Happy To Oblige, and Thanks for Asking!

Well, here are the exercises I came up with. Feel free to modify them as you will, do them all twice, do them for 30 seconds, or shorter, or longer. I did them all for 45 seconds yesterday and a couple of times almost didn't make it through! (That is just as likely a function of the exercises being strenuous as me being out of shape!)

I would like to ask that if you use these, you send me an email or make a comment on my most recent post about how you like them, or what you would change. Feel free to ask any questions you may have; I tried to be clear in my explanations, but such things can be easily misunderstood.

Remember that these exercises are in no particular order. I shuffle the cards regularly. You may want to do a minute or two of walking in place just to warm up... some of these are a little strenuous to begin a routine with!

Okay, for the cardio section we have:
1. Plank, Jump to Stand, Jump: Put hands flat on the floor. Jump out to a pushup position (plank). Then jump your feet back up to your hands. Stand, jump, then repeat the move.
Variation (more difficult): Plank, pushup, jump-to-stand, jump: Do the Plank, Jump to Stand, Jump with the addition of a pushup when you are in plank position.

2. Sumo Walk: Stand with legs wide and knees bent. One at a time, raise your knees as high as they can go, then lower to the ground. Repeat as fast as possible. (Basically, you're walking in place with your feet wide and knees bent.
Var: Do the Sumo Walk, straightening legs to come to a wide-stance stand in between each step.

3. Jumping Jacks
Var: Jumping Jack Squat: Do a squat in between each jump.

4. Trunk Rotations: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width, knees bent, keeping hips stable and facing forward. Bring fists up to shoulder height, arms close to your body. Tighten abs and rotate trunk to left and right as fast as possible.
Var: Trunk Rotations with a Punch: Do trunk rotations. When you turn left, punch with your right hand and vice versa. Your hand should extend parallel to the floor.

5. Plank, Jump to Stand: Put hands flat on the floor. Jump out to a pushup position (plank). Then jump your feet back up to your hands. Stand, then repeat the move.
Var: Plank, Pushup, Jump to Stand: Do the Plank, Jump to Stand with the addition of a pushup when you are in Plank Position.

6. Trunk Rotations: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width, knees bent, keeping hips stable and facing forward. Bring fists up to shoulder height, arms close to your body. Tighten abs and rotate trunk to left and right as fast as possible.
Var: Trunk Rotation Kick: Do trunk rotations, letting the hips and legs follow your trunk to kick across the body.

7. Walk in Place
Var: Jog in place

8. Toe-Point Jog: Jog, kicking toes out in front instead of behind. Toes should be pointed and legs straight.
Var: Toe-Point Jog with Arm Raises: Do toe-point jog, raising opposite arms when legs move forward. (When right leg comes up, so does left arm and vice versa.) Raise arms up to the sky.

9. Hot Feet (Tennis): Hop from one foot to the other, on the balls of your feet. When one foot comes off the ground, kick it slightly off to the side. Legs should be kept straight during this exercise.
Var: Hot Feet (Football): Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and waist, keeping your butt down. Lift one foot slightly off the ground, then lower it back down. Do the same with the other foot. Repeat as rapidly as you can. (To be authentic, hold your hands in front of you like you're holding a football in front of your chest.)

10. Lunges: Take a large step forward with one foot, then lower yourself straight down so your back knee almost touches the floor (or until your knees protest). Make sure your front knee does not go forward past your foot. Stand straight back up, bringing the front foot back to starting position and repeat with opposite foot.
Var: Cross Lunges: Lunge, crossing hands across the body and down while in the lunging position. When right leg is forward, bring hands to the outside of right leg and vice versa.

11. Sidestep: Step side to side, tapping the feet together between steps. (IE, step right, tap left foot right next to right foot, then step left.) Do this as fast as you can.
Var: Sidestep Butt Down: Step side to side, keeping your knees bent and center of gravity low and stable.

12. March in Place
Var: Jog Knees Up

13. Lunges: Take a large step forward with one foot, then lower yourself straight down so your back knee almost touches the floor (or until your knees protest). Make sure your front knee does not go forward past your foot. Stand straight back up, bringing the front foot back to starting position and repeat with opposite foot.
Var: Jumping Lunges: Lunge, then jump from the lunging position, switching your legs to land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward.

14. Jump Rope: Forget the rope, just pretend like you have one. Remember to turn the rope with your hands!
Var: Jump Rope Forward and Back: Jump Forward, then back to the same spot. For variety, do this in circles, always keeping your center.

15. Knees to Elbows: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands at shoulder height outstretched to either side. Bring your left knee up and your right elbow in until the two touch (or as close as possible). Return to stand position with arms outstretched, then repeat on the other side. Repeat entire move as fast as possible.



Strength Training: Unless otherwise specified, the variation of all of these is just to add weights. This way, you can add a can of soup or a 50 pound dumbell, at your discretion.

1. Lat Pull Lunge: Do a lunge with the right leg forward. Rest the left hand on the right knee; let the right hand hang to the ground. Slowly bring the right hand back and up toward the sky. You can either keep your arm straight or bend the elbow. Also, you can bend at the elbow, bring your arm back as far as possible, then straighten your arm.

2. Side Plank, Left Side: Start in Plank. Rotate your body to the left and stretch your right hand up toward the sky. To make this easier, you can do side plank from your knees, rather than your toes.
Var: Side Plank, Left Side, With Leg up: Do side plank. Raise your right leg to varying degrees.

3. Side Arm Raises: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bring hands up to shoulder height, keeping them out to the sides. Then bring them back down. Palms should face down.

4. Squat: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Bend at knees, keeping back straight. Hold arms out straight in front, eyes facing forward. Hold position.

5. Side Plank, Right Side: Start in Plank. Rotate your body to the right and stretch your left hand up toward the sky. To make this easier, you can do side plank from your knees, rather than your toes.
Var: Side Plank, Right Side, With Leg up: Do side plank. Raise your left leg to varying degrees.

6. Bicep Curls: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Form loose fists, palms facing awa from your body. Bring fists up to shoulders and back down.

7. Reach Up Level Down Front: Raise hands above head, palms forward. Slowly lower them forward, keeping arms straight, to shoulder height. Return to raised position. Repeat.

8. Heel Kick Up, Right Side: Lift right leg up behind you, then lower back to the ground. Repeat. (If you have a resistance band, try hooking it around your foot for a variation).
Var: Superman, Right Side: Extend arms straight up to the sky. Then bend forward at the hips, leaving left leg on the ground and extending right leg out behind. Your body should be in a straight line from your fingertips to your right toes, with right angles where your left leg bends from your body.

9. Sword Pulls, Right Side: Stand with legs wider than shoulder width. Reach right hand down past left knee and then up to the sky on the right side. It should look like an exaggerated disco move, or like a sword being pulled and brandished.

10. Plank
Var: Plank with Elbows Bent: Keep elbows tucked in close to body.

11. Reach Up, Pull Down (sides): Hold hands above head. Pull elbows down to shoulder height and push back up again. Repeat. (This one works great with a resistance band, too. Just hold it between your hands so that when you bring them down, the band stretches between them.)

12. Heel Kick Up, Left Side: Lift left leg up behind you, then lower back to the ground. Repeat.
Var: Superman:Superman, Left Side: Extend arms straight up to the sky. Then bend forward at the hips, leaving right leg on the ground and extending left leg out behind. Your body should be in a straight line from your fingertips to your right toes, with right angles where your right leg bends from your body.

13. Lat Pull Lunge, Left Side: Do a lunge with the left leg forward. Rest the right hand on the left knee; let the right hand hang. Slowly bring the left hand back and up toward the sky. You can either keep your arm straight or bend the elbow. Also, you can bend at the elbow, bring your arm back as far as possible, then straighten your arm.

14. Sword Pulls, Left Side: Stand with legs wider than shoulder width. Reach left hand down past right knee and then up to the sky on the right side. It should look like an exaggerated disco move, or like a sword being pulled and brandished.

15. Heel Raises: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Raise heels to stand on toes. Lower and repeat.
Var: Heel Raise Plie: Do heel raises. In between each one, bend knees. Keep heels together and toes pointed out.


For me, it works best to have the basic exercise written on one side of the card, and the variation written on the other side. I actually found paper that is different colors on each side, to help me keep it straight. That way, when I'm doing a workout, if I come across an activity that is too easy, I can flip it to the other side without having to remember later which one I needed to switch out.

So, that's basically it; just alternate between cardio activities and strength building activities. Or not. Play with it... it's free, it's a good way to be active in a small space, and it's all for you!

Cheers!