Challenges not Based on Steps, eg. Sports, Stairs, Active Mins

[Lianne393]

It would be nice to have different types of challenges that aren't solely based on getting our steps in. 

For instance, the number of active minutes in a day, loss challenge, calories, water consumption. Some activities don't count steps such as cycling, skiing or skateboard.  I would like to be able to compete against my friends while doing other activities.  

Moderator edit: Word choice

[byuclark]

Yes! We would love to have a floors climbed challenge between friends!

[KerrieMac]

Would love to be able to compare sleep with my friends on a screen like we compare steps in Community. The person who gets the most sleep each day is in the #1 spot.

[Ktcheck]

I'd also love to see more challenges, especially a floor challenge with friends!! Please please! 

[bcrissman]

I love the challenges. let’s make them better and more.

Beside steps, add floors, % weight loss (its more discreet), calories burned, active minutes, sleep, and let me choose the length of time. 
maybe i want a weight challenge over 1 month or specific days...
add dynamic public groups by location. I want to challenge my city...

Cool anonymized reports on how healthy my city is. Are we stepping it up or sleeping the day away…?

Simple additions reinvigurate the user population and bring more people into the community. 

[Cku]

Yes please! I am actually surprised it is not there yet! 

Please consider 3 options: a day challenge, week challenge and weekend challenge. 

Steps are nice, but in the end it is all about being active. 

I cycle, and with the fitbit Blaze this hardly turns out in steps. So I loose weekly challenges, even though I cycle one hour each day!

[RobotRising]

Yes!!! Active minutes challenge and anything else besides steps would be great!

I cycle more than anything and getting beat by someone who walks on a treadmill at 2 mph all day long every day is tiresome.  

[random_username]

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@Lueck767 wrote:

Several races could be selected, such as the 100m sprint, 200m dash, 400m, 800m, 5km, 10km, etc.

When a specific distance is selected, the race/challenge is activated when the stopwatch starts. 

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I feel as though this should be more of a solo challenge as well. There should also be a, 'best time storage,' where your best time(s) for that specific challenge is stored. When a distance is selected, a title slide should pop up (like Fitbit's challenges) where you can either view your best times or start the challenge. 

There should also be a start button so that you can start the challenge when you're ready, and not when the screen pops up. Alternatively, you could include a 5-second countdown after the distance is selected.

Those were just a few of my suggestions. I think it's a really great idea, and I hope to see it in the future.

[KiskaPDX]

Would be great to have challenges for active minutes and not just steps! My colleagues cycle and I hike, and we can't compete due to the challenges being steps vs activity. 

[Jlo1011]

It's about time we had new challanges focusing on other things rather than just steps, like who can climb the most floor in a week or burn the most calories. It's fun at first but slowly wears off and as there is no other fitness based challanges it becomes boring as they are all related to steps. Also others are reluctant to play because they may work in an office and can't be as active as others competing. 

[Jimmy1bob82]

Active minute challenges. I just wondered why there wasn't an active minute challenge between friends? Is it something ever likely to happen?

[tcornsimp]

I guess one of us needs to know someone high up in FitBit bc they clearly don't read our suggestions---- as you say, this has been here for years !

[Maïta]

Second that!  

When your at the gym lifting weights, swimming, climbing or biking you're disadvantaged when entering a step contest. 

An active minute (daily, week days and week-end)

It would be a great improvement!

[Jimmy1bob82]

It does seem strange to me that there isn't one. I think steps can be outdone overly but doesn't impact you with out the active ness of doing an exercise so just feel they are missing a trick with it that's all

[Kaaattt]

are the designers still working on this? I'm looking forward to seeing this feature! I would love to have a flights challenged with my friends! 

[Michelle789]

I would love some new challenges too!  Maybe a collaborative one, instead of a competition - can the team reach 200000 steps all together or something similar.

[chijrt]

I completely agree.  The number of steps does NOT equate to overall health.  I think it is crazy that folks are so fixated on getting the most steps when there are other ways to boost your cardio health such as rowing, HIIT, etc.  There are also people out there that just cannot take the daily brunt of accumulating so many steps as they may have joint problems, etc.  Personally, I tend to stay away from anything that can further my knee pain.  Additionally, I've learned over time that it is really about the calorie burn and heart health and not steps.  Anyone should know that burning 400 calories in one hours and being able to maintain an elevated heart-rate during that time is much better than walking on a treadmill for one hour.  

With all of that said, there should be challenges that are geared more towards calorie burn per day or week.  This can be adjusted accordingly based on age, gender, etc.  Or even have challenges based on active minutes.  Don't let it all be steps.  This gives folks a false sense of their health.

[Jlo1011]

I agree, I’ve been going for walks, getting round 4000 steps on 40 mins walk and burning 200 calories, where now I’m starting to dance for 45 mins, burning 500-600 calories which is much better, but lacking in steps. I feel like the challanges are way to basic and others need to be reconsidered. 

[Madcatlady42]

I'd like the app to encourage me to do my own set of pilates per day too, like the "active hours" thing.

And an associated reminder to do my committed exercise too! Fit is more than steps, and more than getting puffed out once a day. I need to do my walk to the park and heel lifts/squats! 

[DocAlexa]

I agree....workout goals met would be super motivating! Or minutes if cardio or tom spent in target hr zone!

Even time spent meditating or sleeping goals. Please fitbit we beg of you!

[styxnite]

It would be nice to have a water challenge option within Fitbit, similar to the daily step goal challenge. It would go a long way with helping to keep me and my friends accountable for drinking the proper amount of water daily.I just thought it would be a cool feature for the FitBit app.

Moderator Edit: Added Labels/Title for Clarity

[SunsetRunner]

+1 

[Lueck767]

Definitely, we need more of a variety of challenges. 

[Rich_Laue]

The key hear would be proper amount, and not just based on a 6p year old figure pulled out of thr hat as the current 64oz is. Many if not to active are able to get there water completly durring meal times.

Drinking to much water csn be more life threatening than drinking to little will ever become.

[Michaud68]

A stair climbing challenge would be great!

[Jelleke]

Wouldn't it be amazing to set your own challenge? Our Fitbit challenge group would really like it if you could have a (weekly) challenge where you can determine your own theme, date and duration. Like a sleepgoal challenge, a kcal burning challenge, most active minutes in a week, hour activity challenge etc.
Most of all it would be fair if it is optional to make challenges goal related, instead of who get's the most. That way everyone has a fair chance of winning, with whom gets the highest % and it would be more of a competition.

Another thing that would be great is when you can set your own duration, start/stop time. For people with irregular working days/hours it would be the way to have a real "workweek hussle" during their workweek.