How To Prepare For The Sweat Challenge

So you’ve decided to join thousands of women around the world for the Sweat Challenge? Woohoo! We’re so glad to have you here and can’t wait to get started on Monday 9 January. 

No matter where you’re at on your fitness journey, the Sweat Challenge is the perfect opportunity to have some fun, work towards your goals and start your year feeling confident and empowered. 

Whether you’re looking to mix up your routine, feel strong inside AND out, make fitness a habit, build your workout confidence or level up your training - the Sweat Challenge is the perfect way to start 2023 strong as you commit to your health and fitness goals.

That’s why, this year, we’ve got four new Sweat Challenge programs from Sweat Trainers Kayla Itsines, Kelsey Wells, Cass Olholm and Britany Williams that have been created with your goals in mind.  

Before the Sweat Challenge begins, here are a few things that might help you as you get ready to smash the six weeks ahead. Don’t worry, there’s nothing to be nervous about. Your chosen Sweat Trainer and the Sweat Community will be cheering you on every step of the way. You’ve got this!

Register and select your program

If you haven’t already, make sure you’ve registered for the Sweat Challenge in the Sweat app and selected your program.

Sweat Trainers Kayla Itsines, Kelsey Wells, Cass Olholm and Britany WIlliams have each designed a brand-new Sweat Challenge program to help you thrive in 2023. What can you achieve in six weeks?

You can choose from:

• Mix It Up Challenge with Kayla
• PWRful You Challenge with Kelsey
• Level Up Challenge with Cass
• Core, Balance & Burn Challenge with Brit

If you’re keen for a throwback, you can also choose from six of the Sweat Community’s all-time favourite programs:

• PWR Challenge with Kelsey
• High Intensity Strength at Home Challenge with Cass
• Yoga with Phyllicia Challenge with Phyllicia
• High Intensity Zero Equipment Challenge with Kayla
• Low Impact Barre Strength Challenge with Brit
• FIERCE at Home with Chontel

Get familiar with the Sweat app

If you’re new to Sweat, have a look through the different tabs to get familiar with how to use the app. The Planner tool is going to be especially helpful for planning your weekly workouts and recovery days around your other commitments. You can also click the Community tab to see helpful articles or be part of the Sweat Community discussions in the forum!

Are you ready to Sweat?

Make sure you’ve got everything you need for your workouts and recovery, such as workout clothes, shoes, a drink bottle and headphones. 

If you’re working out at home, you might need a few pieces of equipment like dumbbells, a yoga mat, a resistance band or skipping rope depending on your Sweat Challenge Program. If you’re going to complete your Sweat Challenge program in the gym, check out these gym bag essentials, make sure your membership is ready to go and get familiar with the facilities. 

Here’s a breakdown of the equipment needed for each Sweat Challenge program, with the four brand NEW programs listed at the top:

• Mix It Up Challenge with Kayla:
  Dumbbells, skipping rope, chair/bench, step, resistance band. This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• PWRful You Challenge with Kelsey:
  Dumbbells, bench, resistance band, recovery band, step. This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• Level Up Challenge with Cass:
  Barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, plyo box, chin-up bar, gym rings, wall ball, skipping rope. This program has been designed for gym-based workouts.
• Core, Balance & Burn Challenge with Brit:
  Dumbbells, resistance band, chair. This program has been designed for at-home workouts. 

• PWR Challenge with Kelsey:
  This program has been designed to be completed in the gym and requires a range of gym equipment.
• High Intensity Strength at Home Challenge with Cass:
  Dumbbells (ideally one light set and one heavy set), kettlebell and skipping rope. This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• Yoga with Phyllicia Challenge:
  No equipment needed. This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• High Intensity Zero Equipment Challenge with Kayla:
  No equipment needed. This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• Low Impact Barre Strength Challenge with Brit:
  Dumbbells, chair and resistance band (small loop). This program has been designed for at-home workouts.
• FIERCE at Home with Chontel:
  Chair, dumbbells, skipping rope, step, kettlebell and resistance band (small loop). This program has been designed for at-home workouts.

Connect with the Sweat Community

As well as engaging in the forum, you can follow @Sweat and your trainer on Instagram for tips, videos, encouragement and laughs, or to connect with other women from around the world. You might even find a workout buddy who is following the same program as you!

Keen to share your journey and get to know other women in the Sweat Community? Many Sweat members have Instagram accounts they use to  share their health and fitness journeys if that’s your thing!

Let your goals lead the way

Each Sweat Challenge program comes with a weekly workout goal to help guide and structure your week, but you might have your own personal goals. What do YOU want to get out of the Sweat Challenge? What goals will keep YOU motivated? When you select your program you can also choose one of the following goals to keep you motivated and give you direction:

• Mix up my routine
• Feel good - inside AND out
• Take my training to the next level
• Make fitness a habit

Have a think about which of these goals resonates with you the most, and things like how many workouts you want to complete each week or what you want to see improve, such as your cardio fitness, strength, confidence or overall wellbeing. Having a clear direction before you start will help keep you going on the days when you feel less motivated.

Nutrition is key

Fueling your body with nutritious foods plays a big part in helping you achieve your health and fitness goals, and during the Sweat Challenge you’re going to have more energy for your workouts and improve your recovery if you’re keeping your body nourished and hydrated. 

Everyone has different preferences, budgets and time available, so decide what will help set YOU up each week to eat well and do what you can to get ready for week one. 

That could mean doing a weekly food shop, making a list of meals or doing some meal prep, choosing some sources of protein you like to eat, or aiming to have more vegetables on your plate. 

We know the cost of living crisis is having an impact on the cost of our grocery bills, so take a look at these hacks to help you save at the supermarket checkout.

Find your support crew

Creating new healthy habits is exciting and feels great, but it can be tough at times. Find someone encouraging who you trust and let them know your goals for the Sweat Challenge, and where you might need their support. 

If being held accountable is a big motivator for you, you could ask them to send you a weekly message checking how many workouts you’ve completed or how you’re tracking towards your goals. If you find it hard to stay motivated, maybe a few encouraging texts throughout the week would keep your spirits up! 

Finding a workout buddy is another great way to create some accountability and make your workouts more fun - this can either be in person or virtually!

Know the signs of improvement

When you’re participating in the Sweat Challenge, it’s normal to want to see some kind of progress or results, and those changes can often be a big motivator. Keep in mind, not all improvements are physical or visible in a mirror.

Check out this article on eight signs your fitness is improving, such as better sleep, more energy, enjoying healthy food more, feeling stronger, or having your friends and family notice changes. This guide can also give you an idea of how long different elements of fitness progress can take!

Time to get moving

Whether you’re no stranger to the Sweat Challenge or this is your first time working out in a while, it’s a good idea to get your body moving in the days or weeks leading up to the start of the Sweat Challenge. This could be your usual workout routine, or something more gentle like walking, cycling, jogging and stretching to prepare your body for the regular movement to come. Ready, set, Sweat.