The 30 Second Challenge
Welcome to the 30 Second challenge. To help keep fit during lock down I have recorded myself doing some different physical challenges in the garden. Why not have a go yourself and try and beat my score. Each challenge takes just 30 seconds to complete and can be practiced every day on your own or as a family. You can try and beat your previous days score and set new targets to overcome. Why not challenge your brother and sisters, mums and dads and see who can get the highest score. No need to worry about space, all these challenges can be done at home, whether in the living room or garden.
You have until next Thursday 30th April to submit your scores and the child with the highest score for each challenge will win a prize. The overall winner will be the person who scores the most points and they will win a free personalised On Your Marks T-shirt.
If you would like to send in a video of you attempting your challenges you can attach them to the submission form and we may put your video up on Class Dojo for all your classmates to see .
Healthy and Safety - Always make sure you exercise in a safe space and although you may want to beat a score please make sure you do not push yourself too hard.
Equipment - You do not need a lot of equipment for the challenges. If you cannot find equipment you can always just try the challenges that do not need them or you can improvise e.g. if you don't have a ball why not try using a ball of sock.
*I'd like to apologise for the terrible landscape filming this week... I will get it right next week.
Input your scores here
30 Second Challenge 1 - Around The Waist
How many times can you circle your waist with the ball, passing it from one hand to the other. Every time the ball passes the start point you score a point.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball.
Mr B score: 32
30 Second Challenge 2 - Figure of 8
Too easy? Let’s make it a little harder. How many times can you circle your legs with the ball, passing it from one hand to the other in a figure of 8 through your legs? Every time the ball goes through your legs you earn a point.
Tips: Keep low, spread your legs, and bend your knees. This will help you keep your speed up as you move.
Finding it difficult? Try circling the ball around one leg for 15 seconds then swap over.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball.
Mr B score: 36
30 Second Challenge 3 – Back Catch
This is a bit of a silly one but good fun. Start with the ball in front of you and toss the ball back over your head bringing your hands behind you to catch it. Then bring it back to the front and start again. Try to get a rhythm going and don’t hit yourself in the head.
Tips: Lean forwards, don’t toss the ball too high and make each throw the same as the last. Bend you knees so you are ready to adjust quickly if you make a mistake.
Finding it difficult? Try throwing the ball up and doing a 360 degree spin each time before catching it.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball.
Mr B score: 15
30 Second Challenge 4 - Bounce Catch
For this one you will need a ball that bounces well. A tennis ball is perfect if you have one, if not try to find a ball that is fully inflated.
Start the clock then bounce the ball in front of you and catch it as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Every time you complete a catch you score a point.
Tips: Use your knees as your suspension, bouncing up and down in a ready position. This will help your reactions if the ball doesn’t bounce where you are expecting it to.
Finding it difficult? Try kneeling down instead. The ball will bounce more quickly but you may be able to do more bounces.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Bouncy Ball.
Mr B score: 38
30 Second Challenge 5 - Wall Catch
For this one you will need a flat surface to bounce the ball against (I suggest not using the kitchen window as it may upset Mums and Dads).
Start by putting your toes against the wall and then take three large steps back.
Start the clock. Using underarm throwing, throw the ball against the wall and catch as many bounces as you can in 30 seconds.
Tips: Try choosing one point on the wall and keep aiming at to make your bounce consistent. Keep your knees bent and legs spread so you ready for every bounce.
Finding it difficult? Try taking a step towards the wall to reduce the distance. You could also try a bigger ball.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball and a Wall.
Mr B score: 27
30 Second Challenge 6 - Racket Bounce
Now we’ve got a rhythm going let’s concentrate on our focus. How many times can you bounce a ball on a tennis racket? Start the watch and attempt to bounce the ball as many times as you can without stopping. Make sure you have plenty of space. Keep count of your bounces or ask someone to count for you.
Tips: Only make small movements with the racket, keep the face (strings) horizontal at all times, then you won’t have to swing and the ball should bounce in the same spot.
Finding it difficult? Try a smaller number of bounces to start. For example, do 5 bounces then stop the clock, rest for a moment and go again. Once you feel more confident try increasing the number of bounces between stops.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball, Tennis Racket.
Mr B score: 78
30 Second Challenge 7 - Pencil Toe Touch
Now lets get those muscles moving and work on that six pack. How many times can you touch your toes in 30 seconds? Start by reaching down to your toes and then straighten up until your arms are above your head and your body is completely straight, then bend and touch your toes again without bending your knees. Every time you touch your toes you earn a point.
Tips: breathe out each time you reach the top and take a deep breath on the way down, this will help you to regulate your breathing so you don’t get too tired
Finding it difficult? If you cannot reach your toes bend you knees slightly to help you. If its easier spread you legs wide and do a star shape toe touch instead.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch.
Mr B score: 23
30 Second Challenge 8 - Pike Toe Touch
Let’s make it a little bit harder. The same move again but this time start by laying down with your arms raised above your head. This movement is similar to a sit up and you will feel your muscles in your abdomen and back start to work hard. You earn a point every time you touch your toes (excuse my bent knees I struggle to reach my toes in this position despite my boat sized feet).
Tips: Try and keep a steady pace so you have momentum each time you lean back that will help you on the way back up to reach your toes.
Finding it hard? Bend your knees slightly so you can reach down to your toes more easily.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch.
Mr B score: 15
30 Second Challenge 9 - Windmill Toe Touch
A great stretch for your arms and shoulders with this one. We are still touching our toes but this time we will alternate touching one at a time. Keep your arms straight and as one goes back the other comes down and touches the opposite toe. Every time you touch a toe you earn a point. The neighbours may wonder what you are doing with this one.
Tips: try and keep your head in line with the toe you are touching this will help keep you body in line and stop your back from aching during the stretch.
Finding it hard? Try standing up straight and instead reach down and touch your right hand on your left toe, then straighten up before bending again and do the opposite, then you can build up to the windmill.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch.
Mr B score: 39
30 Second Challenge 10 - Push the Button
This is a fun one that will help you strengthen your core. How many times can you push the button in 30 seconds? Start in the press up position, then spread your legs to make yourself stable. Start the clock, raise one hand and quickly pat the ball, place it down and repeat with the opposite hand. It looks easy but your body will start to shake as the time ticks down and as you will see in the video it might just give up.
Tips: keep your hands close together so they are spending minimal time off the ground. Keep your body straight but bend your knee as you lean forward to touch the ball.
Finding it difficult? Try starting with your knees on the ground instead. When you feel more confident try one foot and a knee before building to two feet and no knees on the ground.
Mr B score: 60
30 Second Challenge 11 - Sock Grab
This is very similar to the last challenge, and helpful if you don’t have a ball. A ball of socks acts as a handy substitute as long as they are not Dad’s smelly ones. You can still do the Push the button challenge with the socks but to make it a bit harder this time you have to grab them with one hand pick them up and drop them down again meaning your hands spend longer off the floor. How many grabs can you do in 30 seconds? If your getting really good why not try these two challenges with only one hand leaving the other to support you for the whole 30 seconds.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball of un-smelly socks.
Mr B score: 32
30 Second Challenge 12 - Toe Tap
A fun one for all the footballers out there. This will help strengthen your legs. Start with the ball in front of you. Start the clock and attempt to touch your toes on top of the ball as many times as you can in 30 seconds making sure you swap feet each time. For every time you touch you earn a point. This one was really hard to count, even when watching it back so an extra challenge is to find out how many Mr B got, and correct me in your video.
Tips: When your feet come down to the floor stay on the balls of your feet to help you bounce on to the next step. Aim for one spot on the ball to stop it rolling away. Get your arms moving with your body to help keep a rhythm.
Finding it difficult? Try using one leg to start, get used to toe tapping the ball.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, Ball.
Mr B score: 81
30 Second Challenge 13 - Shuttle Run
30 Second Challenge 13 – Shuttle Run
I have to apologise for the lack of running in these challenges, I have twisted my knee so I am limited to what I can do at the moment but I promise to add some more in next time.
For this challenge you will need both mum and dads smelly socks to use as cones (if they are unavailable you can use anything else you have laying around). Place one marker down and walk six steps before placing the next one down.
Nice and simple, each time you reach a marker you score a point. Run as fast as you can and place your hand down next to the marker, use your leg to push off and return to the other side. If you are going to the right use your right hand, and to the left use your left hand (I am only using one to help my balance because of my bad knee).
Tips: When you reach the marker plant your foot flat, this will help you keep your balance and you can then bend your knee and use the power to push off for the next shuttle.
Finding it difficult? Start by side stepping, side to side between the markers and build up your speed slowly to a run.
Equipment Needed: Stopwatch, 2 Markers.
Mr B score: 14.
The Big Sports Quiz
Our lockdown Sports Quiz is now available to try. 50 question's some easy some hard. See how many you can answer correctly or have a go as a family. You can check your score after you've finished and your name will be entered on our Leaderboard.
Click here to begin
