By DeckReps · Drafted with AI assistance, figures checked against the app and its usage data. How we write these
Best Exercises for a Deck of Cards Workout
Choosing the right exercises makes or breaks a deck workout. The goal is balance — one move per major movement pattern so every suit earns its place and the finished session hits your whole body without redundancy.
The Four Movement Patterns
A well-constructed deck workout assigns one exercise from each of the four fundamental bodyweight movement patterns: push, hinge/pull, squat, and core/cardio. Every suit has the same 13 cards, so each pattern gets exactly the same volume — 104 reps with Aces at 14 and face cards at their rank.
Push Exercises (Recommended for Spades ♠)
Push exercises target the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They're the natural fit for the first suit because they're familiar, scalable, and pair well with high rep counts.
- — Beginner: Knee push-ups, Incline push-ups (hands on a bench)
- — Intermediate: Standard push-ups, Diamond push-ups
- — Advanced: Decline push-ups, Archer push-ups, Pike push-ups
- — With equipment: Dumbbell bench press, Dips
Squat / Leg Exercises (Recommended for Hearts ♥)
Big leg movements are among the most demanding bodyweight exercises, because they move the most muscle. No suit carries more reps than another — all four total the same — so hearts is simply a convenient home for them.
- — Beginner: Bodyweight squats, Wall sit (seconds)
- — Intermediate: Jump squats, Reverse lunges
- — Advanced: Pistol squats, Bulgarian split squats
- — With equipment: Goblet squats, Barbell back squats
Core Exercises (Recommended for Diamonds ♦)
Core movements are the glue of the workout. At higher rep counts they become cardio; at lower counts they're strict ab work. The suit is well-suited to exercises where form matters more than speed.
- — Beginner: Crunches, Bicycle crunches, Dead bug
- — Intermediate: Sit-ups, Leg raises, Flutter kicks
- — Advanced: V-ups, Toes-to-bar, Ab wheel rollouts
- — Isometric variation: Plank hold (reps = seconds)
Cardio / Full-Body Exercises (Recommended for Clubs ♣)
The fourth suit is the wildcard — use it for your most demanding exercise. A high-rep burpee set is brutal; jumping jacks keep the heart rate elevated without destroying your muscles. Match the difficulty to your fitness level.
- — Beginner: Jumping jacks, Step touches, March in place
- — Intermediate: Mountain climbers, High knees, Box step-ups
- — Advanced: Burpees, Tuck jumps, Sprawls
- — With equipment: Kettlebell swings, Double-unders
Exercises to Avoid
Avoid exercises that require long setup time between reps (e.g. barbell deadlifts) or that break down badly under fatigue (e.g. kipping pull-ups if you're not trained). The rapid, random rep counts mean you could hit 13 reps of a heavy movement right after 2 reps of another — bad form accumulates quickly.
Stick to movements you can perform correctly even when tired. Bodyweight and light dumbbells are the safest and most effective choices for the deck format.
More guides
How to Do a Deck of Cards Workout
Learn exactly how a deck of cards workout works — the rules, how reps are assigned, what the jokers mean, and how to run your first session from start to finish.
The Benefits of a Deck of Cards Workout
Why the deck of cards workout works — variety, mental engagement, zero equipment, and scalability.
Deck of Cards Workout for Weight Loss
How to use a deck of cards workout as part of fat loss — which exercises, settings and frequency to use, and what the workout can and cannot do.
Deck of Cards Workout Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Nine ways a deck of cards workout goes wrong, from starting at the hardest settings to picking exercises you cannot do 13 times, and the fix for each.
Try a ready-made workout
Military Workout
The classic military deck-of-cards circuit. Forged in the field — push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and the dreaded burpee.
CrossFit Workout
High-intensity functional fitness with Thrusters, Pull-ups, Box Jumps, and Double-unders. A true deck WOD.
Beginner Workout
Accessible and confidence-building. Modified movements with Knee Push-ups, Squats, Crunches, and Jumping Jacks.
Cardio Blast Workout
Pure heart-rate work. Jumping Jacks, High Knees, Burpees, and Mountain Climbers will leave you breathless.
Upper Body Workout
A focused upper-body push/pull session using Push-ups, Pull-ups, Dips, and Pike Push-ups.
Deck of Cards Push-up Challenge
Every card is push-ups. A full 52-card deck is 416 push-ups with Aces at 14 and face cards at their rank.