Fitness Challenges

Partaking in fitness challenges can bring a sense of excitement and competition to your usual workout routines. They are usually structured activities or programs that are designed to test and improve your physical fitness, strength, endurance and overall well-being. These challenges can be adjustable, in regards to intensity and duration, so they can accommodate individuals with different fitness levels and goals.

The different aspects of physical fitness that these challenges can target include cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, balance and agility. These challenges can be performed individually, with a partner or even in a group setting in order to add an element of competition and accountability. 

Here are some ideas for easy, intermediate and advanced level fitness challenges. Don’t forget to warm up properly before attempting any of these physical challenges, listen to your body and ensure you’re using proper form to prevent any injuries occurring. If required, consult with a fitness professional for guidance and support before committing to these challenges.

EASY

Jumping Jacks are a simple and effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance over time because it gets your heart rate up while also working out multiple muscle groups all at once, including your legs, arms and core. Start off with a few on the first day and gradually increase the repetitions up until the 30th day.

Going on daily walks offers a wide range of health benefits including improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress, enhanced mood and strengthened bones and muscles. Commit to going for a walk every day for a certain duration or distance. Start with a manageable length of time and distance and gradually increase either factor as you progress and begin to establish consistency.

You can also make these walks more enjoyable by exploring different routes around your neighborhood, listening to music or podcasts, walking a pet or even with a friend.

Being hydrated is crucial for overall health and well-being because water has a vital role in the majority of our bodily functions. Set a challenge to drink a certain amount of water every day, such a s 8 glasses or a specific water bottle size.

Yoga offers a variety of physical and mental benefits, including but not limited to, improved flexibility, strength, balance and relaxation.Try following a 10-minute yoga routine each day to improve these factors. You’ll be able to find many beginner friendly videos online if you’re looking for a place to start.

By incorporating stretching into your daily routine this can help to improve your flexibility, relieve muscle tension and promote overall mobility and well-being. Dedicate a few minutes each day to stretching different muscle groups to achieve a full body stretch.

INTERMEDIATE

Push-ups are very effective in engaging your core muscles and enhancing overall body stability. They are an excellent way to improve upper body strength, especially in the chest, shoulders and arms. Set a specific number of push-ups to complete each day and gradually increase the reps throughout the duration of the challenge.

Planks are an effective way to strengthen your core muscles, improve stability and enhance overall body control. They target the abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and shoulders. Begin with a baseline time for holding the plank and work towards increasing it in daily or weekly intervals.

Walking is a fantastic way to stay active, improve cardiovascular health and maintain a healthy lifestyle while also being outside surrounded by fresh air. Try this 10,000 steps challenge and aim to reach a daily step count of 10,000 or more. Be sure to track and monitor your progress so you can feel more motivated to incorporate more movement into your day. 

This challenge is a fun and effective way to improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination and agility. You can do it alone or even with friends to make a competition out of it to see who can jump the longest. Some benefits include burning calories and strengthening various muscle groups, such as the calves, thighs and shoulders. Set either a specific duration or number of jumps to complete with a jump rope each day. Gradually increase the duration or repetitions to develop your cardiovascular fitness and coordination.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an effective way to improve your cardiovascular endurance and boost overall endurance. It is crucial that you alternate between high intensity exercises and short recovery periods. Create a HIIT circuit consisting of full body weight exercises such as jumping jacks, burpees, squat jumps and perform this circuit for 15 minutes. Giving maximum effort for each exercise all the way through.

ADVANCED

Burpees are a full body exercise that targets multiple muscle groups and elevates the heart rate by combining a squat, plank, push-up and jump into one rep. This helps to improve cardiovascular endurance, strength and overall fitness. Complete 100 burpees as fast as possible and repeat this over an extended period of time. Keep track of your time and try to beat it each time. Maybe even challenge a friend.

A Tabata workout consists of 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest and this is repeated for 8 rounds. Some exercises that will work well for this challenge include burpees, mountain climbers, or kettlebell swings,

This challenge involves doing 1 exercise for 500 reps in as few sets as possible. You can break the sets up as needed, however the challenge would be to push through as much as you can before stopping each time. Choose an exercise such as squats, push-ups or kettlebell swings.

Use this handstand challenge to improve your upper body strength, balance and body control. Consistency and practice is key when it comes to mastering a handstand. Start by practicing against a wall or with the assistance of a spotter and also incorporate some upper body strength training into your routine.

Pull-Ups are a great way to improve your upper body strength, especially targeting the muscles in your back, shoulders and arms. Set a goal to increase your pull-up repetitions over 30 days. Start with an appropriate level of assistance abd gradually decrease it as you get stronger.