Get into the habit or working out every day – or boost your current workout routine – with a printable 30 day workout challenge. Fitness challenges are always popular, but are they really a good way of getting fit? This is a question that comes up quite often. Obviously, 30 days is only a short term plan and there’s a limit to how much difference a few minutes a day can make to your fitness. But there are lots of benefits to doing fitness challenges.
- It’s easy to find the time to fit a daily challenge in, even if you don’t have time for any other exercise.
- There is usually a defined goal to work towards (eg 200 squats) and each day’s progress towards this goal is clear.
- They can help to establish a regular habit of making time to exercise.
- Focusing on a particular aspect of fitness makes it easier to see improvement than it is with an all-round workout program. This increases motivation.
- Finishing the challenge gives a sense of achievement.
- Doing a challenge for 30 days and then moving on to something else helps to avoid boredom with exercise.
- If you’re already a regular exerciser, doing a workout challenge can give your fitness efforts an extra boost
- It can also be a good way for regular exercisers to try something new or work on a different aspect of their fitness. If you run or walk for example, it may be good to do upper body challenges.
A few points to remember with fitness challenges:
- Make sure you choose challenges that are appropriate. If day 1 leaves you exhausted, it’s not going to go well! Day 1 should only be moderately challenging.
- Avoid challenges where there are unrealistic increases from day to day. The increase should be quite small – challenges don’t allow your body much recovery time between sessions.
- No matter how motivated you are, fitness improvement isn’t always predictable. There may be some days where you just can’t achieve the reps for that day even if it’s been going well so far. Don’t worry, just try again tomorrow.
Printable 30 day workout challenge top 10 list
Pilates ring
The inner thigh muscles are harder to target at home than most muscle groups. But the Pilates ring is a good solution. It’s an inexpensive, easily stored piece of equipment that you can use for other exercises too. This challenge focuses on the inner thighs, but also works your core.
Walking challenge
Get into the habit of walking every day with this challenge. Walking is great exercise and outdoor walking is very beneficial for mental health as well as physical.
Waist toning challenge
A standing abs challenge for the oblique muscles that shape our waist.
Elbow plank challenge
Another abs challenge which also works the obliques, as well as the deeper core stabilising transverse abdominal muscle.
Hamstring stretch challenge
Tight hamstrings cause various problems, including poor posture, stiffness and injury. Learn 8 hamstring stretches and stretch every day to improve your flexibility.
Thigh exercises
A standing leg challenge using 3 exercises to firm up your thighs.
Stability ball abs challenge
Stability balls are ideal for training your core, because they force you to engage the core muscles in order to stay stable. This challenge includes 3 of the best stability ball exercises for your abs.
500 squats
Start with 5 squats on day 1 and complete 500 over the 30 days.
Toned shoulders challenge
Working your shoulder muscles improves their tone and improves posture too. The 3 exercises here will shape your shoulders as well as strengthening the muscles below your shoulder blades that pull your shoulders back and down (preventing round shoulder posture).
Push ups challenge
3 push ups variations to tone up your chest, arms and shoulders.
