with Personal Trainer Tom Lombardo and Eli Lombardo
Looking for a workout that’s as engaging as it is effective? The Card Game is a high-intensity endurance Small Group Personal Training class that blends dumbbells, kettlebells, and dynamic bodyweight moves into a challenging, ever-changing circuit. No two sessions are the same — because the deck decides your fate.
How It Works
Each suit in the deck represents a type of exercise, and the card’s number tells you how many reps to perform. You keep flipping until the clock runs out, challenging both your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. During The Card Game SGPT class, the exercises assigned to each suit change with every session, and the goal is to make it through the deck within an hour. Get a taste of The Card Game Class with this sample workout!
1.) Box Jumps (Hearts)
Cardio: Heart-pounding plyometric work.
(A) Stand in front of a plyo box. (B) With one explosive movement, jump up, landing softly with both feet on top. (C) Rise to stand before stepping back down to your starting position, then repeat.
2.) Dumbbell Curl & Press with Squats (Spades)
The Gravedigger: Muscular endurance moves.
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand and feet turned out slightly wider than your hips. (A) Curl both weights to your shoulders, (B) then press them overhead. Lower the weights back to your shoulders with control, (C) then bend at the knees and lower into a squat. Return to standing, lower the dumbbells back to your sides, and repeat.
3.) Frog Twists (Diamonds)
Core: Ab-burning exercises.
(A) Sit on a mat on the ground holding a kettlebell in both hands under your chin. Bend knees at 90-degree angles with heels hovering just above the ground. (B) In one fluid motion, lean back, extend your arms and legs, and tap the kettlebell to the ground behind you. (C) Pull yourself back up to the starting position, then finish with a Russian twist, keeping your core engaged as your twist your torso to dip the kettlebell to one side of your ribs, then the other. Repeat.
Face cards are 11 reps and aces are 12 reps each
4.) Weighted Ball Tosses (Clubs)
Supplemental: Target muscle groups the other cards miss.
Stand with a slam ball on the floor in front of you. (A) Squat down, grip the ball in both hands, (B) and stand as you toss it up and forward onto the floor in front of you.
(C) Walk to where the ball lands, squat to pick it up again, and toss it back to your starting point. Repeat, moving back and forth for the designated reps.
Note: this exercise requires a slam ball, which does not bounce when thrown. Do NOT use a traditional exercise ball for this move.
Ready to Play?
The Card Game keeps you moving, guessing, and sweating. You’ll build strength, burn calories, and push past limits without getting bored. Join Tom Lombardo’s Card Game small group personal training sessions and see if you can handle the deck. Check out the HAC App for class dates and times.