Special Olympics Minnesota is excited to provide fitness and training opportunities you can do from home during football season! You will find the six fitness events and four flag football events listed below as well as a six-week training plan to perform your best. The training season is August 31 through October 11. Be sure to submit your results online by October 11 to receive a digital award for these events!
Make sure to check out the Performance Station at the State Punt, Pass & Kick Drive-Thru Competitions!
Special Olympics Minnesota will have a Performance Station table set up for you to check out before or after your Punt, Pass and Kick events. There will be giveaways, healthy snacks and education about how to perform at your best!
Fitness Events
Cross Leg Crunches
How many cross leg crunches can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of cross leg crunches you can do in 30 seconds.
Single Leg Pick-Ups
How many single leg pick-ups can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of single leg pick-ups you can do in 30 seconds.
Toe Taps
How many toe taps can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of toe taps you can do in 30 seconds.
Jump Squats
How many jump squats can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of jump squats you can do in 30 seconds.
Overhead Punches
How many overhead punches can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of overhead punches you can do in 30 seconds.
Inchworm
How many inchworms can you complete in 30 seconds?
What to record and submit: Count and record the number of inchworms you can do in 30 seconds.
Flag Football Events
Passing Accuracy
Throw the football 20 times at a 2’x2’ target.
Set up: Stand 20 feet away and throw at your target. A target could be anything that’s safe to throw at. Athletes in a wheelchair can choose to do a modified option with the target 10 feet away.
What to record and submit? How many times you hit the target out of 20 attempts is your score. (Max score of 20)
Passing Distance
Throw the football as far as you can.
Set up: Make sure there is nothing in your way and throw the football as far as you can.
What to record and submit? How many feet can you throw the ball? Measure the distance where the ball first touches the ground.
Running Back Run
How long does it take you to run down 60ft and back 60ft? Athletes in a wheelchair may choose to roll that distance down and back.
Set up: Place an object (can be any object) 60ft away.
What to record and submit? Start the clock and run to the object and back. Record your time and that’s your score.
Wide Receiver Catch
How many times can you throw the football straight in the air, catch it from someone else or bounce it off of a roof and successfully catch it in 60 seconds?
What to record and submit? Count the number of catches made in 60 seconds; that’s your score. Do not count any times the ball is dropped.
Don’t have a tape measure? Walk off the number of steps below to measure your distance.
60ft=19 big steps
55ft=17.5 big steps
50ft=16 big steps
45ft=14.5 big steps
40ft=13 big steps
35ft=11.5 big steps
30ft=10 big steps
25ft=8.5 big steps
20ft=7 big steps
15ft=5 big steps
10ft= 3.5 big steps
Want to do more?
The Healthy Lifestyle Challenge is a fitness challenge with daily activities centered on physical activity, nutrition and hydration. This challenge provides reminders and tips for setting healthy routines in your daily life. Every week there will be a drawing for prizes.
6-Week Practice Plan
Week 1
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- jog in place
- jumping jacks
- arm circles forward and backward
- Workout: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- cross leg crunch
- single leg pick-ups
- toe taps
- jump squats
- overhead punches
- inchworm
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- leg hug stretch
- triceps stretch
- hamstring stretch
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- march & swing arms
- power skips
- wrist rotations
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- push-ups (10 reps)
- side lunges (10 reps on each leg)
- bird dog (10 reps each side)
- chair squats (10 reps)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- butterfly stretch
- arm across body stretch
- wrist flexion & extension
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: Total Body
Day 7: REST
Week 2
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- quick feet
- lunge and side stretch
- march and swing arms
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- reverse lunge (10 reps on each leg)
- side to side hops (10 reps on each side)
- triceps dip (10 reps)
- bicycle crunches (do for 30 seconds)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- triceps stretch
- quad stretch
- child’s pose
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking,walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- side shuffles
- jumping jacks
- arm circles forward and backward
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- squat (10 reps)
- side steps (10 reps each way)
- overhead punches (30 seconds)
- plank (30 seconds)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- butterfly stretch
- arm across body stretch
- hip flexor stretch
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: Seated yoga
Day 7: REST
Week 3
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- high knees
- wrist rotations
- butt kicks
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- squats (10 reps)
- side lunges (10 reps each leg)
- push-up (10 reps)
- plank (30 seconds)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- quad stretch
- chest stretch
- butterfly stretch
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- jog in place
- squats
- arm circles forward and backward
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- quick punches (30 seconds)
- reverse lunges (10 reps on each leg
- single leg pick-ups (10 reps each leg)
- cross leg crunches (15 reps)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- quad stretch
- hamstring stretch
- side stretch
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: My Body Shop Fitness
Day 7: REST
Week 4
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- quick feet
- torso rotations
- jog in place
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- frog squat (10 reps)
- inchworm (10 reps)
- single leg pick-ups (10 reps on each leg)
- bird dog (10 reps on each side)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- quad stretch
- child’s pose
- side stretch
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking,walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- march & swing arms
- wrist rotations
- side to side bounding
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- push-ups (10 reps)
- forward lunges (10 reps each side)
- quick punches (30 seconds)
- bicycle crunches (30 seconds)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- arm across body stretch
- modified hurdlers stretch
- chest stretch
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: Workout
Day 7: REST
Week 5
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- jumping jacks
- alternating arm hugs
- side shuffles
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- jump squats (10 reps)
- side lunges (10 reps on each leg)
- triceps dips (10 reps)
- cross leg crunches (15 reps)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- tricep stretch
- butterfly stretch
- standing calf stretch
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking,walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- step in place
- arm circles backwards and forwards
- torso rotations
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- squat hold with quick punches (30 seconds)
- inchworm (10 reps)
- single leg pick-ups (10 reps on each leg)
- sit-ups (15 reps)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- quad stretch
- hamstring stretch
- arm across body stretch
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: Neck and shoulder yoga sequence
Day 7: REST
Week 6
Day 1:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- march and swing arms
- squats
- single leg hops
- Workout: Complete 3 rounds of each exercise
- reverse lunge (10 reps)
- quick feet (30 seconds)
- push-ups (10 reps)
- plank (30 seconds)
- frog squats (10 reps)
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- modified hurdlers stretch
- leg to chest
- chest stretch
Day 2: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking,walking, etc.
Day 3: REST
Day 4:
- Warm-up: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- jog in place
- single leg hops
- arm circles backwards and forwards
- Workout: Do each exercise for 30 seconds, complete 3 rounds
- cross leg crunch
- single leg pick-ups
- toe taps
- jump squats
- overhead punches
- inchworm
- Cool-down: Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, complete 2 rounds
- triceps stretch
- hamstring stretch
- side stretch
Day 5: Complete 20-30 minutes of your favorite activity – dancing, Zumba, biking, walking, etc.
Day 6: 30 minute sweat
Day 7: REST
Regular physical activity is vital for good physical, social and emotional health. While there is a risk of injury with any type of physical activity, the benefits of staying active far outweigh the risks.
You can reduce your risk of exercise injury by:
- wearing the right shoes
- using the correct equipment
- drinking water and staying hydrated
- warming up and stretching properly
- being aware of your surroundings – always exercise and compete in a safe and level area clear of any obstacles or items
- maintaining social distancing rules (stay at least six feet away from others)
Stop exercising and seek medical help if you experience symptoms such as:
- discomfort or pain
- chest pain or other pain that could indicate a heart attack, including pain in the neck and jaw, pain travelling down the arm or pain between the shoulder blades
- shortness of breath
- a rapid or irregular heartbeat