Gotch Bible | Karl Gotch’s FAMOUS Card-Deck Workout

“My only disappointment is the strong reliance on gimmicks. I am at a disadvantage because I don’t dye my hair, I don’t wear elaborate costumes, and I don’t have any funny names for the holds I use. My only gimmick is knowledge of wrestling.“

Introduction

Karl Gotch (August 3, 1924 – July 28, 2007) is a famous wrestler who achieved notoriety in Japan. Karl Gotch helped build combat sports like Mixed Martial Arts and wrestling into the mainstream entertainment enjoyed by millions around the world today. Without men like Gotch, combat sports would be viewed as barbaric and without skill. Not only was Gotch an entertaining wrestler, he also was an Olympian. 

In Japan, Gotch’s nickname was Kamisama, which translates into God of Wrestling. Many forgot Gotch’s fame, except for a select view who remember Japanese wrestling during Kamisama’s time, or sub-cultures of wrestlers who couldn’t fill a middle school gymnasium.

It’s unfortunate that Gotch does not get more recognition. Not only was Gotch an icon in professional sports, but also, a pioneer of strength and conditioning.

Gotch believed strength training isn’t for wrestlers – calisthenics is for wrestlers. Movements that use your body, or an opponents body instead of a barbell. This is not to say that barbell training is bad or should be avoided; understand that experimentation will allow you to determine the training most suitable for your body type. You must also train with what you have; calisthenics generally does not require much equipment and can be done anywhere, making it a flexible and accessible training method for most people in most situations.

Gotch’s training included body-weight exercises with explosive movements, which Gotch learned from Indian wrestlers who followed the Pehlwani wrestling style.

Gotch’s most notable training method, The Gotch Bible, uses a deck of cards to structure calisthenic training. Anyone can learn The Gotch Bible and adapt it to their fitness goals.

The Gotch Bible

You can do the Gotch Bible anywhere. You only need a deck of cards.

Begin by shuffling a deck of cards.

Keep the Jokers. If you don’t have Jokers, that’s fine.

Card Values

• Spades: Hindu Squats
• Clubs: Jump Squats
• Diamond: Hindu Push-ups
• Hearts: 1/2 Moon Push-ups

• Joker 1: 40 Hindu Squats
• Joker 2: 20 1/2 Moon Push-ups

Color Values

• Black: Double the face value of the card in reps.
• Red: Face value reps.

• Draw a 8 of Spades, do 16 Hindu Squats.
• *Draw a 7 of Hearts, do 7 1/2 Moon Push-ups

Movement Tutorials

• Hindu Squat Tutorial
• Jump Squat Tutorial
• Hindu Push-up Tutorial
• 1/2 Moon Push-up Tutorial

After you finish a full deck, you’re done.

Creating your own Gotch Bible

The Gotch Bible is a template for training & conditioning. You can make tweaks and create your own routines.

Using a notetaking application (paper, digital app,) create multiple keys for different exercises using the 4 suits of a deck. Use Jokers as wild cards or discard them.

Keep a travel deck in your backpack or airplane bag with a folded piece of paper in your card deck with a few different Gotch Bible routines.

Below are some examples you can use. Try creating your own Gotch card routines too.

Legs Bible

• Spades: Hindu Squats
• Clubs: Lunges
• Diamonds: Burpees
• Hearts: Jump Squats
• Jokers: Repeat the last exercise for 20 reps.

Upper Body Bible

• Spades: Diamond Push-ups
• Clubs: Pull ups
• Diamonds: Hindu Push-ups
• Hearts:  1/2 Moon Push-ups
• Jokers: Repeat the last exercise for 20 reps.

Kettlebell Bible

• Spades: Kettlebell swings
• Clubs: Kettlebell walking lunges
• Diamonds: Kettlebell presses
• Hearts: Turkish stand-up
• Jokers: Repeat the last exercise for 20 reps.

Using Jokers as a repeat-last-reps card keeps training simple. When your program becomes complex, you spend more time reviewing your notes than training. Try to keep the program simple so it stays as a body exercise instead of becoming a mental-memorization feat.

Adjusting Your Deck Size

You don’t have to use a full deck of cards. You can cut the cards, start with 20, or start with half. Remember, the hard path may have more fruit on the trail.

Using the Gotch Method

Use the Gotch method for training in any circumstance. Even weightlifters can use the program. Take a deck of cards with you always so even when travelling you can follow this fun and exciting training game.

The Gotch Bible method can also be used as a morning routine. You can have cards on your nightstand, drawing from the pile when you first wake up.

You can also keep cards on your desk, and when you get stuck on a difficult mental task, draw some cards to take a break. Changing from a mental exercise to a physical one often reinvigorates the mind so you can return to work and blow past mental-path obstacles.

If you’re working on a difficult task, and nothing is coming together, draw a few cards. Changing from a mental exercise to a physical exercise reinvigorates your mind when you return to work.

Read next:

• How to organize your fridge like Anthony Bourdain for less than $4
• How Craig Jones Used Instructionals to Become a BJJ Purple Belt
• 4 Pieces of Adjustable Fitness Equipment That Save Money and Space