Changing lives one push up at a time

HEADSPACE Mount Gambier is encouraging Limestone Coast locals to push for better mental health by participating in Australia’s largest mental health and fitness event, The Push-Up Challenge, which kicks off next month.

Participants will take on 3214 push-ups across 23 days in June, to remember and honour the 3214 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2023.

Hundreds of thousands of Australians from all ages and walks of life will participate in the event which engages people in mental health through connection, physical activity and education.

headspace Mount Gambier spokesperson Lucy Savage said the Push-Up Challenge was a great opportunity for Australians to talk about their mental health, learn how to best support each other and recognise when they might need to put their own hand up for help.

“Limestone Coast locals have had so much fun pushing up and learning about mental health with us for the past few years, and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2025,” she said.

“More people than ever before are reaching out to headspace for help and support, and the money raised through The Push-Up Challenge will help us continue to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people in our region.”

From June 4-26, participants of all ages and abilities will do push-ups while learning about mental health, with the number of daily push-ups changing to reflect a vital mental health fact.

And if completing 3214 push-ups feels out of reach, participants can set their own push-up goal, which can also be done as sit-ups, squats or tailored exercises, with progress tracked through a dedicated app.

Founder of The Push-Up Challenge Nick Hudson said the Push-Up Challenge was a fun and accessible way to improve your fitness, learn about mental health and connect with friends, family and community, all while honouring the lives tragically lost to suicide.

“Mental health challenges will affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives,” Nick said. “The Push-Up Challenge aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness through education, and encourage Australians to take a more proactive approach to their fitness and mental wellbeing.”

The Push-Up Challenge is a free event, and participants can choose to fundraise.

In 2024, more than 218,000 participants completed more than 317 million push-ups and raised over $12 million for mental health charities in Australia, taking the total raised since the Challenge’s inception to over $50 million.

A 2024 study by The University of Melbourne found that The Push-Up Challenge has significant behavioural change on its participants, with them experiencing significant improvements in mental wellbeing, resilience and social connection following the Challenge.

It also found that The Push-Up Challenge helps participants who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, with significant reductions in the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms immediately following the event and three months afterwards, highlighting the lasting benefits of movement and community for mental health.

Following the Challenge, participants who reported experiencing a mental health problem were over twice as likely to seek help (including help from a health professional, family member, friend, digital support group or by taking medication), and over three times as likely to adopt self-care strategies such as doing more exercise, spending time in nature, connecting with a friend or family member or spending time with a pet.

Headspace Mount Gambier is encouraging people of all ages, local businesses, gyms, clubs and schools in the area to join Team headspace Mount Gambier.

headspace Mount Gambier Community Liaison Worker, Nick McInerney said the Push Up Challenge combines the promotion of physical health and mental health with many personal benefits for participants.

“The challenge allows participants to tailor their exercises to suit their lifestyle and abilities and also provides mental health statistics and facts for participants each day,” Nick said.

“There is a fundraising element for this challenge as well, of which participants can choose our local centre to raise funds for and we are constantly blown away by the support we receive from our community.

“Whether you are able to raise funds or not – we encourage anyone who is able to, to gather their friends and join a team to push for better. This is an opportunity to connect with friends, family and colleagues, engage in some physical exercise and increase mental health awareness amongst the community.”

The Push-Up Challenge is a free event, and you can register as an individual, a team, or get your whole workplace, club, gym or school involved at www.thepushupchallenge.com.au