Join me and get fit this month with the Tricep Dips, Push-Ups, and Jump Squats challenge! It will be fun and challenging. Are you game?
It’s that time once again! Time to unveil next month’s challenge! I need to come clean first. I wasn’t planning on hosting more than one challenge this year. And honestly, the original Burpees challenge was just to hold myself accountable. It turns out, though, that these monthly challenges are really keeping me and countless others in shape. I’m rather enjoying it. So while these FREE monthly challenges are somewhat labor-intensive, they’re well worth it. I think I’ll keep them going through all of 2018. Will you join me?
It’s no secret that a lot of people hem and haw and kvetch and complain about burpees. But it seems I’ve converted more than a few people into my burpee-loving ways — which frankly makes my heart sing. Because burpees are amazing! But as much as I love them, I know there are others that do not. So to that end, challenge-takers have a choice to make: jump squats or burpees?
Tricep Dips, Push-ups, and Jump Squats Challenge
This month we are focusing on tricep dips, push-ups, and either jump squats OR burpees. We’ll follow the same format as the Burpees, Planks, and Push-Ups Challenge. One exercise per day, rest days on Sundays, starting at 30 and ending with 100.
Tricep Dips
Tricep dips are fairly versatile. You can do them on a chair, on a step, on a park bench, or even on the floor.
How to do them:
Beginning in a seated position, place your hands shoulder-width apart behind you on a chair or bench. Walk your legs in front of you and scoot your behind off the chair or bench. Slowly lower your body toward the floor and then straighten your arms.
Variation: If a tricep dip hurts your elbows or is otherwise too hard, don’t dip quite as low.
Push-Ups
If you’re new to the monthly challenges, I like to incorporate push-ups because they work the core, arms, and they’re an easy no-equipment exercise. The variations are endless, too.
How to do them:
From high-plank position, lower your body toward the ground as low as you can safely go. Push your body back up to high-plank position. That’s one push-up.
Variation: If a standard push-up is too hard, you can do a wall push-up, an incline push-up (like on a step, for example), or you can do knee push-ups.
Jump Squats OR Burpees
This it the fun part — you can choose to do jump squats OR burpees. For those that don’t love burpees as much as I do, the jump squat is a better option. Keep in mind if you do a burpee, you get the added benefit of a full body workout including the jump squat.
How to do jump squats:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Lower into a squat and then explosively jump up. Maintain an even tempo for the entire set.
Variation: If repeating jump squats are too difficult, slow the tempo down by taking a 10 second break between each jump.
How to do burpees:
From a standing position, squat down, put your hands on the ground in front of you, and jump your legs back so you’re in a high-plank position. From there, do a push-up, then jump your feet back in toward your hands, and jump up. That’s one burpee.
Variation: If this is too hard, you can skip the push-up. Simply jump your legs out to high-plank position and then jump them back in toward your hands.
Ready to see the challenge?
Week 1
Sunday — REST
Monday — 30 tricep dips
Tuesday — 30 push-ups
Wednesday — 30 squat jumps OR burpees
Thursday — 40 tricep dips
Friday — 40 push-ups
Saturday — 40 squat jumps OR burpees
Sunday — REST
Week 2
Monday — 50 tricep dips
Tuesday — 50 push-ups
Wednesday — 50 squat jumps OR burpees
Thursday — 60 tricep dips
Friday — 60 push-ups
Saturday — 60 squat jumps OR burpees
Sunday — REST
Week 3
Monday — 70 tricep dips
Tuesday — 70 push-ups
Wednesday — 70 squat jumps OR burpees
Thursday — 80 tricep dips
Friday — 80 push-ups
Saturday — 80 squat jumps OR burpees
Sunday — REST
Week 4
Monday — 90 tricep dips
Tuesday — 90 push-ups
Wednesday — 90 squat jumps OR burpees
Thursday — 100 tricep dips
Friday — 100 push-ups
Saturday — 100 squat jumps OR burpees
Sunday — REST
Monday — ***bonus round*** 30 of each exercise!
Join me on Facebook!
Remember, if something feels too hard or you can’t make the targeted numbers for each day, no sweat. You don’t have to do the entire amount of each exercise in one go. You can split it up through the day if that’s easier. Be sure to bookmark this post so you can refer back to it throughout the month. Better yet, join me in the challenge group on Facebook for added accountability and fun!
If you do choose to participate in the April challenge, take selfies and tag me (@running_onhappy on Instagram and Twitter) using hashtags #NoExcuses and #RunningOnHappy for your chance to win an amazing surprise prize pack. The more you participate and tag, the greater your chances of winning!
This challenge officially begins Sunday 4/1 and ends on Monday 4/30.
Want to learn about the past challenges I’ve hosted? Check them out here:
LET’S DO THIS!!!
xo
Let’s talk!
Have you joined any of the past challenges?
Which exercise are you most looking forward to this month?

46 Comments
You know what’s funny? As soon as I read tricep dips, I could feel the burn. Hahaha!
Hahaha! It’ll be a good burn, though. 🙂 My triceps need it so bad…
Thank you for doing this! I don’t know if I will sign up as I have not kept up with the last two. But I will print the copy so I can do on my own.
Don’t even worry about it! You should definitely join. 🙂 It’s fun!
I LOVE pushups! I cannot WAIT to get back to working out!
I bet you’re so ready to get back to normalcy!
I struggled to keep up with the last challenge, but I did learn one thing and that is the benefit of those burpees! I had fun (if you can call it that) incorporating them in my running intervals. I’m going to keep doing that.
I’m so glad you’re a believer!! I wouldn’t steer you wrong, I promise!
I struggled to keep up with the last challenge, but I did learn one thing and that is the benefit of those burpees! I had fun (if you can call it that) incorporating them in my running intervals. I’m going to keep doing that.
This looks like an awesome workout! I’ll definitely have to give this one a try to switch up my current workout routine 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I hope you join! It will be lots of fun.
What? No burpees? (thank goodness) Though I see you couldn’t help but put them in there as an option. I’m still a Maybe (as always). My shoulder is much better but don’t think it’s up to dips or pushups. (always an excuse 🙂 )
Haha! Always an excuse, Debbie!!!
I can feel the burn just thinking about those jump squats! I have been adding them into my strength training recently and they are effective!
Yeah jump squats are no joke!
You have such good challenges! I would go with burpees, I love them as well! Although I like jump squats as well!
You could always do both… just sayin… ?
That is quite the challenge!!! I would have to go with jump squats 🙂
Jump squats aren’t easy, that’s for sure!
Oh just the title of this post makes my thighs hurt 😉 Lol! I do love some good jump squats though!
Haha! It will be an effective workout, no doubt about that. ?
I LOVE THIS!!! And I love all of these moves because I do them all the time. They are simple, effective, and you can do them anywhere!
YES!!! Finally someone on my side. ??
I’m already loving this challenge! I’m committed to doing more strength training this training cycle and this fits in perfectly!
Fantastic! I’m so glad you’re joining again!!
this looks like a great workout! I love doing tricep dips. they kill in no time!
Tricep dips are one exercise I don’t do consistently. I’ll feel the burn rather quickly!
I love burping… but I do not love burpees – thus, I will NOT do them! hahahahah! I will do any other exercise except those LMFAO
Haha! Jump squats are yours, girl. ?
That’s a pretty neat challenge! It took something like this a long time ago to start seeing muscle definition. Now I keep at it and I LOVE arm days!
That’s fantastic! Keep up the good work!
Once the baby’s out, I plan on doing this challenge! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Excellent! Your baby will be here in no time!
I’m tired just reading through the exercises for this challenge. Phew!
Haha! They’re fun. You should join. ?
This looks like another great challenge! Im already so sore from my new phase of strength training, I don’t think I can add anything else in!
Well, you probably know I’m in (again). I wound not consider myself a burpee – loving guru…but I definitely hate them a lot less 🙂
Another great challenge! Now to decide…squat jumps or burpees???
I have to be very careful with triceps dips. I’ve had tendinitis in both elbows in the past — badly. I haven’t had much problems in years, but a few years back I had a flare out of the blue. My body likes to do stuff like that!
So no, again, I’m going to bow out. But I will keep doing a strength training routine. 🙂
This sounds like a great challenge! It is perfect for me to as I will be a able to do it anywhere while traveling!!
I love push ups. Another awesome challenge. Jump squats? That’s a love hate relationship.
I LOVE that you will be doing these challenges all year! Once I get this marathon training out of the way, I look forward to joining in the fun in May!
[…] glad that I stuck with it! I’ll be joining Rachel and a bunch of other ladies for the Tricep Dips, Push-Ups and Jump Squats Challenge for April! These challenges work in perfectly with my goal to do more strength training […]
[…] think twice about leaving Cleveland and while I maintained my workouts through the Total Body and Tricep Dips and Push-Ups challenges, as much as I “wanted” to run and exercise, I only logged one mile of family […]
[…] This was an unexpected rest day. The weather was so yucky outside and I was pretty beat from work so I just decided to rest, but I still did 30 push-ups for Rachel’s challenge. […]
[…] This was an unexpected rest day. The weather was so yucky outside and I was pretty beat from work so I just decided to rest, but I still did 30 push-ups for Rachel’s challenge. […]