{"id":3403,"date":"2025-02-20T01:38:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T14:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/four-30-day-fitness-challenges-worth-trying.html"},"modified":"2025-02-20T01:38:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T14:38:25","slug":"four-30-day-fitness-challenges-worth-trying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/four-30-day-fitness-challenges-worth-trying.html","title":{"rendered":"Four 30-Day Fitness Challenges Worth Trying"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve probably heard the saying, \u201cIt takes 21 days to form a habit.\u201d Unfortunately, it\u2019s not quite that easy \u2014 research shows that habit formation, on average, actually takes around 66 days.<\/p>\n<p>Still, you have to start somewhere, and a 30-day fitness challenge might sound like a great way to kick off a\u00a0healthy new habit.<\/p>\n<p>But take some time to pick the challenge that will help jumpstart your fitness journey. Here are a few popular challenges to try.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Burpee Challenge<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>A mainstay in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, this full-body move boosts your heart rate, ignites calories, and might help tone your legs and shoulders.<\/p>\n<p>Once you get the\u00a0proper form\u00a0down, you\u2019ll work your way from 10-to-100 burpees over 30 days. Some tips include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>As you start, break your reps into sets, giving yourself breaks in-between.<\/li>\n<li>Expect to hit your stride in the second week.<\/li>\n<li>By the third week, the challenge is on! Get comfortable being uncomfortable, and take longer breaks to aid recovery.<\/li>\n<li>The final week of the challenge is rough, but stick with it, you\u2019re almost there!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>2. Squat Challenge<\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143713\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/22105701\/30-day-fitness-challenges-600-squat.png\" alt=\"squat demo | 30 day fitness challenges\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Target your butt and legs with this\u00a0lower-body staple. If you have trouble finding a consistent place to work out or don\u2019t have access to equipment, this might be the challenge for you.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the basics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Numbers will vary, but you\u2019ll start by doing 15-50 squats per day, working up to as many as 250.<\/li>\n<li>Similar to the burpee challenge, you\u2019ll fall into your rhythm in week 2 and feel challenged by week 3.<\/li>\n<li>You may find the true challenge isn\u2019t performing the workout, but the boredom that comes with doing 100-plus squats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>3. Plank Challenge<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143712\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/22105657\/30-day-fitness-challenges-600-plank.png\" alt=\"plank demo | 30 day fitness challenges\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Jump-start your quest for six-pack abs with this challenge that can include\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">planks and the hollow body hold<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>This challenge might consist of combinations of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>planking 30 seconds to 3 minutes<\/li>\n<li>performing the hollow body hold 10 seconds to 1 minute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Take breaks when you need to and try not to get frustrated if there are days when you struggle to complete some of the moves.<\/p>\n<h2>4. T-Minus 30<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143711\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/22105651\/30-day-fitness-challenges-600-t-minus-30.png\" alt=\"hunter mcintyre t minus 30 | 30 day fitness challenges\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Designed with the Tough Mudder course in mind, T-Minus 30 includes calendars and training programs to help you lose weight and get in shape without going to a gym \u2014 all you need is a couple sets of dumbbells.<\/p>\n<p>Four-time Tough Mudder X champion Hunter McIntyre has designed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>21 unique workouts, five days a week of work, and one day of mobility<\/li>\n<li>Tips for hydration, fuel, proper footwear, how to gear up for race day<\/li>\n<li>Pointers for conquering the Mudder\u2019s toughest obstacles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>T-Minus 30 is just one of the fun, proven programs included with a BODi membership. Sign up for the app to get started!<\/p>\n<h2>5. Yoga Challenge<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-164496\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/25141444\/bodyweight-vs-weight-training-600-yoga52.jpg\" alt=\"Woman Does Yoga | Bodyweight vs Weight Trainging\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>A 30-day yoga challenge is a great way to build a strong foundation for your practice, whether you\u2019re still at the beginner level or getting back on a consistent schedule. BODi\u2019s Yoga52 program offers a 30-day yoga foundation calendar that\u2019ll help you progress in mastery over different poses.<\/p>\n<p>These yoga videos are led by expert yoga instructors and provide cueing so precise that you don\u2019t even have to look up at the screen.<\/p>\n<h2>Will You See Results From a 30-Day Fitness Challenge?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes \u2014 but they might not be the type of results you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf your goal is to work up to 250 consecutive bodyweight squats, then you shouldn\u2019t expect much in the way of muscle growth, for example,\u201d says Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s because what you\u2019re training in that kind of challenge is muscle endurance, which focuses on the smaller \u2018Type I\u2019 fibers, rather than muscle strength, which focuses on the larger \u2018Type II\u2018 fibers that have greater growth potential,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, doing endless bodyweight squats will make you really good at doing endless bodyweight squats \u2014 and perhaps entice you to be more active on a regular basis \u2014 but you likely won\u2019t get the perfectly-sculpted booty you were expecting.<\/p>\n<p>And while a 30-day abs challenge can strengthen your core, it takes proper nutrition and loads of calorie-burning workouts for you to lose sufficient body fat to reveal what you\u2019re really after: a six-pack.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why most challenges \u2014 especially highly focused ones like abs or squat challenges \u2014 aren\u2019t substitutes for a well-designed training plan; they should be completed in addition to one,\u201d says Thieme.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo choose your challenge wisely, making sure that you can integrate it easily into your existing program or that it really can stand alone, as might be the case if the goal is to, say, complete 30 workouts and recovery sessions in 30 days.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Is It OK to Train the Same Muscles Every Day?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-143786\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/25110429\/30-day-fitness-challenges-600-stock-squat.png\" alt=\"woman doing home workout | 30 day fitness challenges\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>In the context of a 30-day challenge, yes.<\/p>\n<p>And the reason is that you likely won\u2019t be training those muscles exclusively every day \u2014 the challenge will be layered on top of and integrated into your existing exercise routine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDoing squats daily for a month is okay as long as you account for that challenge in your training plan by, say, dialing back the amount of leg work you typically do,\u201d says Thieme.<\/p>\n<p>When not doing a challenge, you likely won\u2019t want to target the same muscles every day \u2014 or simply work out every day, for that matter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRecovery is an essential (and often overlooked) element in training programs,\u201d says Thieme, adding that if you never take recovery\/rest days, you might actually see a decrease in fitness gains and workout performance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour muscles don\u2019t grow during workouts, they grow between them. If you never allow them enough time to repair and recover, you\u2019ll shortchange your results and increase your risk of injury.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What Happens After the 30-Day Challenge Is Over?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cA 30-day fitness challenge is a great way to encourage people to get moving and keep them motivated for that short amount of time,\u201d says Vane Padula, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, the key to weight loss and physical fitness is consistency. The 30-day challenges will only be effective long-term if you remain physically active once the challenge is completed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Our advice: Choose another challenge in the form of a more extensive workout program.<\/p>\n<p>Your 30-day challenge has gotten you off the couch and into physical activity, so keep going!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo matter what your ultimate fitness goals are, you\u2019ll achieve them faster if you keep challenging yourself,\u201d says Thieme. \u201cThat\u2019s what fuels motivation, which in turn fuels consistency and results.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve probably heard the saying, \u201cIt takes 21 days to form a habit.\u201d Unfortunately, it\u2019s not quite that easy \u2014 research shows that habit formation, on average, actually takes around 66 days. Still, you have to start somewhere, and a 30-day fitness challenge might sound like a great way to kick off a\u00a0healthy new habit. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3403"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3405,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403\/revisions\/3405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}