39 Fitness Challenge Ideas For Your Team in 2024
Looking for unique and exciting fitness challenge ideas for an active team?
Stick till the end and take your team’s fitness to the next level with these 39 fitness challenge ideas we have in store for you in 2024.
Rev up your team’s motivation with these energizing fitness challenges!
Whether you’re looking to break a sweat or find inner peace, there’s a challenge for every personality and fitness level.
What Are Fitness Challenges?
Fitness challenges are a fun and engaging way to motivate individuals or teams to get active and work towards achieving their fitness goals.
These challenges can range from cardio-based challenges like running or cycling, to strength-based challenges like push-ups or weightlifting, to more mindfulness-based challenges like meditation or mindful eating.
The challenges can be designed to be completed in a set period, or as ongoing goals to work towards throughout the year.
They can encourage healthy habits, wellness, weight loss, and a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits Of Fitness Challenges for Teams
Fitness challenges make a fantastic team-building exercise to improve the health and well-being of the employees.
Here are some of the benefits:
- Boosts physical activity and regular exercise
- Encourages team bonding
- It provides a healthy outlet for stress relief and teaches some skill
- Improves mental health
- Encourages consumption of healthy food
List Of 39 Fitness Challenge Ideas for an Active Team
1. Cardio Challenges
Cardio challenges are fitness challenges that primarily focus on improving cardiovascular health through exercises that increase the heart rate and work up a sweat. For example, a walking challenge, a running challenge, etc.
These challenges typically involve activities that get the heart pumping, such as cycling, running, or any other physical activity that raises the heart rate and promotes endurance.
Some of the exciting cardio challenges that your team can try are:
Marathon Training Challenge
This challenge involves training to run a full or half marathon over a set period.
Participants can follow a structured training program, track their progress, and gradually increase their mileage until they’re ready to complete the race and achieve a particular fitness goal.
Below are a few fitness challenge ideas to get started.
Step-Counting Contest
Encourage employees to track their daily steps and hold a friendly competition to see who can take the most steps in a week or a month.
Offer a prize for the winner, such as a gift card or a fitness-related item.
Office Running Group
Start a running group with your colleagues and train for a local 5k or 10k race.
You can set up a training schedule and run together during lunch breaks or after work.
Stair Climbing Challenge
In this challenge, participants aim to climb a certain number of stairs each day.
This can be done at home, at work, or in a public building like a stadium or parking garage.
Below are a few ideas to get going with this one!
Stair-Stepping Jam Session
Hold a stair-stepping jam session in the office by playing upbeat music and encouraging employees to step up and down to the beat.
This can be a fun way to get the blood flowing and lift spirits during the workday.
Stair-Climbing Competition
Challenge employees to climb as many flights of stairs as possible within a certain period.
You can create a leaderboard and offer prizes for the top climbers.
Running Challenge
Participants in this challenge commit to running a certain distance or time each day, whether it’s outdoors or on a treadmill.
Below are some fun ideas to get you going.
Office Relay Race
Divide your colleagues into teams and have them compete in an office relay race.
The race can take place inside or outside the office, and each team member will need to run a certain distance before passing the baton to the next person.
Treadmill Desk Challenge
Challenge your colleagues to spend a certain amount of time each day walking or running on a treadmill desk.
This can be a great way to stay active while still getting work done.
Cycling Challenge
Similar to the running challenge, this challenge involves cycling a certain distance or time each day.
Participants can cycle outdoors or indoors on a stationary bike.
A few ideas as part of team building activity include:
Office Bike Commute Challenge
Encourage your colleagues to bike to work for a week or a month and keep track of how many miles each person logs.
You can create a leaderboard and offer prizes for the most miles biked.
Bike to Lunch Challenge
Challenge your colleagues to bike to lunch instead of driving or walking.
You can pick a nearby restaurant or park to ride to and make it a fun outing for the whole team.
2. Strength Challenges
Strength-based challenges are fitness challenges that focus on strength training through various exercises and activities.
They typically involve a set number of reps, or a certain amount of weight lifted and can be done individually or in teams.
Some strength challenges for the team may include the following:
Push-Up Challenge
This challenge involves doing push-ups, which are a classic exercise that works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.
The challenge can be to complete a certain number of push-ups in a given amount of time or to see who can do the most push-ups without stopping.
Below are a few ideas listed.
Group Push-Up Challenge
Divide your team into pairs or small groups and have them compete against each other to see who can do the most push-ups in a certain amount of time.
Wheelbarrow Push-Ups
Have your team members pair up and perform wheelbarrow push-ups, where one person holds the other person’s ankles while they do push-ups.
Squat Challenge
This challenge involves doing squats, which are an exercise that works the legs, glutes, and core.
The challenge can be to complete a certain number of squats in a given amount of time or to see who can do the most squats without stopping.
To make this challenge interesting, below are a few ideas.
Squat Hold Contest
Have your team members see who can hold a squat position for the longest amount of time.
Squat Jump Challenge
Set up a competition to see who can do the most squat jumps in a certain amount of time.
Squat Relay Race
Divide your team into two or more groups and set up a relay race.
This is where each team member has to perform a certain number of squats before tagging the next person to start their squats.
Weightlifting Challenge
This challenge involves lifting weights, which can be done with dumbbells, barbells, or resistance bands.
Below are a few ideas.
Deadlift Competition
Set up a competition to see who can lift the heaviest weight in a deadlift.
Weighted Obstacle Course
Set up an obstacle course that requires lifting different weights along the way.
Time each team to see who can complete the course the fastest.
Plank Challenge
The challenge can be to hold a plank for a certain amount of time, such as one minute, or to see who can hold a plank for the longest amount of time.
Below are some ideas:
Plank holds with music
Have employees hold a plank while listening to upbeat music. When the music stops, they can take a break, but as soon as the music starts again, they have to resume the plank.
Plank challenge with props
Use props like stability balls or medicine balls to make the challenge more engaging.
For example, employees can hold a plank while balancing on a stability ball, or they can pass a medicine ball back and forth while holding a plank.
3. Flexibility Challenges
Flexibility Challenges are fitness challenges that focus on improving the flexibility and mobility of the body.
Here are a few ideas as part of team building exercises.
Yoga Challenge
This challenge involves practicing yoga postures or asanas that focus on stretching and strengthening the body.
Yoga can help improve flexibility, balance, and overall well-being. Here’s what your team can do:
Yoga pose challenge
Organize a yoga pose challenge among team members.
This is where they have to perform and hold different yoga poses for a certain period.
The person who holds the pose the longest wins.
Yoga challenge tracking
Keep track of each team member’s progress during the challenge by using a tracking app or chart.
Celebrate progress and encourage those who may be struggling.
Stretching Challenge
This challenge involves performing various stretches that help improve flexibility and mobility.
Your team can engage in the following:
Stretching challenge bingo
Create a bingo card with different stretching challenges in each square.
Team members have to complete the stretches and mark off each square until they get a bingo.
Stretching rewards
Offer rewards for team members who consistently participate in the stretching challenge, such as a massage or a gift card to a local yoga studio.
Dance Challenge
Dancing is a fun way to improve flexibility and coordination. This challenge can involve learning new dance moves and practicing them regularly.
Here’s what your team can try.
Zumba Class
Hire a Zumba instructor to teach a class at the workplace. Zumba is a fun and energetic dance fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves.
Dance-Off Competition
Host a dance competition between teams or individuals. This can be done in person or virtually.
Have judges rate each performance and award prizes to the winners.
Tai Chi Challenge
Have your employees been stressed lately? Then try this interesting Tai Chi Challenge at the workplace!
Tai Chi is a form of Chinese martial arts that involves slow, flowing movements that improve flexibility, balance, and strength.
Tai Chi also promotes relaxation, improves mental health, and reduces stress. Here’s what you can do for your team:
Virtual Tai Chi
If some employees are remote workers, consider offering virtual Tai Chi classes to help them stay active and reduce stress.
These classes can be conducted through video conferencing tools such as Zoom or Skype.
Your remote team can join the virtual classes from their homes and still participate in the fitness challenge.
Tai Chi competition
Host a Tai Chi competition among employees, encouraging them to showcase their skills and creativity in performing Tai Chi movements.
Pilates Challenge
Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on developing core strength, flexibility, and balance.
Such exercises involve controlled movements and breathing techniques that can help improve flexibility. Here’s what your team can do:
Lunchtime Pilates
Host 30 minutes Pilates class during lunch break in a common area of the office or outside (weather permitting).
Encourage employees to bring their mats or provide them.
Pilates Partner Challenge
Have employees pair up and compete against each other in a Pilates partner challenge.
Set up stations for different exercises and time how long it takes each pair to complete the challenge.
Pilates with Props
Add some fun to Pilates by incorporating props such as resistance bands, exercise balls, and foam rollers.
Host a class or set up stations for employees to try out different exercises.
4. Outdoor Challenges
Outdoor challenges are fitness challenges that take place outside, usually in a natural environment.
These challenges often involve physical activity, such as sports or outdoor adventure activities.
They are a great way to promote teamwork, build leadership skills, and get some fresh air and exercise. Below are some examples.
Beach Volleyball Challenge
Want to improve your team’s wellness, endurance, and hand-eye coordination? Then organize a beach volleyball tournament for your employees. Here are some ideas:
Blind Volleyball
Divide teams in half and have one team wear blindfolds while the other team gives directions.
This fun twist will add a level of challenge and laughter to the game.
Volleyball Scavenger Hunt
Hide objects on the beach and have players search for them while playing volleyball.
The team that finds the most objects win.
Kayaking Challenge
Rent kayaks and take your employees on a kayaking adventure. This challenge promotes wellness, teamwork, strength, and adventure. Here’s what you can do as an employer:
Kayaking race
Organize a kayaking race for employees, where they compete against each other to see who can paddle to the finish line first.
Kayaking adventure
Plan a kayaking adventure for employees, such as a guided tour through a scenic waterway.
This can be a great team-building activity that allows team bonding while experiencing the outdoors together.
5. Other Fitness Challenges for an Active Team
Meditation Challenge
Your employees can practice meditation for a set amount of time each day for a week or a month.
For example, setting aside 30 minutes for meditation, to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Deskercise Challenge
In this challenge, workers are encouraged to do simple exercises at their desks throughout the workday, such as stretches, squats, or leg lifts.
Water Challenge
As part of this one, employees are challenged to drink a certain amount of water each day, which can help improve hydration levels and overall health.
Your workers can track their progress using various applications like My Water.
Sleep Challenge
Moreover, to boost productivity, employees are encouraged to get a certain amount of sleep each night.
They should be instructed to track their progress, to improve sleep quality and overall health.
Similar to the water challenge, you may instruct your workers to monitor and track their progress using a fitness tracker or fitness apps like BetterSleep.
Workout Buddy Challenge
Employees pair up with a colleague and commit to working out together regularly, which can help boost accountability and motivation.
30 Day Challenge
A 30-day timeframe provides a structured timeline for individuals to set goals and work towards achieving them.
An example of a 30-day challenge could be a “30-Day Healthy Meal Eating Challenge.”
Participants would commit to eating only whole, unprocessed foods for 30 days, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
To burn body fat, employees could track their progress, and share tips and recipes through a shared online platform or group chat.
At the end of the 30 days, participants could share their experiences, creating a sense of accountability around healthy eating habits.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, it can be said that fitness challenges are an excellent way to promote a healthier lifestyle in the workplace.
These challenges can range from daily movement challenges to team-based challenges that promote collaboration and communication skills.
In addition, when implemented as part of a larger wellness program, these challenges can help reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs.
Human resources play a critical role in designing and implementing such programs.
The HR department has to ensure the availability of sports medicine, and paramedic staff before implementing such programs.
Ultimately, investing in employee wellness programs can benefit both the employees and the organization, leading to a healthier, more engaged, and more productive workforce.
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