Workout Labs Exercise Cards Review and February Body by Pole Circuit Routine

I got a pack of the WorkoutLabs Women Exercise Cards as a gift for Christmas.  I already have the Yoga cards which I reviewed in my Workout Labs Yoga Cards Review blog post. The exercise cards are smaller in size compared to the Yoga cards which make them compact and easy for travel.  They have the same design elements- one side of the card shows an illustrated pose of the exercise with the name of the exercise at the top of the color coded card.  On the back of the card is information about the muscle/muscle groups the exercise focuses on, how to properly do the exercise, and modifications.  All exercises in the pack are non-equipment exercises.

For my first workout with the cards, I decided to do a circuit style routine.  For an equipment style circuit routine, check out my January circuit blog post Body by Pole. Each exercise I completed 10 reps for 3 rotations. See picture below for exercises in this routine. I did use my 3lb. ankle weights for this routine.

1. Modified push-ups x 10
2. Donkey Kicks each leg x 10 with  3lb. ankle weights
3. Fire Hydrants each leg x 10 with 3lb. ankle weights
4. Lying Leg Raise x 10 with 3lb. ankle weights
5. Alternate Heel Touchers x10
6. Bicycle Crunches x 10

Tips

 Keep hydrated. Also make sure to take your time during each exercise's repetition.  Think "slow and controlled."  Fight the urge to rush through the workout.  Start each routine with a warm up and end with a cool down. 

***DISCLAIMER: Always consult with your physician prior to starting any fitness routine.***

Summary/Review

 I found the cards easy to use and convenient for putting together a quick routine.  The exercises I picked seemed fairly easy and with the addition of the ankle weights proved to provide a beneficial workout that targeted key areas such as legs, arms, and core.  The number of reps were appropriate for each exercise as I started to struggle by round 3 of the rotation.  I arranged the exercise cards so they would make sense for easy transition from one exercise to the next.  The Donkey Kicks and Fire Hydrants were rough on my table top arm position and left me feeling like in addition to the lower body focus, I also got a great workout in the arms. Overall, I really enjoyed using these cards and look forward to putting them to use for many future workouts.