How it works

The Push-Up Challenge is Canada’s largest annual mental health-focused fitness event.

Each push-up represents a life lost to suicide

From February 11 to 28, 2025, participants will complete 2,000 push-ups (or a more accessible variation of this), which represents the ~2,000 lives lost to suicide each day, worldwide.

Daily push-up targets and Mental Health Facts

Each day of the Challenge, you'll receive a different push-up target, which corresponds to an important Mental Health Fact. Read and share the facts to start mental health conversations and help smash the stigma around mental illness.

Options for all fitness levels

If push-ups aren’t your thing, you can still participate. Substitute push-ups with alternative exercises, like sit-ups, squats, jumping jacks - anything goes. You can also choose to aim for 50% of the push-up target and smash out 1,000 push-ups instead of 2,000.

Go solo or team up and push together

We recommend creating a Team/ Community with your mates, workplace, gym, club, school or family to stay motivated and have some fun. Scroll down to find out more about Teams and Communities. You can also participate solo.

Track your progress and get daily updates on the app

Use the free app to get the daily push-up targets and facts, bank (aka log) your push-ups and keep track of your progress. The app also gives you access to a heap of tips, personalised resources, your individual/ Team/ Community stats and more.

Fundraise to make a difference

You can choose to raise funds for your local CMHA branch or CMHA National while you push. The Canadian Mental Health Association supports people living with mental illness, as well as preventing mental ill-health and promoting mental health and resilience for all Canadians, so every dollar you raise (or donate) will make a difference.

Why take on The Push-Up Challenge?

Get fit and challenge yourself
Learn about mental health
Feel more connected by being part of something bigger
Make a difference to mental health outcomes by raising awareness, reducing stigma and fundraising for CMHA

How to team up

People can sign up solo, as part of a Team or a Community. Most workplace organizations will have a Team at the very least, or multiple teams which form a Community.

For up to 10 people, create a Team
When you create a Team, you can invite people to join you and track your collective stats and individual rankings.

For >10 people, create a Community
A Community is a collection of Teams. When you create a Community, you can invite people to join or create their own Team within your Community. You can also track your collective stats, as well as see Team and individual rankings.

Are you ready?

Donate