YMCA launches its March Madness Exercise Challenge

SIKESTON — Citizens looking for something new to do in the gym this March may participate in the YMCA of Southeast Missouri’s March Madness Exercise Challenge.

Eric Chapell, director of regional programming at the YMCA, said the March Madness Exercise is for anyone who wants to try something new this month. 

“It’s basically just a bracket,” Chapell said. “For example, it pairs up two exercises and you can do four exercises a day, so squats versus lunges, and then step ups versus sumo squats.”

According to Chapell, it is similar to the March Madness NCAA bracket, but instead of basketball teams, it features exercises. 

“It’s just set up like an actual March Madness bracket,” Chapell said. “So throughout the month, residents who want to participate in the challenge can do four exercises each day and by the end of the month, you will have your favorite exercise.

Chapell continued: “So it’s basically just competing exercises, one against another. It’s a challenge that gets you to challenge yourself and figure out what you like and what you don’t like but just in a format of March Madness.”

The bracket includes 64 different exercises divided into four groups: leg exercises, abs and cardio exercises, chest and triceps exercises, and back and biceps exercises, each with 16 exercises.

Squats, reverse lunges, calf raises, sit ups, split jumps, jump rope, push ups, tricep kickbacks, skull crushers, pull ups, single arm rows, hammer curls, and many more are among the exercises on the bracket.

According to Chapell, he is excited to see who participates in the challenge, and some people have already expressed an interest. 

Chapell said the YMCA tries to hold a fitness or wellness challenge every month or every other month, and that these challenges are important.

“We’ve done a Spring Into Fitness Challenge, Month of Wellness Challenge, Christmas Tree Challenge,” Chapell said. “We try to do challenges based on the time of year and what’s the most fitting.”

Chapell said some of their challenges are very successful.

According to Chapell, one of the YMCA’s biggest challenges is the Iron Man Triathlon Challenge, which will take place in April.

“For Iron Man Triathlon, it’s normally a pretty popular one we do, and we give T-shirts away for each person that finishes,” Chapell said.

Chapell said to participate in the March Madness Challenge, individuals can get a bracket at the YMCA in Sikeston.