Posted on September 26, 2018 by Jenny Cromack

This week’s workout is slightly different. Instead of dictating a workout for you I offer you an opportunity to create a “dice workout”. We roll the dice for your workout and therefore mix up your training. Keeping a little mystery in your sessions will help keep you motivated, avoid that stale feeling, but still give you a sweat filled session. The following approach is something I have been doing for a while now. The randomness and possible combinations keeps me guessing and means I do not spend the day thinking and moaning about my session and what I am going to miss out of it.

Get Yourself Some Dice

The jist of this workout approach is that you will select 4 exercises, a random number of reps, and a random number of sets. Using a die or an electronic app version, assign each number with a) an exercise, b) a number of reps, and c) a number of sets. These will be performed as a complex, so you will do each exercise back to back with minimal changing of weights in between. Try keep the weight of the bar or dumbbell the same as this allows a fluid and rest-free transition.

How Does It Work?

I usually shake my dice just before my session this gives me minimal time to think about what I am doing and put myself off. So I will roll the dice 4 times to select my 4 exercises. I will then roll another 2 two times to select my reps and sets for these exercises. The number of reps will obviously determine the weight I use.

This is a great approach as you can self-select rep ranges and sets to cover a range of goals. You can also select your own exercise from a list of 6 of your favourites. I would suggest you select 6 compound movements to get maximal benefit.

My Example:

The following is how I have set dice workout up. I use this for all 3-4 of my sessions now. I have my list of exercises, sets, and reps on my phone then simply roll the dice and off I go. Here is what my numbers look like:

Roll 1-4 (Exercise Selection):

All the following are barbell exercises:

  1. Deadlift
  2. Push Press
  3. Bent Over Row
  4. Burpee Power Clean
  5. Squat
  6. Roll Out

Roll 5 (Rep Selection):

  1. 3
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 8
  5. 10
  6. 12

Roll 6 (Set Selection):

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5

If you are struggling with your workouts, why not set up your own dice workout protocol and get yourself on the road to mixing up your training. I would make sure your exercises use the same piece of kit as it makes it easier to work between exercises without resting. There is nothing to stop you having one session focused on BB exercises, a second on DB exercises, and a third of body weight exercises.

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Enjoy!