3,214 push-ups in 23 days: Are you up for the challenge?
Australia’s largest mental health and fitness event, The Push-Up Challenge, is back for its eighth year in 2025, encouraging Australians to push for better mental health.
Participants will take on 3,214 push-ups across 23 days in June, to remember and honour the 3,214 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2023.
From 4 to 26 June, hundreds of thousands of Australians from all ages and walks of life will participate in the event which engages people in mental health through connection, physical activity and education.
Founder of The Push-Up Challenge, Nick Hudson, said, “The Push-Up Challenge is a fun and accessible way to improve your fitness, learn about mental health and connect with friends, family and community, all while honouring the lives tragically lost to suicide.”
“Mental health challenges will affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives. The Challenge aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness through education, and encourage Australians to take a more proactive approach to their fitness and mental wellbeing.” Hudson said.
The Push-Up Challenge is a free event, and participants can choose to fundraise and support beneficiary partners Lifeline or headspace, or the charity which runs the event, The Push For Better Foundation. Fundraising is an optional part of the event.
“The Push-Up Challenge prides itself on bringing together three of Australia’s major mental health charities with one common goal. With The Push For Better Foundation’s focus on mental health education, Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services, and headspace’s early intervention services for young people, we’ll work together to engage Australians in a holistic conversation about mental health,” commented Hudson.
In 2024, over 218,000 participants completed over 317 million push-ups and raised over $12 million for mental health.
A 2024 study by The University of Melbourne found that The Push-Up Challenge has significant behavioural change on its participants, with them experiencing significant improvements in mental wellbeing, resilience and social connection following the Challenge.
It also found that The Push-Up Challenge helps participants who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, with significant reductions in the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms immediately following the event and three months afterwards, highlighting the lasting benefits of movement and community for mental health.
Following the Challenge, participants who reported experiencing a mental health problem were over twice as likely to seek help (including help from a health professional, family member, friend, digital support group or by taking medication), and over three times as likely to adopt self-care strategies such as doing more exercise, spending time in nature, connecting with a friend or family member or spending time with a pet.
Throughout the Challenge, participants of all ages and abilities push-up while learning about mental health, with the number of daily push-ups changing to reflect a vital mental health fact.
If completing 3,214 push-ups feels out of reach, participants can set their own push-up goal or choose exercise alternatives such as sit-ups, squats or tailored exercises, with progress tracked through a dedicated app.
The Push-Up Challenge 2025 will run from 4 to 26 June. You can register for The Push-Up Challenge as an individual, team, or get your whole workplace, club, gym or school involved at www.thepushupchallenge.com.au.
