Your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds may be packed with friends posting videos of themselves doing push-ups lately.
Just two years after the rise of the Ice Bucket Challenge, a new craze has popped up: the 22 Push-Up Challenge. #22Pushups has a goal of trying to reach 22 million push-ups – its premise stems from the military and the challenge is meant to honour those who served their country and raise awareness for post-traumatic stress disorder and veteran suicide prevention.
The premise is nearly identical to the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS. Before you do your 22 push-ups, you must state your name, why you’re doing the push-ups or who you may be doing them for, and then challenge three friends to continue the trend.
After that, the challenge is to do 22 push-ups in 22 days.
WATCH BELOW: Jordan Witzel completes day 22 of the 22 Pushup Challenge. He will be doing 22 pushups every day for 22 days to raise awareness about veteran suicide.
“Every push-up counts so don’t be shy to show your support for our veterans. You can do as many or few push-ups as you can or choose,” 22kill.com reads.
“Whether it’s one or 100 in a row, we will accept them however they come. They can be assisted (on your knees), incline (on a desk/wall), or if you physically are unable to do any, we’ll even take air pushups,” it said.
In the United States, an estimated 22 veterans commit suicide daily, according to the organization. They’re hoping to educate the public about mental health issues veterans grapple with.
In Canada, Wounded Warriors created a partnership with 22 Days Challenge in a national campaign to bring attention to the suicide rate among Canadian Armed Forces, veterans and first responders.
“In Canada, we lost 160 veterans to suicide between 2004 and March 2014 – greater than the total number of Canadian Armed Forces members killed during the war in Afghanistan. It is this staggering reality that led four individuals from Ottawa to create the 22 Push Ups Challenge,” it says on its website.
It’s calling on Canadians to donate at least $22 to Wounded Warriors Canada when they participate.
“The response has been overwhelming. I have a brother in the military and my father also served. I think we all know someone who’s been impacted either directly or indirectly from this. The 22 Push Ups Challenge is such a small way that we can let them know we’re here for them,” Trevor MacDougall from 22 Push Ups Canada said.
WATCH BELOW: The 22 push up challenge is on in support of Wounded Warriors Canada. Global’s Melanie Zettler hit the beach to find out if most people can actually do 22 push ups.
Here are some ways you can do the #22PushUps challenge:
- Do the push ups by yourself
- Get a group together to do the push ups: companies, sports teams, schools, etc.
- Be creative: Use unique settings, styles, props, etc. Include whatever or whomever you want
- Post s many videos as you’d like. Some users post a daily video of their 22 push ups
- Don’t forget to use the hash tags: #5pushups, #22pushups #22pushupchallenge
Read more about the #22pushups challenge.
carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
Follow @Carmen_Chai
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