Canada’s largest mental health and fitness event, The Push-Up Challenge, is back for its third year in 2026, encouraging Canadians to get fit, have fun and push for better mental health, with registrations now open.
Participants will take on 2,000 push-ups across 23 days in February, to remember and honour the approximately 2,000 lives that are lost to suicide each day worldwide, and raise vital funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
From 5 to 27 February 2026, hundreds of thousands of Canadians from all ages and walks of life will participate in the event which engages people in mental health through connection, physical activity and education.
Founder and CEO of The Push-Up Challenge, Nick Hudson, said, “The Push-Up Challenge is 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. The Challenge aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness through education, and encourage Canadians 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 and support CMHA Champlain Est. Since 2024, over 120,000 Canadian participants completed over 100 million push-ups and raised over $6 million for mental health.
Throughout the Challenge, participants of all ages and abilities push-up while learning about mental health, with the number of daily push-ups changing to reflect a vital mental health fact.
If completing 2,000 push-ups feels out of reach, participants can choose exercise alternatives such as sit-ups, squats or tailored exercises, with progress tracked through a dedicated app.
Having run in Australia for nine years and Canada for two, The Push-Up Challenge has seen more than 1M participants complete over 1 billion push-ups, raising over $60 million AUD for mental health.
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.
The Push-Up Challenge 2026 will run from 5 to 27 February. You can register for The Push-Up Challenge as an individual, team, or get your whole workplace, club, gym or school involved at https://www.thepushupchallenge.ca/beneficiary/cmha-ontario—champlain-east
About The Push-Up Challenge
Founded by Nick Hudson in Perth, Australia in 2017, The Push-Up Challenge began as a challenge between four friends, and has grown to become one of the world’s most successful international mental health and fitness events. 2026 will mark The Push-Up Challenge’s third year in Canada and tenth year in Australia. The Challenge is a fun way for participants to connect with one another, get fit, and learn about mental health, with participants encouraged to raise money for mental health charities. The event is free to take part in and will run in Canada from 5 to 27 February. For more information and to register, visit https://www.thepushupchallenge.ca/beneficiary/cmha-ontario—champlain-east