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That time I turned a workout into a game: UNO Workout
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Workouts

That time I turned a workout into a game: UNO Workout

Once upon a time I used to post workouts pretty often around these parts! But then I became a mom and workouts and running became different. Let’s be real, everything becomes a little different once you become a parent, and that’s okay. I actually shared my thoughts on running postpartum in my Marathon to Mom post!

Things change day to day in parenthood. Some days I can take on the world and other days I’m too exhausted to get out of my jammies. It usually helps if my good days fall on days that I’m at work. This way, workouts are easy to get in since all I have to do is workout when I teach my classes! Mondays I teach cycle and tabata, and Wednesdays I teach kickboxing and a strength/cardio class.

Boot Camp Style Bodyweight Workouts

Here are a few of my absolute favorite workouts that you can do anywhere! These are the style of workouts that I teach in my Wednesday afternoon class.

Some days I change it up and add weights, resistance bands, stability balls and whatever I can find at the gym to get a good workout for everyone. The ones below don’t require any equipment. All you need is you…and a little bit of energy and motivation which can go a long way!

4 Station Mini Circuit

4 Station Mini Bodyweight Circuit Workout

Running 500 Workout

Running 500 Total body cardio workout

7 Minute Bodyweight AMRAP

7 Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout

For the AMRAP workout directly above, start with set 1. Set a timer for 7 minutes and begin with the lunges, then tricep dips and last burpees. Once you finish, start again at the lunges. Keep going until your timer stops! Take a 2-3 minute rest and grab some water, then repeat for sets 2 and 3!

Turning a workout into a game.

Recently I decided to take a simple game and turn it into an awesome workout! Or maybe I turned a workout into a game. It’s up to you to decide!

UNO Workout

Who has played UNO before? It’s probably been quite a while right? Well I stumbled upon a deck of UNO cards while at the grocery store a few weeks ago, and came up with this super fun and creative workout. It makes your workout fly by because you don’t know what’s coming next. You could have 1 squat, 10 burpees or even 5 minutes of cardio! It depends on how you shuffle the deck!

This UNO Workout will keep you moving through the whole deck! It's a total body no weights workout that you can do anywhere! Check out the full post for cardio and additional exercises to use for this workout game! #bodyweightworkout #noweights #workoutanywhere #athomeworkout

UNO Workout Cardio Examples

  • High knees
  • Speed skaters
  • Jumping jacks
  • Plank in outs
  • Back and forth shuffle drills
  • Squat jumps
  • Run (if you’re outside or have a treadmill)
  • Cycle (if you have access to any type of bike)

You can alternate between the different cardio drills during the 3-5 minutes. Don’t feel like you have to do high knees for 4 whole minutes. Instead maybe change it up every 30 seconds or so!

UNO Workout Choice Exercises Examples

This is for the reverse, skip, draw 2 and other random cards available. Here are a few examples of bodyweight exercises you can do. Feel free to add in your own! I just wanted to cover some of the basics for people who don’t like coming up with exercises on their own.

Lower body

  • Alternating lunges (step forward or backward)
  • Side lunges
  • Squat jumps
  • Squat low pulse
  • Split squats

Upper body

  • Cobra push ups
  • GI Joe push ups
  • Tricep dips
  • Tricep push up
  • Shoulder push up

Core

  • Flutter kicks
  • Reverse crunch
  • Superman
  • Bicycles
  • Bridge up

Make working out fun again!

I’m a firm believer that making workouts fun and changing things up is what makes your stick to it! So let’s shake it up! Create a workout that goes along with your favorite tv show or movie. Turn a game into a workout like this fun UNO workout I made here. Find your favorite park on a beautiful day and do something new. Take a rainy day and turn it into something that gets you moving in doors. It’s up to you!

Like I said before, some days I’m off and I’m tired and I don’t want to do it! Find a balance. Shoot for a few days a week and go from there. You can find a way to enjoy working out. I did, and then I made a career out of it!

If you need some equipment at home to motivate you that doesn’t take up much space, here is what I recommend.


This UNO Anywhere Workout is a total body burn with no weights required. Different exercises for different cards to keep you on your toes! Take a look inside at all the bodyweight exercises you can do without equipment anywhere! #homeworkout #bodyweightworkout #workoutanywhere #unoworkout #workoutgame

What are your favorite ways to work out? How do you keep it fun so you don’t want to quit?

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