Annual Challenge Calendar

ONE MONTH.
ONE MOVE.
ALL YEAR.

Twelve monthly challenges. One movement focus per month. Scale it to your level, do it with your kids, and finish each month stronger than you started. Every challenge includes a printable tracker, family version, and program finisher.

Start January → Join the Community
12
Monthly Challenges
4
Seasons
36
Resources Included
Family
Versions Included
All Challenges
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall & Holidays
️ Winter Season

Movement Foundation

January · February · March
Build the base. Undo the holidays. Establish the habits that carry you all year.
01
January

100 SQUATS TO START

100 bodyweight squats daily × 30 days. Build legs, work capacity, and a training habit after the holidays.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Beginner: 5 sets × 20 reps, split across the day
  • Intermediate: 2 sets × 50 reps
  • Advanced: Goblet squats with kettlebell
Day 30 Finisher
Max squats in 5 minutes
  • 30-day check-off grid with daily rep target
  • Variation selector: bodyweight / goblet / weighted
  • Weekly soreness rating (1–5) and notes line
  • Day 30 max-rep test box with personal record tracker
Penguin Squad Squat Challenge

Kids ages 4–10 do "penguin squats" — feet wide, toes out, waddling between reps. Ages 10+ follow the beginner scale. Race to finish your daily set first. Winner picks what's for dessert.

  • Kids under 8: 15–20 reps, penguin style
  • Kids 8–12: 30–50 reps, bodyweight
  • Teens: match the intermediate scale
  • Weekend bonus: family squat-off — most reps in 60 seconds
  • Track kids' reps on the same printable card
Program Finisher · Reboot / Chassis
Squat Ladder Burnout

Bolt onto the end of any Reboot or Chassis session. Do not rest between rungs.

  • 10 goblet squats (moderate KB)
  • 10 jump squats (or fast bodyweight)
  • 10 split squats each leg
  • Rest 90 seconds — repeat once
  • Total add-on time: ~8 minutes
02
February

DEAD HANG MONTH

Accumulate 1 minute of hanging every day × 30 days. Grip, shoulders, spine decompression, and pull-up prep.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Beginner: 6 × 10 seconds
  • Intermediate: 4 × 15 seconds
  • Advanced: 2 × 30 seconds
  • Grip strength · shoulder mobility · spine decompression
Final Test
Max dead hang — no dropping
  • Daily accumulated hang time log (target: 60 sec)
  • Set breakdown tracker: reps × duration
  • Grip note column: double overhand / mixed / towel
  • Final test personal record box
Monkey Bar Championship

Weekend trip to the playground. Kids compete on monkey bars — who can hang the longest, travel the farthest, or invent the best move. Dad hangs from the pull-up bar or overhead rig. Everyone logs their best hang time.

  • Kids: hang from monkey bars or dad's hands
  • Ages 6+: dead hang challenge — who holds 10 seconds?
  • Teens: match the intermediate protocol
  • Track family records on one shared printable card
Program Finisher · Reboot / Chassis
Grip & Pull Burnout

Add after upper body sessions. Builds directly toward Chassis pull-up goals.

  • Max dead hang (no kipping) — record time
  • Rest 60 sec
  • 10 scapular pull-ups (controlled, dead hang to retracted)
  • Rest 60 sec
  • Max dead hang again — chase your first set
  • Total add-on time: ~6 minutes
03
March

PUSH-UP MARCH

100 push-ups daily. Scale the version, vary the week, and build a chest and shoulders a dad can be proud of.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Week 1: Standard — build the rep base
  • Week 2: Tempo — 3 sec down, pause, explode
  • Week 3: Close grip — hit triceps harder
  • Week 4: Mixed — combine all three
Finisher
2-minute max push-up test
  • 4-week variation plan with daily check-off
  • Form cue reminder: hollow body, full lockout
  • Scaling ladder: wall → incline → standard → weighted
  • 2-minute test tracker for Day 1, Day 15, Day 30
Push-Up Family Ladder

Every evening before dinner: everyone does push-ups together. Start at 5. Each night, add one rep. By the end of March the whole family is doing 35 reps a night. Kids count dad's reps out loud — loudly.

  • Ages 4–7: wall push-ups or incline (couch)
  • Ages 8–12: standard push-ups, 10–30 reps
  • Teens: match dad's variation of the week
  • Weekend: family push-up race — most in 60 seconds
Program Finisher · Reboot / Chassis / Forge
Chest Flush

Bolt onto any upper body or push day. Flushes blood into the chest and shoulders post-heavy-lift.

  • 20 standard push-ups (no rest)
  • 15 close-grip push-ups (no rest)
  • 10 wide push-ups (no rest)
  • Max reps to failure — note your number
  • Total add-on time: ~5 minutes
Spring Season

Work Capacity + Mobility

April · May · June
Carry more. Stand taller. Move like an athlete. Get the family outside.
04
April

CARRY MONTH

Carry weight for 10 continuous minutes every day. Grip strength. Core stability. Posture. This is dad strength made literal.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Kettlebell farmer carry (one or two)
  • Sandbag carry — awkward and effective
  • Loaded backpack carry
  • Child carry walk (bonus points)
Final Test
Longest uninterrupted carry — no set-down
  • Daily carry log: type / weight / duration
  • Weekly load target: +5 lb per week suggestion
  • Posture cue reminder: shoulders back, brace, breathe
  • Longest uninterrupted carry record box
Weekend Family Pack March

Every Saturday in April: family walk with loaded packs. Kids carry their own school or day pack with 10–15% of their bodyweight. Dad carries 20–40 lb. Pick a trail, a destination, or just the neighborhood. Whoever goes the farthest without stopping picks the Saturday activity.

  • Kids 5–8: carry a stuffed pack, 1–2 lb
  • Kids 9–12: loaded school pack, 5–8 lb
  • Teens: 10–15 lb — no complaining allowed
  • Track family distances on a shared log
Program Finisher · Chassis / Forge
Carry Triset

Bolt onto the end of any Chassis or Forge session. Builds grip and core endurance after heavy lifting.

  • 40m farmer carry, heavy — no rest
  • 40m suitcase carry right arm — no rest
  • 40m suitcase carry left arm — no rest
  • Rest 90 sec — repeat once more
  • Total add-on time: ~7 minutes
05
May

PLANK FORTRESS

Accumulate 3 minutes of total plank work daily. Front, side, and RKC variations build the core armor every dad needs.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Front plank — full-body tension
  • Side plank — lateral core and hip
  • Shoulder taps — anti-rotation
  • RKC plank — squeeze everything hard
  • Week 1: 90 sec · Week 2: 2 min · Week 3: 2.5 min · Week 4: 3 min+
  • Daily time log by variation: front / side L / side R / RKC
  • Weekly total target with check-off
  • Form cue reminder: brace like a punch is coming
  • Personal record box: longest single front plank
Who Becomes a Statue Longest?

Before dinner every night, everyone planks together. Timer starts when the last person gets in position. Kids collapse first — usually. Whoever holds longest gets dad to do the dishes. Warning: kids are surprisingly strong at this.

  • Kids 4–7: bear plank (knees slightly off floor), 10–20 sec
  • Kids 8–12: standard forearm plank, as long as possible
  • Teens: side plank challenge — match dad
  • Weekend: full family plank-off with a timer and trash talk
Program Finisher · Reboot / Chassis / Rebuild
Core Armor Circuit

Bolt onto any session. No equipment needed. Total time under 6 minutes.

  • 45 sec front plank — max tension
  • 30 sec RKC plank — squeeze everything
  • 20 shoulder taps each side
  • 30 sec side plank left — 30 sec right
  • Rest 60 sec — repeat once
06
June

10K STEPS DAD EDITION

10,000 steps every day. Zone 2 conditioning and recovery disguised as family time.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Stroller walk · Evening family walk · Hiking weekends
  • One ruck walk per week (10–20 lb vest)
  • Daily step count box with walk type note
  • Family walk check-off column
  • Weekly ruck walk marker (circle the ruck day)
  • Month total: goal 300,000 steps
Family Step Competition

Whole family tracks steps for June. Each person has their own column on the printable card. At the end of each week, total the family's combined steps. Goal: 70,000 family steps per week. Hit it, and Friday is family movie night. Miss it — everyone owes 500 extra steps Saturday morning.

  • Toddlers in stroller count — dad's pushing anyway
  • Kids 5+: use a pedometer or fitness watch
  • Weekend hike: pick a new trail every Saturday
  • Evening no-phone walks: conversation prompts included on printable
Program Finisher · Reboot / Fit Fall
20-Minute Ruck Walk

On any off day, replace a Zone 2 walk with a loaded ruck. Builds posterior chain and burns fat without adding training stress.

  • Load: 10–20 lb backpack or vest
  • Pace: brisk — you should be able to talk
  • Duration: 20 minutes minimum
  • Heart rate target: Zone 2 (130–145 bpm)
  • Optional: add hills for extra posterior chain work
️ Summer Season

Strength Endurance

July · August · September
Sweat with purpose. Build power and endurance. Survive summer with energy to spare.
07
July

SWING INTO SUMMER

100 kettlebell swings daily. Posterior chain. Power. Conditioning. The best single movement for busy dads.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • 10 × 10 — most popular format
  • EMOM style — 10 swings every minute for 10 min
  • Alternate light bell / heavy bell days
Final Test
100 swings for time — beat your Week 1 pace
  • Daily log: reps / weight / format / time
  • EMOM format guide: 10 swings × 10 min
  • Light vs heavy bell notation column
  • Day 1 and Day 30 time-trial comparison boxes
Object Toss Drills for Kids

Kids replicate the hip-hinge pattern with safe objects — a light medicine ball, a stuffed animal, or a pillow. Stand a few feet apart. They "swing" the object forward; dad catches it. Teaches the hinge mechanic, builds explosive power, and they think it's a game. It is.

  • Kids 4–7: soft object toss, focus on hip drive not arms
  • Kids 8–12: light KB or slam ball, 15–20 swings
  • Teens: match dad's KB weight, half the reps
  • Weekend: family swing-off — who hits 50 swings fastest?
Program Finisher · Forge / Winter Warrior
Swing & Squat Ladder

Bolt onto any lower body or power session. Combines posterior chain and quad work for a metabolic finish.

  • 20 KB swings — heavy, hip drive emphasis
  • 10 goblet squats — pause at bottom
  • 15 KB swings
  • 8 goblet squats
  • 10 KB swings — max effort
  • Total add-on time: ~7 minutes
08
August

DADZILLA RUCK MONTH

20-minute ruck every day. Military-style endurance without the pounding of running. Fat burns. Legs build.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Beginner: 10 lb · Intermediate: 20 lb · Advanced: 30–45 lb
Final Event
5K family ruck — everyone carries, everyone finishes
  • Daily ruck log: weight / distance / time / terrain
  • Weekly load progression: +5 lb per week guide
  • Terrain variation log: flat / hills / trail
  • 5K finish time box and family participant names
Weekend Family Park March

Every Saturday in August: family ruck mission. Everyone carries a pack. Pick a local park, trail, or neighborhood loop. Dad carries the heavy pack. Kids carry theirs. Set a mission objective — a picnic spot, a hill, a landmark. Arrive together. This is the training and the memory.

  • Kids 5–8: 1–3 lb backpack — they carry their own snack
  • Kids 9–12: 5–8 lb loaded school pack
  • Teens: 10–15 lb — match the intermediate protocol
  • Final event: 5K family ruck on a trail — Day 30
Program Finisher · Fit Fall / Rebuild
Post-Lift Ruck Walk

On any lifting day, ruck for 20 minutes after the session instead of stretching. Keeps heart rate elevated for fat burn without adding CNS stress.

  • Load: 20–30 lb vest or pack
  • Pace: steady — conversational zone 2
  • Duration: 20 minutes flat
  • No running — this is deliberate recovery cardio
  • Total add-on time: 20 minutes
09
September

LUNGE SEPTEMBER

100 walking lunges daily. Balance, knee health, and single-leg strength — the foundation of how dads actually move.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Split across the day — no need for all 100 at once
  • Weighted · Reverse (easier on knees) · Stationary
Final Test
500 total lunges in a single session
  • Daily log: reps / type / weight / split schedule
  • Set-break guide: morning / midday / evening splits
  • Variation ladder: bodyweight → reverse → weighted
  • 500-rep final session tracker with time-to-complete
Animal Lunge Safari

Kids don't do "lunges" — they do safari animals. Lion lunge: long, slow, powerful. Frog jump: short and bouncy. Bear crawl lunge: hands down, step forward. Whoever does the most creative animal by the end of September gets to name dad's next challenge. Dangerous promise, but it works.

  • Kids 4–7: animal lunges, 10–15 each side
  • Kids 8–12: standard lunges, 20–40 reps
  • Teens: match the intermediate scale, weighted
  • Weekend: hallway lunge race — who gets to the kitchen first?
Program Finisher · Chassis / Forge
Single-Leg Burnout

Bolt onto any lower body session. Targets single-leg strength and balance — the stuff that protects dads from injury decade over decade.

  • 12 reverse lunges right leg, slow and controlled
  • 12 reverse lunges left leg
  • 10 Bulgarian split squats each leg (rear foot elevated)
  • Max walking lunges — count and record
  • Total add-on time: ~8 minutes
Fall & Holidays

Family + Resilience

October · November · December
Finish the year strong. Stay connected. End December in better shape than you started January.
10
October

PULL MONTH

Daily pulling work to counter desk posture, driving posture, and parenting posture. This one is for your back and your future self.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • 25 dumbbell or cable rows
  • 25 resistance band pull-aparts
  • 10 pull-ups or ring rows
  • 50 face pulls — shoulders will thank you
Final Test
Maximum pull-ups or row volume in one set
  • Daily pull type check-off and rep count
  • Posture cue: shoulders down and back, squeeze the orange
  • Weekly overload suggestion: +2–3 reps per week
  • Final test: max pull-ups or max row reps
Resistance Band Family Games

Resistance bands work for everyone. Kids do band pull-aparts, overhead stretches, or seated rows from a doorframe. Turn it into a tug-of-war: dad holds one end of the band, kid holds the other — who can pull the farthest? Safe, loaded, and everyone's working.

  • Kids 4–8: band pull-aparts, 10 reps, light band
  • Kids 9–12: seated band rows, 15 reps
  • Teens: ring rows or pull-up negatives
  • Weekend: family pull-up/chin-up attempt — track everyone's max
Program Finisher · Forge / Winter Warrior / Chassis
Back & Bicep Flush

Bolt onto any upper body day. Targets the posterior shoulder and upper back — the area most dads under-train.

  • 15 face pulls — external rotation emphasis
  • 12 band pull-aparts — straight arms, controlled
  • 10 dumbbell rows each arm, slow eccentric
  • Rest 60 sec — repeat twice
  • Total add-on time: ~8 minutes
11
November

GRATITUDE MILES

Walk 1 mile daily with family. No phones. This challenge is as much about fatherhood as fitness — maybe more.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • 1 mile daily — every single day
  • No phones on the walk — non-negotiable
  • Conversation starters: best thing today? hardest thing today? goal for tomorrow?
Month Goal
30 miles as a family — track and celebrate it
  • Daily log: miles / who walked / one-line gratitude note
  • 30 conversation starter prompts — one for each day
  • No-phone pledge box signed by each family member
  • Cumulative family mileage tracker: goal 30 miles
The No-Phone Family Walk

Phones stay home. Every day. Even Dad's. The conversation starters on the printable card do the work — ask the question, listen to the answer, ask a follow-up. By the end of November you'll know things about your kids you didn't know in September. That's the whole point.

  • Strollers count — 1 mile is 1 mile
  • Kids on bikes or scooters: still counts if dad walks
  • Weekend bonus: nature walk, find a new trail each Saturday
  • Thanksgiving day: family 2-mile walk before the meal
Program Finisher · Rebuild / Fit Fall
Evening Recovery Walk

On any training day, replace your cool-down with a 15-minute walk. Keeps blood moving, improves sleep, and counts toward your daily mile.

  • Post-session: don't stretch, walk instead
  • 15 minutes, easy pace, no destination needed
  • No phone — think about your session, decompress
  • This counts as your daily Gratitude Mile if family joins
  • Consistency target: every session day in November
12
December

12 DAYS OF DADZILLA

Cumulative challenge that builds all year's movements into one holiday gauntlet. End December stronger than January 1st.

Challenge
Printable
Family
Finisher
  • Day 1: 10 squats  |  Day 2: + 10 push-ups  |  Day 3: + plank
  • Day 4: + hang  |  Day 5: + 10 swings  |  …continues daily
  • 100 squats · 100 push-ups · 100 swings · 1 min hang · 2 min plank · Carry walk
Goal
Complete Day 12. End the year as the strongest version of yourself.
  • 12 numbered boxes — each shows that day's full movement list
  • Completion time tracker per day
  • Day 12 gauntlet breakdown with scaling notes
  • Family participant column — everyone signs when they finish Day 12
Family Holiday Gauntlet

Everyone participates — scaled to their level. Kids do the movements in sets of 10–20 instead of 100. The printable card has a kids column. By Day 12, the whole family does a modified version of the gauntlet together — squats, push-ups, hangs, planks, and a carry walk. Best family fitness tradition of the year.

  • Kids 4–7: 10 reps of each movement, assisted where needed
  • Kids 8–12: 25–50 reps, full movement list
  • Teens: 75% of dad's rep targets
  • Day 12: whole family does the gauntlet together before Christmas
Program Finisher · Winter Warrior / Year-End
The Year-Ender

Do this on your last training day of the year. One set of everything. Record every number. These become your baselines for next January's Reboot.

  • Max push-ups in 2 minutes — record
  • Max dead hang — record
  • Max bodyweight squats in 3 minutes — record
  • Max pull-ups — record
  • 1-mile walk time — record
  • Save the card. You'll beat every number next December.

START JANUARY.
FINISH DECEMBER.

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