barbell stack 52
- 52 of the most effective barbell exercises on enlarged suited and numbered playing cards.
- Never do the same workout twice: Kills boredom, increases your motivation
- Shuffle the deck and deal yourself a workout or play a Barbell Stack 52 card game.
- Easy to learn: Scan the QR code for a video demonstration of each exercise (or see below for videos).
- Progressive difficulty: ideal for beginners and experts.
Exercise Demonstration Videos
Arms
Back
Olympic (explosive)
Core
Chest
Legs
Shoulders
Full body
Full Body
The Games
1+ PLAYERS
2+ PLAYERS
MOST POPULAR
Tabata Fit 4
Players: 1- 6 players
Goal: To be the player who gets the most points
Instructions: The rules of this game are modeled after the popular fitness regimen called Tabata. This game will increase both your aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels and will take 4 minutes to complete. This workout is intense, and it may take you a while to build up to a full 4 minute game.
Set a timer for 20 seconds. Flip a card and perform the exercise on that card at full intensity for 20 seconds. Rest 10 seconds. During that rest flip another card. When the rest period is over, perform the exercise on the card you just flipped for 20 seconds at full intensity. Rest again for 10 seconds. At this point, you have done 2 exercises for 20 seconds each and rested for a total of 20 seconds, which totals one minute. Repeat this process 3 more times for a total of 4 minutes of exercise. At the end of the 4 minutes total the value numbers of the cards you completed. The total of the value numbers will be your score. Your opponent(s) can now go, or you can compete with yourself by trying another 4 minute interval to beat your previous score.
Variations: You can vary the interval and/or rest periods. Players can also agree before the game starts that you can skip one drawn card per interval. You can also play this game in small or large teams with every member of the team who completes the exercises without stopping gets the point on the card.
The Great Wall Sit Challenge
Players: 1- 6 players
Goal: To be the last player remaining with cards
Instructions: All players flip a random card to determine who goes first. The person who flipped the lowest value card goes first. Each player gets 9 randomly drawn cards. Each player is to perform a 60 second wall sit, one at a time. Once one player finishes, another player starts (while the person who just finished rests). The players alternate with 60 second wall sits until one player quits and can’t complete their 60 second wall sit. When one player quits, that player must give 3 of their cards to another player. That other player must perform the exercises, then when it is their turn, complete the wall sit. The last player remaining with cards wins.
TEAM PLAY: For a group, break up into teams. You can do small or large teams. Assign one person on each team to start the one minute wall sit. Someone starts a timer and yells “go”. For 60 seconds the player must hold a wall sit position. Once that minute is up, someone else on the team takes over for one minute until each person has a turn. If one person does NOT complete their 60 second wall sit, everyone else on that team must flip a Strength Stack card and perform the exercise. The winner is determined by the most people on the team who complete their wall sits.
Variations: Limited only by your imagination. One common variation to to extend the 60 second wall sit to 90 seconds
Interval Draining
Players: 1-6 players
Goal: To be the first person to complete the circuit (or, if your playing solo, to beat previous best time)
Instructions: Divide the shuffled deck in stacks of three and place each stack about 100 feet apart from each other in a triangle shape. Once the three stacks are placed on the ground (or table) you should see the stacks in the shape of a triangle. Make one triangle for each person playing. Each player lines up at one stack on their own triangle and someone yells go and starts a timer. Each player starts by flipping a card at the stack they are standing near and complete the exercise. Once that exercise is completed, the player(s) is to run to the next stack in their triangle and complete the exercise at that stack. This process continues until the exercises at each stack is complete. The first player to finish all their exercises wins.
Variations: 4 common variations:
1) If you have more than 6 people and want to team up, create a tournament where the fastest team wins and advances to the next round.
2) Do an entire Interval Draining circuit with only one or two body types, picking out only the appropriately colored cards (i.e. yellow cards for legs and blue cards for cardio)
3) Take out all timed cards (i.e. wall sit for 60 seconds), this will even the playing field and allow players to complete only exercises with rep counts.
4) Instead of sprinting from one stack to the next, you can designate certain stacks as a “backward run” to the next stack, or even a one legged hop You’re limited only by your imagination with this variation
Crazy Eights Tournament
Players: 1-6 players
Goal: To be the first person to complete the exercises
Instructions: Deal 8 cards face up in front of all players. If you are playing by yourself, you are competing against yourself. Only use cards with rep counts (as opposed to timed exercises like the Wall Sit). If a card is drawn with a timed exercise, discard the card and draw again. Once eight cards are in front of all players, someone yells go and each player is to perform the exercises on the cards. Be very careful you don’t sacrifice form for speed. The first player to perform the exercises on all the cards wins that round and doesn’t have to participate in the next rounds. Repeat the same process for the next round, having the first person done with all the cards sit out for future rounds. The last person left loses.
Variations: You can team up and share cards. For example, if there are 4 players, pair up in two teams and each player do 4 exercises per round. Once one person completes their exercises, the other person may start.
3 Card Challenge
Players: 1-6 players
Goal: To be the first person to complete the exercises
Instructions: Deal 3 cards in front of all players. Only use cards with rep counts (as opposed to timed exercises like the Wall Sit). If a card is drawn with a timed exercise, discard the card and draw again. Once three cards are in front of all players, someone yells go and each player is to perform the exercise on the card. Be very careful you are not sacrificing form for speed. The first player to perform the exercises on the cards wins. It is best to have a judge (a person not performing the exercises) examine each rep to make sure a player is using proper form.
Variations: You can vary the amount of cards drawn; try dealing 5 cards instead of 3.
Memoroids
This game is like memory, but with a difficult twist.
Players: 1-6 players
Goal: To get the most points. This game requires a pen and paper (or another way to log points).
Instructions: Place a card in the center of all players; place the remaining cards around this card as shown in Figure 1. One player picks a card at random. The goal is to pick a card that is one value higher than the face up card. If the card is not one higher, the player who picked that card must perform the exercise on that card, and return that card to the face down position. If the card is one higher than the face up card, that player doesn’t have to perform the exercise, gets 1 point and places the card on top of the face up card in the center. Play continues until all cards are face up in the center.
Flick ‘Em
Players: 1-6 players
Goal: To get the most points.
Instruction: Each player has one bowl.
Shuffle cards and deal deck evenly among players. Turn your cards face up. Kneel a few feet from the bowl and flick the cards in the bowl. Each card in the bowl with a value number less than 8 equals one point. Each card in the bowl with a value number 8 or greater equals 2 points. After your cards are all thrown, count your points. If you are playing by yourself, try and beat your personal record. You may choose to do the exercises you missed, or do the exercises you threw in the bowl. If you are playing with a friend, the person with the highest point total gets to choose each persons exercises (including his/her own), those cards thrown in the bowl or those cards missed.
Kevbo’s Left Foot
Players: 1
Goal: To deal the entire deck and have more than 24 cards in the left pile.
Instruction: Deal 4 cards face up in front of you. If the end cards are the same suit, then perform the exercises of those end cards and put all 4 cards in one pile to your left. If they are not the same suit, perform the exercises from the middle two cards and put only those 2 middle cards in a pile to your right. The two non-matching end cards get placed randomly back in the deck. If you deal the entire deck and have more than 24 cards in the left pile, you win.
The Limbo Bimbo
Players: 1-2
Goal:Perform exercises for all cards near Bimbo card.
Instruction: Place deck in one pile. Deal two cards and place the higher valued card face up above the deck and the lower valued card face up below the deck. These cards are called the Bimbo cards. Now, deal 5 cards and place each card in the Limbo zone, which is near the Bimbo with the closest value. For example if your Bimbo cards are 5 and an ace, and you dealt a 2, 5, 3, 6 and 8 all 5 cards will be placed in the Limbo zone near the lower Bimbo card. You can place a card that is of equal distance to both Bimbos near the Bimbo of your choice. Of those 5 cards, whichever Bimbo card has the most cards in the Limbo zone, you must perform those exercises (including the Bimbo card).
Variations: You can incorporate another player by having that player perform the exercises with cards that you pick.
Memory
Players: 1-6
Goal: To flip all matching cards and perform the exercises.
Instruction: Place 12 cards face down in front of you. Start turning cards over, one by one. If you are playing by yourself, perform the exercises when you pull a matching pair of B, I, or A (difficulty of exercise indicator in lower right corner). If you are playing with others, everyone else does the exercises when you flip a matching pair. Once a pair is matched, put the cards to the side.
Variation: For multiple players, each player turns over two cards. If you make a match, the exercise is performed by the person to your left and you get to pick again.
5 Card Monte
Players: 1-6
Goal: To complete 4 rounds with 5 cards each.
Instructions: Deal 5 cards and perform exercises described on each card. Complete 4 rounds with 5 cards each for a complete workout.
Variations- for multiple players, each player draws 5 cards, you can trade 2 cards with the person to your left. Once everyone performs one trade, a card remaining from the deck is chosen. If the value of that chosen card is 8 or less, everyone gives their cards to the person on the left. If the value number is higher than 8, no card rotation is performed.
TV Challenge
Players: 1+
Goal: To complete as many cards as possible. Each card is worth 1 point.
Instructions: This game is played while watching your favorite television show. First, shuffle and divide the deck among all the players. During each commercial break, the players race to perform as many cards as possible. Each card completed is worth one point. At the end of the television show, the player with the most points wins.
Variations – Shuffle the deck but do not divide it among the players. Everyone will do the same cards. Draw a card for each commercial. The player to perform the most repetitions during that commercial wins the card. Example: If during a television break there are 4 commercials, then the players will do 4 exercises (one for each commercial). Player One may win the first card during the first commercial, and Player Two might win the 2nd card during the 2nd commercial and so on. At the end of the television program, the player who has won the most cards wins.
Interval War
Players: 1+
Goal: To win as many cards (battles) as possible.
Instructions:
Shuffle the deck and agree on the number of cards (battles) that will be in the war. Beginners may want to do 4-6 cards, intermediate might choose 8-12, and advanced may choose 15+.
Download an interval timer for your smartphone. We recommend the free HIIT Interval Training Timer app for Android and the free Interval Timer on iTunes for the iPhone or iPad. Intervals will be a period of exercise followed by a period of rest. For example, 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest is a very common interval made famous by Dr. Tabata, but you may choose different variations (30:15, 40:20, 60:30, etc).
Lay the cards out and set the interval timer. For example, if you choose to do 10 cards at the Tabata Interval, you would set the work at 20 seconds, the rest at 10 seconds, and the number of rounds to 10.
During each interval, the players attempt to perform as many repetitions for the exercise on the card as possible. At the end of the interval, the player with the most repetitions wins that card (battle). After all the intervals, the player who has won the most cards (battles) wins the war and the game.
Variations: Players of different fitness levels can compete by applying a multiple to the weaker player’s repetition count. For example, the weaker player could multiply their repetitions by 1.5x or 2x for each battle.
Quick Call
Players: 2- 6 players
Goal: To be the first person to shout the name of the exercise on the card
Instructions: Each player is dealt one card face down. When the dealer yells go, the players flip the card and shout the exercise on the card. The last person to shout the exercise on the card does the exercise.
Video instructions from the creator of Strength Stack 52 (with surprise marriage proposal)
Shark Tank Challenge
Players: 2-6 players with one judge
Goal: To slap, or have your teammate slap, the card designated by the judge first
Instruction: At a table, the judge is to place, face up, one card for each player, then cover the cards with an object so no one can see the cards. Each player is to line up in front of a card at the table. Each player must be in a position to see all the cards once the object is lifted, therefore it is best if the judge puts the cards in a circle or square formation. The judge is to then lift the object covering the cards and the first person to slap the card as instructed by the judge wins. For example, if the judge said “slap the highest card” , then the first player to slap the highest card does only that exercise. The rest of the participants do the exercises on the rest of the cards at the table.
Increase the fun by making teams!
Wild card: Not used or see variations below.
Variations: Their are numerous variations the judge can say, for example: “slap the highest card” , “slap the blue card” , “first person to slap cards that total 27″, “first person to slap all the leg exercises”, etc.
Fast and Furious
Players: 2 players
Goal: To be the first person to get rid of all your cards
Instructions: Deal 7 cards to each player. The players are not to look at their cards in advance. In the center of all the players, deal 8 cards from the remaining deck in two rows of 4 (as shown in Figure 1). To get rid of your cards, the players must immediately cover all duplicates. You must act fast so your opponent doesn’t cover the duplicate before you. If you see a duplicate, throw 2 of your cards immediately (the first card being the duplicate and a new card from your pile directly on top of the previous card). Say the numbers out loud as you throw them in the center. When you need more cards, grab them from the remaining cards in the deck (you should never have more than 7 in your hand). If you get rid of all your cards first, you win. The winner takes the 8 piles of cards and deals them out to each player, including himself/herself. Players then perform the exercises on those cards.
Figure 1
Life in the Fast Lane
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: First player to get rid of all his/her cards wins.
Instruction: Deal cards evenly among players face down. The players are not to look at their cards in advance. Place one card face up in the center of all the players, this area is called the Fast Lane. The value on the card is the number everyone will play.
To start, the person to the left of the dealer will yell go, players then view their own cards and can now place a card on top of the card in the fast lane that either is one value higher or one value lower than the top card. You must be the first player to place the new card on the card in the fast lane. Play continues quickly as the new top card in the fast lane must be topped by a 1 value higher or lower. Players must say the value they are throwing down. For example if the card in the fast lane is a 7, players can throw a 6 or an 8 on top of that card. The player must yell 6 or 8 as they throw their card on top.
First player to get rid of all his/her cards wins. The losing players must do the exercises on the cards they are left holding.
Variations: Put two cards or more cards in the fast lane for a very crazy game!
Fit Poker
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: To have a better poker hand than the other players.
Instruction: Use the regular rules of 5 card draw poker.
Variations: limited only by your imagination. A common variation is to perform exercises of three hands all at once when a player loses three hands. Or, after each loss, the winning player selects 3 of the 5 cards for the other person to perform.
The Coworker Drop
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: The player who has the most cards at the end of the day loses, the player with the least wins.
Instruction: This game works best when each player has their own deck. If each player doesn’t have their own deck, divide the deck equally among all players. This game is played throughout a 24 hour period. It is best played with co-workers who see each other many times in one day.
Once the deck is divided equally, each player comes to an agreement as to how often they can “drop” an opponent. Create a verbal or body action that can cause a player to be dropped. An example of a verbal cue would be every time one of the players says the name of a Microsoft product like Excel or Word, or says a word that starts with the letter L. An example of a body cue would be every time a player scratches their head.
When a verbal or body cue is triggered, a player can drop the player who triggered the cue by throwing a random card down. The person dropped must do the exercise on that card. The player doing the dropping must have the cards on their person in order to do the drop. The drop must occur within 5 seconds. In other words a player cannot trigger a cue to be dropped and then be reminded of it a minute later then get dropped. Once a player is dropped, they keep the cards that dropped them. If 3 or more people are playing, the first person to throw the cards down wins that drop. For example if a player triggers the verbal cue by saying the word “lunch” and 2 other players are standing nearby and notice, the first player to throw the card down wins that round.
The player who has the most cards at the end of the day loses, the player with the least wins.
Slap Me with a Frozen Squirrel
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: The first player to have no cards wins.
Instruction:
Deal 4 cards to each player face down. These are known as the ice cards. Put the remainder of the deck in the center face down (this is known as the squirrel pile). Flip the top card from the deck face up. The player to the left of the dealer goes first. That player must put a card on top of the face up card in the center that is a larger value number than the one shown in the center. If that person does not have a larger number, s/he must perform the exercise on the top, at that moment, and pick up the entire pile and add it to his/her hand. When a player is able to get rid of his/her cards, s/he wins.
Variations: There are many variations to this game; the most common is to designate a card (or cards) that automatically makes the person to your left pick up all the cards.
War
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: To deal the highest card.
Instruction: Deal entire deck evenly among all players. Each player throws their top card in the center of all players. The player who threw the highest card wins, all losing players must perform the exercises on the cards that were thrown.
The Peppercorn Greyhound
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: Be the first player without any cards, or the player with the least amount of cards at the end of the game.
Instruction: Deal 10 cards to each player. Leave remaining cards in a side pile face down. From the side pile, deal one card face up, this is called the Peppercorn card. As soon as the Peppercorn is dealt, all players may begin playing at the same time. The players objective is to, as quickly as possible, throw a card on the top of the pile that surrounds the value number by 1 number. For example, if the Peppercorn is a 9, the person with a 8 or a Jack may throw their card on top of the 9. In addition to values, a player may throw a card of the same suit. If you don’t hold any cards that surrounds the value number or has the same suit, you must draw from the side pile. The new top card is the one being played. Every time you throw a card in the center of the pile (which is 1 point), state your score. The goal is to be the player with the most points. All losing players must pool their cards together and perform all the exercises. The winning player must perform the exercises for the cards s/he holds.
Interval Draining
Players: 1 6 players
Goal: To be the first person to complete the circuit (or, if your playing solo, to beat previous best time)
Instructions: Divide the shuffled deck in stacks of three and place each stack about 100 feet apart from each other in a triangle shape. Once the three stacks are placed on the ground (or table) you should see the stacks in the shape of a triangle. Make one triangle for each person playing. Each player lines up at one stack on their own triangle and someone yells go and starts a timer. Each player starts by flipping a card at the stack they are standing near and complete the exercise. Once that exercise is completed, the player(s) is to run to the next stack in their triangle and complete the exercise at that stack. This process continues until the exercises at each stack is complete. The first player to finish all their exercises wins.
Variations: 4 common variations:
1) If you have more than 6 people and want to team up, create a tournament where the fastest team wins and advances to the next round.
2) Do an entire Interval Draining circuit with only one or two body types, picking out only the appropriately colored cards (i.e. yellow cards for legs and blue cards for cardio)
3) Take out all timed cards (i.e. wall sit for 60 seconds), this will even the playing field and allow players to complete only exercises with rep counts.
4) Instead of sprinting from one stack to the next, you can designate certain stacks as a “backward run” to the next stack, or even a one legged hop You’re limited only by your imagination with this variation.
War
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: To deal the highest card.
Instruction: Deal entire deck evenly among all players. Each player throws their top card in the center of all players. The player who threw the highest card wins, all losing players must perform the exercises on the cards that were thrown.
Wild card: Trumps all cards
The Coworker Drop
Players: 2-6 players
Goal: The player who has the most cards at the end of the day loses, the player with the least wins.
Instruction: This game works best when each player has their own deck. If each player doesn’t have their own deck, divide the deck equally among all players. This game is played throughout a 24 hour period. It is best played with co-workers who see each other many times in one day.
Once the deck is divided equally, each player comes to an agreement as to how often they can “drop” an opponent. Create a verbal or body action that can cause a player to be dropped. An example of a verbal cue would be every time one of the players says the name of a Microsoft product like Excel or Word, or says a word that starts with the letter L. An example of a body cue would be every time a player scratches their head.
When a verbal or body cue is triggered, a player can drop the player who triggered the cue by throwing a random card down. The person dropped must do the exercise on that card. The player doing the dropping must have the cards on their person in order to do the drop. The drop must occur within 5 seconds. In other words a player cannot trigger a cue to be dropped and then be reminded of it a minute later then get dropped. Once a player is dropped, they keep the cards that dropped them. If 3 or more people are playing, the first person to throw the cards down wins that drop. For example if a player triggers the verbal cue by saying the word “lunch” and 2 other players are standing nearby and notice, the first player to throw the card down wins that round.
The player who has the most cards at the end of the day loses, the player with the least wins.
Quick Call
Players: 2- 6 players
Goal: To be the first person to shout the name of the exercise on the card
Instructions: Each player is dealt one card face down. When the dealer yells go, the players flip the card and shout the exercise on the card. The last person to shout the exercise on the card does the exercise.
Wild card: automatic winner
Video instructions from the creator of Strength Stack 52 (with surprise marriage proposal)
The Great Wall Sit Challenge
Players: 1- 6 players
Goal: To be the last player remaining with cards
Instructions: All players flip a random Strength Stack card to determine who goes first. The person who flipped the lowest number on the card goes first. Each player gets 9 randomly drawn cards. Each player is to perform a 60 second wall sit, one at a time. Once one player finishes, another player starts (while the person who just finished rests). The players alternate with 60 second wall sits until one player quits and can’t complete their 60 second wall sit. When one player quits, that player must give 3 of their cards to another player. That other player must perform the exercises, then when it is their turn, complete the wall sit. The last player remaining with cards wins.
TEAM PLAY: For a group, break up into teams. You can do small or large teams. Assign one person on each team to start the one minute wall sit. Someone starts a timer and yells “go”. For 60 seconds the player must hold a wall sit position. Once that minute is up, someone else on the team takes over for one minute until each person has a turn. If one person does NOT complete their 60 second wall sit, everyone else on that team must flip a Strength Stack card and perform the exercise. The winner is determined by the most people on the team who complete their wall sits.
Variations: Limited only by your imagination. One common variation to to extend the 60 second wall sit to 90 seconds
TV Challenge
Players: 1+
Goal: To complete as many cards as possible. Each card is worth 1 point.
Instructions: This game is played while watching your favorite television show. First, shuffle and divide the deck among all the players. During each commercial break, the players race to perform as many cards as possible. Each card completed is worth one point. At the end of the television show, the player with the most points wins.
Variations – Shuffle the deck but do not divide it among the players. Everyone will do the same cards. Draw a card for each commercial. The player to perform the most repetitions during that commercial wins the card. Example: If during a television break there are 4 commercials, then the players will do 4 exercises (one for each commercial). Player One may win the first card during the first commercial, and Player Two might win the 2nd card during the 2nd commercial and so on. At the end of the television program, the player who has won the most cards wins.
Interval War
Players: 1+
Goal: To win as many cards (battles) as possible.
Instructions:
Shuffle the deck and agree on the number of cards (battles) that will be in the war. Beginners may want to do 4-6 cards, intermediate might choose 8-12, and advanced may choose 15+.
Download an interval timer for your smartphone. We recommend the free HIIT Interval Training Timer app for Android and the free Interval Timer on iTunes for the iPhone or iPad. Intervals will be a period of exercise followed by a period of rest. For example, 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest is a very common interval made famous by Dr. Tabata, but you may choose different variations (30:15, 40:20, 60:30, etc).
Lay the cards out and set the interval timer. For example, if you choose to do 10 cards at the Tabata Interval, you would set the work at 20 seconds, the rest at 10 seconds, and the number of rounds to 10.
During each interval, the players attempt to perform as many repetitions for the exercise on the card as possible. At the end of the interval, the player with the most repetitions wins that card (battle). After all the intervals, the player who has won the most cards (battles) wins the war and the game.
Variations: Players of different fitness levels can compete by applying a multiple to the weaker player’s repetition count. For example, the weaker player could multiply their repetitions by 1.5x or 2x for each battle.
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on skype
Skype
Share on email
Email