Celebrity fitness challenges flood feeds every January, but only a few survive past February. The ones that stick share common traits worth examining.

What works

Trainers say successful challenges demand minimal equipment, visible weekly progress, and a social element. Step-count contests and plank progressions outperform complicated programmes.

The star multiplier

When well-known faces post their own attempts, participation spikes. Fans describe feeling accountable to a community rather than exercising alone.

A note of caution

Doctors advise adapting any viral routine to personal fitness levels and injuries. The best challenge, they remind, is the one you can sustain after the hashtag fades.