Fitness is a lifestyle, it is something that you need to do and share with your near and dear ones. If you’re tired of working out alone, and want to know of some creative ways to make your group exercising routine interesting and fun, FitnessVigil will give you 5 awesome fitness challenge ideas for groups. Trust us, when working out in a group, time will fly away, and the results will fly towards you!
A Quick Fact
Experts suggest that people who workout with partners, or in groups, tend to stick to the plan for a longer duration and achieve their goals more often as compared to those who workout alone.
A fitness regime seems to be promising before you start, difficult when you are a beginner, and after a point, it gets kind of mundane, especially when you’ve been into it for quite some time. Perhaps you could bring about a positive change in your routine by involving more people in your workout. As mentioned already, it has been observed that group exercises prove to be more fruitful than otherwise. According to Todd A. Astorino, Associate Professor of Kinesiology at California State University, San Marcos, “For long-term weight loss, you need to have social support”. Apart from this, exercising in groups consisting of people who share common fitness goals and challenges also helps in building positive relationships with them, which again contributes to your overall health.
Different fitness challenges can be incorporated to target the long-term goals of how you wish to sculpt your body. These challenges not only induce a sense of healthy competition among members, but also provide the much-coveted motivation and zest that most people fail to find within themselves during a workout session. Take a look at these 5 challenges we have in store for your group.
Fun Group Activity Ideas for Achieving Your Fitness Goals
The Pedometer Boost
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, people who use a pedometer, tend to walk almost 2,000 steps more than those who don’t use one. So, yes, before you start planning a fitness regime for your group, make sure everyone gets a pedometer for sure! You are normally suggested to walk 10,000 steps everyday to keep the weight off your body. However, to make things a little more challenging, your group can start with the treadmill (while wearing a pedometer). The goal is to compete with each other to see who reaches the number (10,000) first. The fun part would be that, in order to win, even those members who resented running would let go of their brisk walk and run! If the whole running on the treadmill challenge is not possible, each group member can wear the pedometer and report back the next day with the number of steps taken. The one who has the highest number is declared the winner.
The Balancing Act
Another fun-tastic activity that exerts your core muscles, abdomen, hips, arms, shoulders, and other target areas, would be to balance your body, as if you are a statue! In fact, it would make sense to take this challenge everyday so that the repetition not only helps in targeting your flab, but also improves your balancing skills over time. You can try different exercises―planks, side-leg raises, V-sit position, and the like. Using props, such as the stability ball and boards, will make things all the more interesting. The fun part would be to see people lose their balance, and watching those who would settle for a compromising in-between position making the activity seem all the more funny. Watch out for these funny sights, as they might be enough for you to lose your balance as to try to control your laughter. Many people prefer closing their eyes to gain more focus. As you might have gauged, the one who stays balanced till the end, wins.
The Super-fast Crunches
Who would deny the benefits of crunches when it comes to toning our upper body? Compete with others in the group, and do as many crunches as you can in 3 minutes! You know, there is something that really pushes you to the extreme when you watch others perform. Call it your willpower, ego, or stubbornness, you automatically start neglecting the pain that your abs feel after reaching a certain number. Slowly, you begin to enjoy that pain, and you push yourself till you see everyone else admiring your determination. If you manage to complete the entire 3 minutes, and reach a number that’s like a record (say, 70 crunches in 3 minutes), compete the alternate day again to see if someone else in the group takes over your title. You can try the same approach with different exercises including push-ups, lunges, squats, and rope jumping. Healthy competition can be extremely rewarding!
The Flexibility Goal
It has been observed that most people struggling with weight issues, also have flexibility issues. When alone, they tend to give up easily if they don’t see their fingers reaching their toes without bending their knees, or when they can’t do a perfect split! However, in presence of a group that is willing to support you, perhaps give you some helpful tips to improve your position, attaining your flexibility goal becomes only a matter of time. Give this challenge a time-frame, varying from 10 to 15 days, or more (if need be). The challenge would be to form a position using your flexibility skills. For instance, the group has to work together to make a perfect circle with their body, as shown in the image above. As a reward, each member gets the picture of the attained goal to be proud of the accomplishment. This task is more of a team effort, as opposed to a competition.
The 30-day Weight Loss Challenge
We wouldn’t be surprised if you tell us that you have tried this challenge a zillion times, and something has always gone wrong! Which is why, we insist that you give it a shot along with people who share the same goal. Share videos of a new exercise, pictures of what you’re eating, your thoughts when you need that firm assurance that these efforts are worth it, and motivation to not let go. Monitor weekly results. Get your food journal and share it with others. See where you or they may possibly be going wrong. Compete with each other to lose more in the given time-frame. Share the tips you come across in the process. With so many supportive hands together, you can make this challenge, a cherished success.
Please Note –
The aforementioned ideas can be modified as per the fitness level of the group members, as not everybody has the same capacity to endure the set difficulty level. It would be wise to take consent of every group member before deciding the activity. Also, it should be very clear that these competitions/challenges are healthy, and that no one should take extreme measures to “win”, especially those measures that may prove to be harmful to one’s health.
It is advisable to conduct these exercises/activities under the guidance of a professional. An experienced trainer would help you do the exercise in the right way. Incorrect posture while exercising may end up affecting the body adversely. For instance, exercises such as squats and lunges, if done incorrectly, may strain your knees. A dietitian who is aware of your medical condition (if you have any) such as diabetes, problems related to the heart, and the like, should be consulted while following a specific diet. Make sure all these professionals give each and every group member the go ahead to proceed with these (or any) fitness challenges. Other than that, it is strictly advisable to consult a trusted healthcare specialist before taking up any physical activity or amending a change in your diet. Your health condition would determine if it is okay for you to take up certain exercises. Hence, a professional consultation is a must.