Troy Hurst holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University. He is a physical therapist specializing in both athletic and vestibular rehabilitation with an emphasis on performance running.
Sometimes, working out can feel like a drag, especially when you have been doing it for a while. You’re bored of the same old routine or not feeling motivated enough to push yourself.
But with only a few months left in the year, it’s the perfect time to amp up your workout game and challenge yourself before the year ends. Here are 6 workout challenges that will keep you motivated and help you achieve your fitness goals.
But first, let’s discuss what challenges you can incorporate into your workout routine.
Many have asked what are the benefits of workout challenges? This question is valid because you want to know why these challenges are worth your time.
Here are a few of the benefits we’ve noticed:
One of the most significant advantages of workout challenges is their ability to keep you motivated and engaged. When you have a specific goal to work towards, such as completing a 30-day plank challenge or running a set distance within a month, it keeps your fitness routine from becoming mundane.
Research indicates that setting clear and achievable goals helps maintain motivation and enhances adherence to exercise routines, preventing the usual drop-off after initial excitement fades.
It’s easy to hit a plateau when you do the same workouts day in and day out.
Workout challenges introduce new activities and higher intensities to your routine, which can help break through these plateaus.
You spur muscle growth and improve endurance by forcing your body to adapt to new demands. Evidence suggests that varying your workout intensity and exercises over time can significantly improve strength and cardiovascular health (1).
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Repetition can lead to boredom, so challenges spice things up by introducing new elements to your routine, keeping things fresh and exciting.
Whether trying a new exercise or setting unconventional goals, the novelty can encourage you to stay committed. Studies have shown that exercise adherence improves when individuals perceive their workouts as enjoyable and diverse.
Many coaches and fitness experts design these workout challenges for groups or involve some level of community participation. This sense of community can provide support, encouragement, and accountability.
Participating in a group setting, even virtually, can help you push through tough days and celebrate achievements together. According to various psychological studies, social support in physical activities improves adherence and satisfaction (2).
Workout challenges usually come with clear criteria and timelines, allowing you to track and measure your progress more efficiently. The tracked data provides a tangible way to see how far you’ve come, but it also reinforces the habit of goal setting and achievement.
Knowing that you can meet small goals boosts your confidence and motivates you to take on even more significant challenges in the future. The research underscores the importance of tracking progress to increase motivation and improve outcomes (3).
Finally, combining novelty, community, and measurable progress helps develop a stronger mindset. Facing and overcoming new challenges builds mental resilience, which translates to other areas of your life.
Regular exercise (i.e., fitness challenges) has improved mental health and cognitive function, making you physically stronger and mentally sharp (4).
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Many of us would benefit from workout challenges. However, you need to consider a few things before jumping into a challenge:
Before jumping into any workout challenge, assessing your current fitness level is essential. Challenges often require a certain baseline of fitness, whether it’s strength, endurance, or flexibility.
Knowing where you stand will help you select the challenge that fits you best. This understanding will prevent injuries and ensure you get the most out of the experience. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), assessing your fitness level through preliminary tests or evaluations can help tailor your approach and maximize benefits (5).
Workout challenges frequently come with a set timeframe and schedule, requiring consistent time commitment. Consider your current schedule and how much time you can dedicate to the challenge.
Studies indicate that people who set aside designated times for exercise are more likely to stick with it long-term (6). Planning ahead minimizes stress and increases the likelihood of completing the challenge successfully.
Before participating in a workout challenge, it’s crucial to be mindful of any physical limitations or past injuries. Specific exercises may exacerbate existing issues. Listen to your body; modifications may be necessary to accommodate individual differences.
The Obesity Action Coalition emphasizes that understanding your body’s limitations can prevent further injury and promote safe exercise habits (7).
Determine what you wish to get out of the challenge.
Is it to enhance cardiovascular health, gain muscle, lose weight, or simply try something new? Clear goals will guide your progress and decisions throughout the challenge.
Research published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology suggests that goal setting is an effective motivational tool in enhancing exercise performance (8).
While physical readiness is critical, you must mentally prepare yourself. Challenges can be demanding, so prepare for potential emotional highs and lows.
According to a study from the American Psychological Association, maintaining a growth mindset—viewing challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles—can enhance resilience and perseverance in physical tasks (9). Understanding this can help manage expectations and increase satisfaction.
You or a helpful coach can transform any exercise routine into a workout challenge.
A workout challenge has these qualities:
The 30-Day Squat Challenge is perfect for increasing lower body strength and endurance, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience.
The challenge involves performing squats daily, with reps increasing incrementally. Starting with 20 squats daily and gradually increasing by 5 to 10 squats every few days is ideal for beginners.
Exercise Steps:
Once a beginner completes the 30-day period, they can progress to intermediate by incorporating weights or trying variations like jump squats. Skills gained include improved leg strength and balance, making it a popular workout challenge at home.
Read more: 30-Day Keto Challenge: Will Upping Your Fat Intake Help You Lose Weight?
The Plank Challenge focuses on core strength and stability—one of the essential workout challenges for beginners. It involves holding a plank position daily for an increasing duration.
Exercise Steps:
After completing this challenge, graduates often experience enhanced core stability, opening up opportunities for more complex ab and core exercises.
For advanced levels, try side planks or planks with leg lifts.
The Push-Up Challenge is among the most common workout challenges for men, and is an excellent choice for women. Its primary focus is on building upper body strength, but it will also provide core strength and stability benefits. It involves completing a set number of push-ups daily.
Exercise Steps:
Progressing involves experimenting with different push-up variations such as incline or decline push-ups. By the end, upper body muscle strength and endurance often improve significantly.
The Yoga Flow Challenge invites participants to follow a daily yoga routine ideal for flexibility and mental focus. It’s a gentle workout challenge that you can do anywhere.
Exercise Steps:
Individuals might find enhanced mental calmness and flexibility as skills develop, encouraging them to try more challenging poses or longer flows.
This challenge combines cardio with agility and is excellent for full-body conditioning. It’s among the most fun workout challenges at home for people with limited time availability.
Exercise Steps:
Beginners mastering this will see improvements in cardiovascular health and can progress by incorporating different jump styles or increasing overall duration.
The Couch to 5k Challenge is a beginner-friendly running plan to build cardiovascular endurance and prepare individuals to run 5 kilometers over several weeks.
Couch to 5K is one of the best workout challenges for women and men who want to run more.
Exercise Steps:
Participants typically acquire increased stamina and mental perseverance. Transitioning to intermediate involves setting new distance goals or improving pace, highlighting this as one of the versatile workout challenges for beginners. Don’t ramp up distance or pace by more than 10% per week to reduce the risk of overuse injury.
That depends on your fitness goals and preferences. However, each fitness challenge above could be the best workout challenge for you.
For beginners, look over each workout challenge you are interested in and start with the challenge you want to try the most. Modify the workouts when they are too challenging, take breaks, and increase progress over time.
The length of a workout challenge can vary depending on the goal and individual preferences. There are 1-2 week workout challenges, while others can span several months. It’s essential to choose a timeframe that is realistic and manageable for you.
Consider factors such as your fitness level, schedule, and desired outcome when determining the duration of a workout challenge.
A shorter timeframe may suit more intense challenges, while a longer time frame can be better for gradual progress toward a specific goal.
These 2 person yoga poses are perfect for building trust, improving communication, and enhancing partner flexibility.
The hardest workout challenge is subjective and can vary depending on individual fitness levels and goals. However, some challenges are known for their intense physical and mental demand requirements.
Some of the most strenuous workout challenges include:
It’s essential to consult with your doctor before attempting any of these workout challenges to ensure it is medically safe for you to do so. Working with a certified coach or trainer to ensure proper training programming is advisable.
Always listen to your body and modify exercises or rest when necessary.
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The effectiveness of 30-day workout challenges can vary depending on individual commitment and effort. They can be a great way to kickstart a fitness journey or introduce individuals to new exercises and routines.
However, results can only be permanent if you can maintain healthy habits after you complete the challenge. It’s crucial to continue incorporating regular exercise and healthy eating habits for long-term benefits.
For the best results, try a 30 days full body challenge, to get familiar with working all of the muscles in your body, then continue it after the 30 days if it fits your lifestyle and you enjoy it.
A 30-day full body challenge can significantly improve your overall fitness by engaging all major muscle groups, which enhances cardiovascular health, muscular strength, and endurance.
Studies show that such challenges can also boost metabolism and promote weight loss, making them an effective way to build a solid fitness foundation.
Use these challenges to motivate you to maintain healthy habits and prioritize rest days (10)!
Check out these Workout Plans For Couples that help strengthen your relationship while achieving fitness goals together.
The easiest workout ever can vary depending on individual fitness levels and preferences, but walking is often considered one of the simplest forms of exercise. It requires no special equipment, can be done almost anywhere, and is gentle on the joints. Walking helps improve cardiovascular health, boosts mood, and aids in weight management. Other easy exercises include stretching, basic yoga poses, and body-weight exercises like squats or lunges performed at a comfortable pace. Try Chair Yoga For Two for a relaxing bonding experience that enhances flexibility and mindfulness. Working out 2 hours a day can be excessive for some people, especially those new to exercise or with little time available. Overtraining can lead to fatigue, injury, and burnout. For most people, a balanced workout routine that includes 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week (or some combination of the two), combined with strength training on two or more days, is sufficient to maintain health and fitness. Listen to your body and adjust your routine as needed. 30 day workout challenges can be healthy if well-designed and appropriate for your fitness level. These challenges often provide structure and motivation to establish a regular workout habit. However, ensure the exercises are safe and balanced, covering different muscle groups and allowing adequate rest and recovery. Individual results may vary, so listen to your body and modify exercises if necessary to prevent injury. Squat challenges can improve lower body strength and endurance if performed correctly. By progressively increasing the number of squats over a set period, you can enhance muscle definition and strength in the legs and glutes (11). However, you can combine squat challenges with various exercises targeting different muscle groups for comprehensive fitness. Proper form is crucial to avoid injury; consult a fitness professional if you need clarification on your technique.Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest workout ever?
Is working out 2 hours a day too much?
Are 30 day workout challenges healthy?
Do squat challenges really work?
Workout challenges can be an excellent way to push yourself, set new goals, and track progress in your fitness journey. Clear guidelines and rules provide structure and motivation for individuals seeking a change in their routine.
Remember to choose a challenge that suits your fitness level and desired outcome, and always prioritize safety by consulting with a professional before starting any intense workout challenge.
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