DAY 15

Start a workout challenge with friends or colleagues

A bit of friendly competition and encouragement goes a long way to helping you maintain your fitness goals.

From handstands to dog walks, at-home Pilates workouts and Latin dance sessions, the Merrithew^™ team has been very active (and creative) this month thanks to a 30-Day Virtual Fitness Challenge that was spearheaded by the Merrithew Studio team.

The goal of the challenge was to motivate staff to keep fit while working from home, says Client Services Manager at the Merrithew Studio Rebecca Burrell.

Participants were asked to form groups of four and complete as many mindful movement workouts as they wanted over the course of April, documenting each workout in a private Facebook group. The team that completes the most workouts by the end of the month will win a free lunch.

“The challenge has exceeded our expectations,” Rebecca says. “I've heard from many participants (and I feel the same) that it has really helped to motivate and inspire everyone to keep active. It has also been a great way for all of us to stay connected while working separately.”

Interested in starting a fitness challenge to keep your friends, family or colleagues motivated?

Here’s how to do it:

1. Set the rules: Create the rules of the challenge so everyone knows what’s expected and how to participate. Keep the game accessible so everyone— no matter their fitness level or experience— can join in.

Our rules were: Any time you complete 30-minutes of mindful movement (any form of purposeful exercise), post a photo or video on Facebook and add it to your group’s tally. The photo doesn’t have to be a selfie, it can be a photo of your props, your view, your cat/dog, etc. (Brownie points for fun and creative images.) The group with the most workouts at the end of April wins.

2. Encourage regular engagement: To keep our Facebook feed lively and upbeat, and to keep everyone motivated to keep pushing it, we requested that participants post their photos on the day they completed their workout. Get participants to tag their teammates or hashtag their team name to generate some friendly competition.

3. Let loose and get creative: Let participants get creative and show their personalities through their fitness choices. What form of fitness do they like best? How are they improvising at home? (We’ve seen bags of books being used for weightlifting exercises.) Get them to share their workouts and trade fitness goals so that the feed becomes a source of valuable content and information.

4. Celebrate each other: Are you impressed by how many push-ups your colleague can do, how fast or far they can run or bike, or how dedicated they are to their Pilates practice? You’ll probably learn something new about your colleagues in the process. Comment, like, and celebrate your team!

5. Set a goal/prize: A little carrot at the end helps motivate people, so set the end date and a goal in sight. Is it a free lunch, a prop or free classes/workouts?

Now that that’s done, how are you going to keep up the momentum over the coming months? Let us know on social @Merrithew! Tag #MerrithewWorkout #MerrithewConnect #Merrithew28Days.