Why do you need sporting challenges? 5 good reasons to challenge yourself and others

The idea was supported by Pete’s baseball teammates, and each of them, according to the rules of the challenge, passed the challenge to three other acquaintances or just famous people. Over time, the number of participants dousing with ice water from a bucket exceeded 17 million, and managed to collect $ 115 million. Among the participants of this challenge noted Vin Diesel, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Robert Downey Jr, Dwayne Johnson, Eminem and many other foreign media-persons. There were Russian participants too – Philip Kirkorov, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Evgeny Plushenko.

Another hard-hitting sports challenge from Russia is the Race of Heroes. The event takes place in 14 cities from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka, each location has its own conditions. Participants of the “Race of Heroes” at the most popular training ground – in Alabino – need to run a distance of 10 kilometers and in parallel pass 52 different obstacle courses.

Another annual competition organized by the Turkish Olympic Committee is a mass swim across the Bosphorus Strait, which separates the Asian and European continents. The distance to be covered by the participants is 6.5 kilometers, and it should be done in two hours. Those who fail to meet the specified time are disqualified by the organizers. This is also a kind of challenge.

Why take part in a sports challenge?

To prove to yourself – “I can do something difficult!”. It is the difficulty of accomplishment that creates value. The apple from the top of the tree is likely to seem more delicious than the juicy fruit that just fell from it. So when we accomplish tasks that are difficult for us and others, we have reason to be proud of ourselves.

To infect others with the sport. In this case, on the one hand, we are an example of some activity in sport, and on the other hand, we create a community of similarly active people around us. It is always more fun together.

Inspire ourselves for further achievements. When we see that we can do something difficult and cool, we want to continue. The pleasure hormones – endorphins, a strong sports drug – actually drive us to develop further. And if sport is enjoyable, that’s cool.

Create/support a new trend. To be in a hangout, to participate in popular activities, to generate such activities yourself – this is a recognition from the environment that we are an active, accepted member of society. It means we are useful and doing something right.

To entertain ourselves. The most understandable motive in creating a challenge is simply to have fun. And if so, then as Mikhail Boyarsky sang in a famous song – why not?

Denis: Challenges should be approached with caution, because some of them can be dangerous. For example, a challenge to eat a certain product can cause allergies or indigestion. A difficult coordination skill or lifting heavy weights can lead an unprepared body to injury. But for the most part, sporting challenges still have positive messages and benefit both the authors and the participants. To accept a challenge, you need to show will, prepare to fulfill a difficult task, perhaps involving helpers. And to create a challenge you also need to use your wits.