Every year it seems like a new workout challenge is making the rounds on social media. Maybe you’ve seen that influencer boasting about completing 75 Hard, a challenge in which you do two 45-minute workouts a day and follow a diet, with zero cheat days. Perhaps you’ve considered the “Winter Arc” challenge, in which you set a series of personalized fitness and mental health goals to complete by the end of the chilly season. Or, you’ve read about the 6-6-6 walking challenge making the rounds — that’s 60 minutes of walking a day, at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. — and you’re wondering if your schedule and willpower could handle the daily trek.
If you’re not a workout buff, is diving into a fitness fad going to be a game-changer? Here’s what experts say about the pros and cons of joining the herd.
Viral fitness challenges provide structure
Have you ever walked into a gym and wondered, What the heck am I going to do here for the next hour? Viral fitness challenges can take some of the guesswork out of your fitness routine, says personal trainer Aine Thomas of the Edge Fitness Clubs. She tells Yahoo Life that these challenges create a “sense of structure,” making exercise less daunting overall.
For example, if you are following the 6-6-6 walking challenge, you know that you’re going to get up each day and hit the pavement or treadmill. There’s no mentally draining decision fatigue over whether you should go to a Pilates class or weight train.
Stephen Sheehan, a personal trainer at BarBend, tells Yahoo Life that the strict rules of a viral challenge can also “create a sense of discipline” because you’re committing to returning to a specific routine, day in and day out.
Stephen Darling, a member of the Mindbody + ClassPass wellness council, personal trainer and Barry’s Bootcamp instructor, agrees that these challenges can also be “great for developing habits,” particularly if you haven’t previously made time for regular exercise. For example, if you’re doing a challenge that requires you to hit the treadmill daily, you’ll be figuring out how to fit that into your schedule — say, after work or during lunch. You’ve now built something into your routine you can keep up even after the challenge is done.
One of the biggest motivations to participate in these viral challenges may be that so many people are doing them. “Popular internet challenges like 75 Hard are especially helpful for those that are looking for community,” says Sheehan.
The internet’s an easy place to find others participating in these challenges: 75 Hard has an official Facebook group with more than 46,000 participants, and you can find participants sharing their experiences on other social media platforms like Instagram and Reddit.
And that community element is significant, as research has found that people who share their fitness journey and get encouragement from others online are more likely to stick with their workout routines long term.
Where viral fitness challenges can come up short
Challenges may provide the motivation necessary to kick you into gear, but if they are extremely time-consuming, difficult or exhausting, there’s a good chance you won’t stick with them long term. The 75 Hard challenge, for example, involves strict rules — including one that says that missing a day means you have to start all over again.
And even if you do complete an intense challenge, you could find yourself too fatigued — physically, as well as mentally — to want to continue exercising, Darling notes. That’s not good for your fitness progress overall.
“Long-term success comes from building consistent, sustainable habits,” says Darling. “An intense workout challenge can be great to kickstart things, but building positive, lasting behaviors that enhance your everyday life rather than cause stress is key.”
It’s also possible that a challenge may not do your body much good in the short term, either — especially if they “don’t allow for flexibility or recovery,” says Sheehan. A workout challenge where you have to do a bootcamp class 30 days in a row, for example? That’s only going to cause wear and tear on your body and could even lead to injury — especially if you’re new to exercising.
After all, “recovery is an essential component of daily life, with or without a workout, and should be a part of any routine,” Portia Page, a personal trainer and Balanced Body educator, tells Yahoo Life. “Rest is necessary for muscle repair, nervous system regulation and overall progress. When a challenge ignores these principles, it could do more harm than good.”
Page adds: “Rigid challenges can encourage an all-or-nothing mindset, making people feel like failures if they miss a day. And that can cause more damage than good.”
How else can I find the motivation to exercise?
While some people may find challenges helpful, you don’t need one to move more. Instead, experts say that creating sustainable habits you can take with you throughout your life is more important.
“To cultivate motivation, it’s essential to establish small, achievable goals that you can consistently work towards,” Natalie Grimsley, founder of Lagree studio PlankHaus, tells Yahoo Life. She points out that “fitness isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach” and that “our bodies and minds have unique needs influenced by various internal and external factors.”
Hitting these smaller, more indivualized goals can help make exercise a bigger part of our lives rather than a one-off, adds Thomas. “Motivation is temporary, and while challenges like these can create an initial spark, they don’t always lead to sustainable progress,” she says. “Creating a routine where healthy choices feel natural — like brushing your teeth — is the key to progress without needing constant motivation.”
Sheehan says that one way to build these habits is to aim for “consistency over intensity.” For example, if you’re looking to move more, try doing 30 days of daily movement — whether that’s “a walk, strength training or stretching,” he says. This would allow for “rest and adjustments” based on how you’re feeling. Had a tough day at work, or running on little sleep? A relaxing stroll may be what your body needs. You can save that HIIT class for when you’re in a better headspace.
Want some “challenges” that can build healthy, sustainable habits? Here are some ideas: