Which Workout Card Deck Should You Start With? Upper, Lower, Core & Cardio or Medusa
by Death Fitness
Start with the deck that matches your biggest weakness or your main goal. If you want one deck that hits everything, pick the Medusa Full Body Deck, but know it leans toward legs and core. If you want the most well-rounded start, get the Trifecta (Upper Body, Lower Body and Core & Cardio) so you can rotate decks and cover the whole body without repeating the same muscles two days in a row.
Every Death Fitness deck has 70 cards and works the same way: shuffle, flip, do the exercise and rep count on the card, repeat until the deck is gone or you are. What changes is which exercises are in the deck. Pick the wrong one and you'll get a great workout for the wrong body part. This guide breaks down what's actually inside each deck, who it's for, and the honest trade-offs, so you buy the right one the first time.
One reviewer said it plainly: "I was confused about the different decks of cards and ordered the wrong one." (AmyLynn S.) Our team swapped it for her, but you shouldn't have to guess. Here's the breakdown.
What's the difference between the Death Fitness decks?
Each deck targets one zone. All exercises are bodyweight only, and every deck repeats a small set of movements with the rep count changing card to card. That's by design: the challenge comes from volume and from not knowing what's next, not from learning 50 new exercises.
| Deck | Cards | Main exercises | Reps (per product page) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Body (Annihilation) | 70 | Regular, staggered, diamond, wide, decline and clapping pushups, dips, burpee wild cards | 426 plus wild cards | Chest, shoulders, triceps, pushup strength |
| Lower Body (Destruction) | 70 | Squats, glute bridges, step-ups, forward, reverse and side lunges, wall sit and burpee wild cards | 396 plus wall sits and burpees | Legs, glutes, leg endurance |
| Core & Cardio (Carnage) | 70 | Sit-ups, Russian twists, bicycles, leg lifts, Spiderman planks, burpees, jumping jacks, high knees, mountain climbers, side jumps, flutter kicks | 800+ | Abs, conditioning, fat-burning sessions |
| Medusa Full Body | 70 | Sumo squats, squat jumps, curtsy lunges, step-ups, pushups, dips, Russian twists, plank jacks, bicycles, burpees, plank holds, Pick Your Poison cards | 850+ | One-deck, full-body sessions |
Which deck is best for beginners?
For most beginners, the Lower Body Deck or the Core & Cardio Deck is the easiest place to start. Squats, glute bridges, sit-ups and jumping jacks are simple to scale, and you don't need to be able to do 10 strict pushups to get through them.
The Upper Body Deck is the hardest starting point if pushups are a weak spot, because nearly every card is a pushup variation. SlimyRabbit360 "Started with the upper body and was surprised at how much of the deck I wasn't able to complete in a 15min period." That's normal. You can still start there: do pushups from your knees or with your hands on a bench, and flip 10 to 15 cards instead of the full deck.
Whichever deck you pick, don't measure your first session by whether you finish. Measure it by how many cards you got through, then beat that number next time. (Here's how long a full deck takes at each level.)
Is the Medusa Deck really full body?
Yes, but it's weighted toward your lower half, and you should know that before you buy. Per the product page, Medusa has 35 lower body cards (280 reps), 25 core and upper body cards (380 reps) and 10 bonus challenge cards (190+ reps). Half the deck is legs.
Reviewers noticed. Brad H. said "even though it’s a full body workout, 65% of the workouts felt like they were legs focused," though he added they were "sweaty and dead by the end." Another reviewer called it "more of a lower body core deck than an all around workout deck." On the other side, Jodi B. wrote: "I did the Medusa deck and two days later I am still sore!"
Choose Medusa if: you want one deck, one session, everything trained, and you don't mind legs doing most of the work. Skip it as your only deck if: your main goal is a bigger chest and arms. Pair it with the Upper Body Deck instead.
Is the Upper Body Deck just pushups?
Mostly, yes. It's six pushup styles plus dips, with clapping pushups and burpees as wild cards. Some buyers love that and some don't. One 3-star review put it bluntly: "The upper body deck is just pushups." Fans counter that it's brutal for exactly that reason. Six variations hit your chest, shoulders and triceps from different angles, and 400+ reps of them will humble most people. (Our pushup variations guide explains what each one targets.)
What it doesn't have: pulling work. There are no rows or pull-ups for your back and biceps in any bodyweight deck. If that matters to you, add pull-ups or rows on your own between decks.
Should I buy one deck or a bundle?
If you're unsure, buy more than one. A single deck hits one zone, and doing the same deck every day means training the same muscles every day. With two or three decks, you can rotate: upper one day, lower the next, core and cardio after that.
That's what most repeat buyers end up doing anyway. William wrote: "Wish I would have ordered all 3 decks to start with." Billy, who bought Core & Cardio, said: "Pair it up with the upper body and lower body decks and you have a helluva workout!"
- One deck: good for testing the format or targeting one weak spot.
- Upper + Lower Body Bundle: strength focus, two decks to alternate.
- Trifecta (Upper, Lower, Core & Cardio): the most balanced start, 210 cards and a three-day rotation.
- Ultimate Bundle (all four decks): adds Medusa for full-body days, 280 cards and 2,000+ reps total.
Which deck should you pick for your goal?
- "I want a bigger, stronger upper body." Upper Body Deck.
- "I want stronger legs or I'm training for running, rucking or a sport." Lower Body Deck. Dave S., 67: "Legs were shot for 3 days."
- "I want abs and conditioning, and I only have 15 minutes." Core & Cardio Deck. Burpees and mountain climbers get your heart rate up fast.
- "I want one deck that does it all." Medusa, with the leg-heavy caveat above.
- "I want to train 3 to 5 days a week without overworking one area." Trifecta or Ultimate Bundle.
- "I train with a group, team or family." Trifecta or Ultimate Bundle, so everyone isn't stuck on pushups.
How do you use more than one deck together?
Three simple ways:
- Rotate by day. One deck per session, a different deck the next day.
- Shuffle two together. Mix Upper and Lower Body into one pile and flip 30 to 40 cards for a full-body session.
- Short blocks. Flip 10 cards from each deck back to back for a 30-card circuit.
If you're brand new, follow our beginner home workout plan and use the cards as your daily workout once you're ready.
FAQ
Which Death Fitness deck should I buy first?
If you want one deck, choose Lower Body or Core & Cardio for an easier start, or Medusa for a full-body session that leans toward legs. If you can buy more than one, the Trifecta is the most balanced start.
How many cards are in each deck?
Every Death Fitness deck has 70 cards. The Trifecta has 210 cards and the Ultimate Bundle has 280.
Do the decks have a lot of different exercises?
No. Each deck repeats a small set of exercises with a different rep count on each card. The variety comes from the random order and the changing reps, not from dozens of movements.
Do I need any equipment?
No. All four bodyweight decks need only floor space. A step or sturdy chair helps for step-ups and dips.
What if I buy the wrong deck?
Email us at contact@deathfitness.com and we'll help you figure out the right one.
Pick your deck and get to work
Comfort is the enemy, and so is overthinking it. If you want one deck, grab the Medusa Full Body Deck. If you want to cover everything and rotate all week, the Trifecta Bundle is the best place to start. Shuffle, flip, and don't stop until the deck is done.