inconvenient to exercise. Plus, when you’re traveling and on the go, you need something that you can take with you, one that you can do anywhere, and something that is FUN!
One of the easiest ways to get a quick total body workout in is doing a circuit workout of some sort. That’s where this deck of cards challenge comes into play! All you need is a deck of cards and some creativity to get a quick sweat and work your muscles from head to toe. The idea is simple: each card represents a different exercise and the number on the card represents the number of repetitions that you do. I usually have aces count as one, jacks as eleven, queens are twelve, and kings are thirteen or a BONUS (this can be a rest, or a new exercise that is going to push you; however you want to do it). To start, try going through a quarter of the deck with little break between each exercise but making sure to focus on good form, eventually working your way through the whole deck so that you are getting four rounds of each exercise for the circuit. Below is an example to get you going and most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH IT! You can do it alone or with a few friends and have each person select a handful of exercises to contribute.
Aces: 1 wall sit for 15 seconds2: Jumping jacks3: Jab punches (3 each side)4: Single leg lunges (4 total)5: Push-ups (you can do wall, modified on your knees, or traditional; make sure to keep your body in a straight line)6: High knees (jog in place bringing knees to chest as high as you can or you can alternate standing as you bring each leg up rather than jogging)7: Squats (you can also sit and stand 7 times from a chair if squats are uncomfortable for you)8: Abdominal crunches9: Step-ups (use a step and step up and down 9 times per leg so that each leg is leading the movement)10: Lateral leg raise (stand beside a wall to balance yourself so that the wall is on your right side, slightly bend the right knee, keep your body upright and slowly raise your left leg out away from the wall until you feel your muscles engage and then lower back down, repeat 10 times on each leg).Jacks: Jumping jacksQueens: Plank for 13-15 seconds (keeping your body in a straight line with your elbows and toes on the ground, or knees on the ground. Make sure your shoulders, back, and legs are all in a straight line.)Kings: BONUS! Rest for 20 seconds
I hope this adds some fun as you workout on the go!
We are also here to help! If you’re ready for support or want more information on circuit workouts, drop us an email or give us a call at 877-293-9355 ext. 0!
– Lauren Ormsbee, CHC, CEP
