The best fitness challenges that you can do from home

This last year has been tough on both our physical and mental wellbeing so we are trying to help with the top 5 fitness challenges you can do from home. The gyms and health clubs are closed, organised sports has been postponed and even golf (where I spend the full 4 hours no way near the fairway or fellow players) has been banned. Staying fit has never seemed so challenging with everyone at some point struggling for motivation to do that Joe Wicks workout or the latest EMOM from Instagram. Setting goals and targets is key during these times to keep you working towards something and keep pushing forward and this is where social media has prevailed. TIkTok, Instagram and Facebook have been churning out different challenges to try for months now, some easy and some seemingly impossible.

Here we talk you through the best fitness challenges you can do from home we have seen over the last year for a bit of fun to get you working towards something even if your motivation is on the floor.

#1 – The 5k

Cast your minds back to March/April 2020. The world and their dog were doing the #runforheroes challenge. A 5K run, donate £5 and nominate 5 people to do the same which helped to raise an amazing £5 Million for the NHS. This did result in some incredible 5k times posted on Instagram with multiple teenagers smashing the male 5k World Record to pieces through some strategic pausing on their running app. On the theme of new World Records, March also saw Britney Spears destroy Usain Bolts 100M WR as she posted a 5.97 100M dash on her Instagram to an audience of dubious followers. But as Britney mourned the fact that the Tokyo Olympics had been suspended as she hit her physical peak, the world continued running their 5K’s and getting fit in the process.

A challenge that is both achievable and challenging, the 5K shows a base layer of fitness for runners of all abilities. You can push yourself as hard as you like and always have a yard stick to compare improvements against. Once the trainers are on and you are through the first kilometre, things start to get easier and you get into a good rhythm. There are no barriers here, the government even allow it, so why would you not take the opportunity to get some miles into the legs and improve your overall fitness!!

Dubious 5K times

#2 – The Handstand challenge

Another Instagram viral challenge courtesy of some good looking Hollywood actors got this challenge around most houses in the UK. Starting with a T-shirt on the floor and in a handstand position against a wall, you must put the T-shirt on while staying upside down. Its tough, but with some upper body strength, a little bit of core and balance, you should be able to get there in the end. A tip is to lay the T-shirt in a way that allows you to put your arm straight through while up in the air.

Good old Jake Gyllenhaal with his ponytail, tan and athletic back made it look pretty easy when he took on the challenge. I can only assume that’s why my girlfriend watched it so many times while trying to master the technique…

Film it, stick it on Instagram and show off some upper body strength

Handstand challenge

#3 – Press-up challenge

Next on our list of the best fitness challenges that you can do from home is a tough one – 100 Press ups in 2 minutes. Now unless you are a Navy Seal, you are unlikely to be able to pump 100 straight out. This takes good upper body strength through the chest, shoulder and triceps and a strong will of mind. This took me a few attempts to get right over a few days as one attempt and you are likely burned out for the day.

It requires obviously some strength but also some careful planning to avoid burnout, giving enough breaks to get through it. My suggestion when taking this one on is to go in 10 pressup bursts x 10. Give yourself 3 or 4 seconds between each set to rest and you should have the time to do it. Be prepared for some serious burn through the pectorals and a minging 2 minutes to endure

Good luck..

Press-up challenge

#4 – The Koala challenge

This next home fitness challenge went lit on TikTok and Instagram where perfectly sculpted couples made this challenge look very easy. To the normal couple, carrying some lockdown weight and the stress of living in a house together 24/7, it was not quite so simple. The premise is the ‘Koala’ (Ideally the lighter of the two) climbs around the ‘Tree’ (the strongest) from front round the back and finish where you started face to face.

Now generally speaking you don’t think your partner is necessarily heavy, but a minute of squirming and shuffling round using your neck as a monkey bar, things get a little trickier. As with the press-up challenge, planning and technique is key here. ‘Trees’ should plant their feet wide and hands out to remain balanced engaging the core to be as solid as possible. ‘Koalas’, firstly, try not to strangle your partner during this challenge, secondly use your limbs to wrap around your partner giving you enough support to swing around to the different parts of the challenge.

Try not to injure yourselves or each other but have a go and see if you can beat me and my girlfriends record of an argument within the first 7.8 seconds..

The Koala Challenge

#5 – 30 Day split challenge

Our final one on the list for our Top 5 lockdown fitness challenges is the 30 day split challenge. Now there a lots of variations of the training plan online but the concept is that with specific stretching every day of about 10-15 mins you will build up the flexibility to do the splits.  Now that’s a pretty cool trick to show your pals in the beer garden!!

Another great reason for this challenge is the impact on your mental health stretching and yoga can have on you. Stuck inside, working at home, things can get quite bleak so taking the time to stretch and set yourself up for the day can really make a massive difference. So as a recent yoga convert, I encourage everyone (blokes who cant even tough their shins included) to give this a go and improve your flexibility. Im not saying we will see you in the next Swan Lake at Royal Albert Hall but give this a try and see how far you can get.

Stretching for the splits challenge

So there you have our list of the best fitness challenges you can do from home. A real mix of stuff that hopefully gives you something to focus on or work towards when times are dull at home. Its worth calling out they will all add an edge to whatever training you currently do whether you are into weights, Tennis, football or swimming. Give these a try, take some videos and pictures and let us know how you get on.

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