THE AT-HOME
C.A.R.D
WORKOUT
NO E Q U I P M EN T N EED ED
JEFF NIPPARD
INTRODUCTION
Hey everyone! Welcome to the official C.A.R.D. Workout Training Manual, where I’ll be laying out the rules
and rationale behind my new creation for those of us who have already grown bored from running the
same basic at-home workouts over and over. If you were wondering, C.A.R.D. stands for Creative At-home
Randomized Drills.
An old English proverb says that “a change is as good as a rest.” The saying was originally implied in the
context of taking a holiday or changing careers, but I think it also has application in exercise science. One
of the most challenging aspects of training from home is overcoming that feeling of being limited. We
feel limited on equipment, limited on motivation and limited on fun. This feeling of limitation can lead to
a much more pernicious feeling of boredom. In my 14 years of training and coaching, I have yet to find a
mentality more destructive to progress than a bored one. In fact, much of modern periodization literature
points toward the idea that periodic variation is a central tenet of periodization and program design.1
If we don’t provide enough variety in our training programs, workouts become monotonous and the rate
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of progress is slowed. Granted, like just about everything, there is a sweet spot for how much variety
we need in training. Too little variety leads to boredom; too much variety can interfere with progression.
However, based on what I am seeing from my followers, the main problems people are facing in the wake
of an unanticipated quarantine is too little variety and too much boredom.
As you’ll see in the pages that follow, this workout accomplishes something most at-home workouts
do not: a built-in element of randomness. The exact workout you end up doing literally depends on the
cards you are dealt. This introduces a level of variability to the program design that will prevent the
workouts from feeling monotonous. The idea is to have you go into the workout with some psychological
combination of anticipation, excitement and uncertainty. The entire purpose here is to make the workouts
novel and fun through the introduction of randomness.
BUT JEFF, what about progressive overload? Won’t all this randomness make it
harder to gradually add reps and/or weight over time?
Good question. Here’s how I look at it. Under normal circumstances, progressive overload is very
important. When doing a barbell back squat, going from 4 to 6 reps with 315 lbs will add size to your
quads. Going from 60 lbs to 70 lbs on the dumbbell shoulder press over a 4 week period will add size to
your shoulders. But right now, in our present circumstances, achieving methodical overload like this is not
only difficult, but borderline impractical.
For those of you really gradually adding 1-2 shirts per week to your suitcase to overload your back on
suitcase rows, I applaud you. For those of you really adding one pushup per workout to overload the chest
on push-ups, you’re doing awesome. For those of you adding 1 cup of water to a water jug every week for
bicep curl overload, that’s honestly smart.
However, the common theme I keep hearing during this pandemic is one of boredom, frustration and
regression. For many people, methodically overloading these make-shift exercises is some combination of
impractical, unmotivating and ridiculous effort. For those people, I present a temporary solution: The
CARD Worktout.
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CARD WORKOUT
The CARD Workout is meant to provide a glimmer of light to the monotony and repetition many at-home
routines succumb to. It is meant to introduce more variable and flexible components to your routine for
the main purpose of making workouts more interesting and as a result, more enjoyable and challenging.
Remember: as important as overload is, it only works if you’re actually challenging the muscle. And, it
also doesn’t only work through the addition of weight or reps. You can also progressively overload by
improving your mind muscle connection, improving form, reducing rest periods (to make the sets more
difficult) and slowing the negative. All of these strategies are still at our disposal.
Because much of these workouts are based on randomness, it is crucial to balance out that randomness
with sufficient structure.
Structure will be built into the program according to the three key principles laid out below.
1. GOOD TECHNIQUE. Regardless of the exercise and the number of repetitions, use a controlled negative
and full range of motion on each and every rep.
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2. MIND MUSCLE CONNECTION. For each exercise, actively think about squeezing the muscle (or
muscles) you’re using. This has been shown in the scientific literature to increase muscle activation
and may also increase hypertrophy of some muscles.2 Because this isn’t a heavy, strength-focused
routine (all reps will be in the 12-20 zone), we want to be harnessing a strong mind-muscle connection
as much as possible.
3. APPROPRIATE INTENSITY (EFFORT). For every set, it is important to challenge yourself. If you are
nearing the end of the target rep count and find the set too easy, you can slow down the negative, keep
constant tension (don’t fully lock the joint out) and squeeze the target muscle harder to get closer to
failure. You don’t need to take every set all the way to failure, but you should feel the muscle working
hard by the end of every set.
This routine can be something you follow for just a workout or two when you’re bored, for a single week of
training, or maybe it’s something you can commit to 3-5x per week, as long as the quarantine lasts.
So without further delay, find that deck of cards in your junk drawer or under the pile of chips on your
living room table and let’s have some fun while we train.
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CARD TRAINING
OVERVIEW
To begin, shuffle the deck of 52 cards and deal out 20 cards that will be used for the workout. (If you
want a faster, lower volume workout, you can deal fewer cards, whereas if you would like a longer, higher
volume workout, you can deal more cards.) Once you have randomly dealt your 20 cards, turn over the
top card and perform the exercise and number of reps according to the guidelines below.
READING YOUR HAND
The suit and the number of each card determine the exercise you will perform and the number of reps.
If your card is a SPADE, you will be performing a PUSH exercise
If your card is a CLUB, you will be performing a PULL exercise
If your card is a HEART, you will be performing a LEGS exercise
If your card is a DIAMOND, you will be performing an ISOLATION exercise
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To choose your specific exercise, refer to the EXERCISES heading below.
To determine how many reps you will perform and the rest you may take between sets, follow these
guidelines:
•
The number of reps you perform is the card number, PLUS 10
•
If you have a face card (jack, queen and king), you must perform 20 reps
•
If you have an ace card, take 2 minutes of rest (NOTE: Do not take rest between card draws, unless you
turn over an ace)
NUMBER OF REPS AT A GLANCE:
CARD
NUMBER OF REPS
2
12
3
13
4
14
5
15
6
16
7
17
8
18
9
19
10
20
JACK
20
QUEEN
20
KING
20
ACE
0 (2 MINUTES REST)
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EXERCISES
The suit of the card drawn will determine what exercise you perform. Simply go through the list of
exercises below in order each time you draw a card of the same suit. For example, if you draw a spade,
you will do Exercise 1 under Push Exercises. Then if you draw another spade, you will do Exercise 2
under Push Exercises, and so on. If you have dumbbells or bands, feel free to use them to provide extra
resistance on the same basic exercise.
PUSH EXERCISES (
SPADES)
1. Push Ups or incline pushups
2. Pike push ups or vertical pushups
3. Standing milk jug dumbbell press (serious) [or standing dumbbell press if you have dumbbells
4. Milk jug lateral raises or doorway lateral raises [or dumbbell/band laterals]
a. For the doorway laterals, the “reps” will be the length of the hold in seconds. For example, if you draw a 6, that will be a 16 second doorway lateral hold.
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PULL EXERCISES (
CLUBS)
1. Doorway pull ups or tree branch pull ups [or banded pulldowns]
2. Table/Desk inverted row [or dumbbell row]
3. Rear delt flyes with milk jugs [or dumbbell rear delt flyes]
4. Backpack upright row or milk jug upright row [or dumbbell/band upright row]
LEG EXERCISES (
HEARTS)
1. Walking lunges (+backpack for weight) [or dumbbell walking lunges]
2. Bulgarian split squat
3. Single leg hip thrust
4. Nordic ham curl
ISOLATION EXERCISES (
DIAMONDS)
1. Biceps: milk jug curl or weightless flex curls (squeeze your biceps as hard as possible with no weight)
[or dumbbell curl]
2. Triceps: Bodyweight skullcrushers against a tabletop or close grip pushups [or dumbbell floor
skullcrushers]
3. Abs: Bicycle crunch or reverse crunch
4. Calves: Standing calf raise (use backpack, milk jug or dumbbell to load)
Once you have the last of your 20 cards drawn and the exercise completed, the workout is complete.
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EXAMPLE WORKOUT
Shuffle the deck. Deal 20 cards. That’s your workout. Turn the cards over one at a time.
CARD 1: You turn over a 7 of hearts:
Do 17 reps of the first leg exercise (walking lunges). That’s 17 reps each leg.
Draw another card without rest.
CARD 2: You turn over a queen of spades:
Do 20 reps of the first push exercise (pushups). If you can’t do 20 pushups, do them from your knees. If 20
push ups is too easy, do incline pushups with a slower eccentric.
Draw another card without rest.
CARD 3: You turn over a 2 of clubs:
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Do 12 reps of the first pull exercise
Draw another card without rest.
CARD 4: You turn over a 10 of diamonds:
Do 20 reps of the first isolation exercise (bicep jug curls). That’s 20 reps each arm – do both arms at once.
Draw another card without rest.
CARD 5: You turn over an ace of hearts.
This means you get 2 minutes of rest.
After two minutes of rest, draw another card.
CARD 6: You turn over a 3 of clubs:
Do 13 reps of the second pull exercise (table/desk inverted row).
Continue to draw cards until you reach the last card and then your workout is over.
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CONCLUSION
I hope that you will utilize this fun, novel tool to format your workouts during compromised or less than
ideal times. Be the manager of your own training, your health and continue to seek out tools that assist
your training, while at the same time, refueling your emotional tank.
I hope you enjoy this CARD style of training and as always, please know I believe we are all in this together
and I will continue to be cheering for you, including the best results from your lifting experience.
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REFERENCES
1. Periodization paradigms in the 21st century: evidence-led or tradition-driven?. Int J Sports Physiol
Perform. 2012;7(3):242–250. doi:10.1123/ijspp.7.3.242
2. BJ, Vigotsky A, Contreras B, et al. Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term
resistance training. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018;18(5):705–712. doi:10.1080/17461391.2018.1447020
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DISCLAIMER
All documents included or exchanged between Jeff Nippard and the Client are the intellectual property of
STRCNG Incorporated and are not to be copied, sold, published, posted, or redistributed either in part or in
full without my written consent. All violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Jeff Nippard is not a doctor or registered dietitian. The contents of this document should not be taken as
medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended
to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on
any matters regarding your health. Use of the information in this program is strictly at your own risk.
Jeff Nippard and/or STRCNG Incorporated will not assume any liability for any direct or indirect losses or
damages that may result, including, but not limited to, economic loss, injury, illness or death.
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THE C.A.R.D
WORKOUT
N O EQ U I P M E NT NE E D E D
JEFF NIPPARD
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF JEFF NIPPARD
UNAUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTION OF THIS DOCUMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
AND VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED.
| @JEFFNIPPARD
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