The Deck

A deck of cards runs the class — suit picks the move, number picks the reps

Bootcamp
All levels
45 min
Works for 8–24, in pairs
Effort 4/5
Park or pitch — a 20×20m cone square
outdoor
games
bodyweight
minimal-kit
circuit

The ClassPlans programming teamLevel 3 group-fitness qualified · 10+ yrs teaching

Kit: One deck of playing cards (laminated or in a zip bag), 12 cones, mats if the grass is dry. Nothing else.

Warm-up6 min

Shuffle Up

RPE 3–4

Setup: Members in a loose grid inside a 15×15m cone square. You hold four cards, one per suit, and the suit key is taught here at half effort: hearts = squats, diamonds = push-ups, clubs = lunges, spades = sit-ups or standing knee drives on wet grass.

How it works: Everyone jogs easy on the spot or drifts around the square. Flash a card: the room does five slow reps of that suit's move at rehearsal pace, then back to drifting. Work through all four suits twice, coaching the shape of each move now so you never have to stop the class later. Between suits, sprinkle in arm circles, hip openers and leg swings. By the end, every member knows the key without thinking.

What to say

“Learn the moves now at half pace — the deck shows no mercy later.”
“Squats: heels down, chest up, sit between your hips.”
“Wet ground rule: any floor move has a standing twin — no soggy backs today.”

Easier

Three reps per flash; moves at half range.

Harder

Reps at full tempo on the second lap of suits.

Workout11 min

The First Deal

Continuous ~10 min, self-paced by the cardsRPE 6–7

Setup: Pairs, each pair at a cone with a face-down stack of 10–12 number cards dealt from your shuffled deck. Aces stay in your pocket for the finale. Rain plan: you keep all cards and call flips from the middle — wet cards end classes early.

How it works: Partner A flips the top card and both partners work it together: suit picks the move, number picks the reps, shared out loud so pairs count in sync. Face cards are wild — the pair that flips one does 10 reps of THEIR choice but must announce it to the field. When the stack is done, the pair jogs a lap of their own cone — one small circle, not the field — and starts the stack again from a reshuffle. Score is stacks completed; keep it loud.

What to say

“Count together — the pair that counts together finishes together.”
“Quality buys speed: no rep counts unless your partner would.”
“High card? Break it into fives — nobody said unbroken.”

Easier

Halve every card's number; swap push-ups for incline push-ups on a bench or knees.

Harder

Each pair adds two extra cards to their stack; face cards become 15 reps.

Workout11 min

Four Corners

~12 flips over 11 min, coach-pacedRPE 7

Setup: Four cone corners on a 20×20m square, one suit sign (a spare card under a cone) at each corner. Pairs gather in the middle around you and the deck.

How it works: Flip a card from the middle: every pair travels to that suit's corner — skip, side-shuffle, or carry your partner's imaginary shopping, you call the travel style per flip — and does the card's number in that suit's move at the corner, then returns to the middle for the next flip. Red cards mean partner A leads the count, black cards partner B. Every fourth flip, call DOUBLE and the number doubles with the pair choosing how to split the reps between them — talking to each other is the point of the format.

What to say

“Travel is work too — move like it counts, because it does.”
“Split the doubles out loud: you take twelve, I take twelve.”
“Corners are not a race — the last pair in starts on time anyway.”

Easier

Walk all travels; halve any card over 8.

Harder

Add a 10-second squat hold at the corner before every rep count starts.

The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.

House plan.

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