Awesome Vacay Workout: Deck of Cards
When you’ve fallen in love with working out like I have, vacations can cause a bit of stress. Yes, I know the point is to rest and relax but I still can’t help but want to move my body at least a little — you know, enough to take the edge off and so I can actually kick back and relax a bit
Being away from my regular workout spot on vacation — or staycation for that matter — can be disruptive to my system and cause me to feel sluggish and less than energetic … not exactly the feeling I’m going for while enjoying some well-deserved time off.
So, what’s a Fit Bottomed Girl supposed to do? I’ll tell you what I do. I use it as a chance to shake things up a bit and step outside my regular routine by breaking out a deck of playing cards and heading outside for some fun in the sun … just not the type you’re probably thinking of.
Trust me, there’s nothing like a good deck of cards workout to get you feeling ready to kick up your feet, grab a cold beverage and take it easy. The best part: it takes up minimal suitcase space and you can be ready to throw down on a moment’s notice.
Other than a deck of cards, all you need for this vacay workout is your own body weight and a little space to move and run.
Here’s how it works: first, grab a deck of playing cards and remove all the Jokers, 2s and 3s from the deck. Then, shuffle the deck and flip the top card over. Do the exercise associated with that card’s suit in the Suit Key below for the number of times reflected on the card (for face cards: Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13 and Aces = 14). Continue flipping cards, one at a time, and doing the moves as quickly as you can with good form. After every 11 cards, go for a 300-meter run then move on to the next 11 cards. Go until you finish the deck and rest as needed throughout.
Suit Key
Clubs: Alternating Side Lunges (each side = 1 rep, so alternate which side you start on)
Spades: Push-ups to Mountain Climbers
Hearts: Squat Jumps
Diamonds: Alternating Crab Toe Touches (both sides = 1 rep)
Deck of Cards Vacay Workout Video
Check out this video here or below for a demo of each of the moves. (And while you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel here, too!)
How do you stay fit while you’re on vacay? —Alison