Looking for fresh ways to energize your swimming community? Community challenges are the perfect way to spark participation, motivate members, and make every swim session more fun. This library of ready-to-use swimming challenge templates will save you time and keep your group active and excited.
Plan your content calendar and auto-post to Skool, Circle, or Mighty Networks
Community challenges tap into our natural love of friendly competition and achievement. When members see a clear, fun goal and know others are participating too, they are more likely to jump in and try something new. Challenges also give everyone a sense of purpose and progress, making them feel connected to the group.
By offering achievable tasks and public recognition, you lower the barriers for participation. These challenges are especially effective in swimming communities because they can be tailored to all skill levels and bring out the playful, supportive spirit of the sport. As members share their progress, they inspire each other and strengthen the community bond.
This week’s challenge: Swim 500 meters in as few stops as possible. Ready to beat your record?
💡 Example: "This week’s challenge: Swim 500 meters in as few stops as possible. Ready to beat your record?"
Try a new stroke today and share a photo or story about how it went.
💡 Example: "Try a new stroke today and share a photo or story about how it went."
Can you swim 10 laps without stopping? Post your time if you do!
💡 Example: "Can you swim 10 laps without stopping? Post your time if you do!"
Take a creative underwater selfie during your next swim and share it here.
💡 Example: "Take a creative underwater selfie during your next swim and share it here."
Who can hold a plank on the pool deck the longest? Share your best time!
💡 Example: "Who can hold a plank on the pool deck the longest? Share your best time!"
Swim with a buddy this week and share a fun fact you learned about them.
💡 Example: "Swim with a buddy this week and share a fun fact you learned about them."
How many different drills can you complete in one session? List your top three.
💡 Example: "How many different drills can you complete in one session? List your top three."
Try a cold plunge after your swim and tell us how it felt.
💡 Example: "Try a cold plunge after your swim and tell us how it felt."
Share your favorite pre-swim snack. Bonus points for a photo!
💡 Example: "Share your favorite pre-swim snack. Bonus points for a photo!"
Swim at a new pool or open water spot this week and post a pic.
💡 Example: "Swim at a new pool or open water spot this week and post a pic."
How many dolphin kicks can you do off each wall? Share your number.
💡 Example: "How many dolphin kicks can you do off each wall? Share your number."
Challenge: Swim with only one arm for a lap. What did you learn?
💡 Example: "Challenge: Swim with only one arm for a lap. What did you learn?"
Do your fastest 50m sprint and post your time to the leaderboard.
💡 Example: "Do your fastest 50m sprint and post your time to the leaderboard."
Who can swim the most days this month? Comment with your total swims.
💡 Example: "Who can swim the most days this month? Comment with your total swims."
Try swimming with closed fists for a lap. How did it change your stroke?
💡 Example: "Try swimming with closed fists for a lap. How did it change your stroke?"
What is your favorite post-swim stretch? Share a photo if you can.
💡 Example: "What is your favorite post-swim stretch? Share a photo if you can."
Swim as far as you can in 20 minutes. Post your distance and how you paced it.
💡 Example: "Swim as far as you can in 20 minutes. Post your distance and how you paced it."
Share a swimming fail or funny moment from practice.
💡 Example: "Share a swimming fail or funny moment from practice."
Challenge: Teach a friend or family member a swimming skill and tell us how it went.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Teach a friend or family member a swimming skill and tell us how it went."
Can you guess this swim gear close-up? Post your answer below.
💡 Example: "Can you guess this swim gear close-up? Post your answer below."
Try a flip turn if you don’t usually do them. Share your experience!
💡 Example: "Try a flip turn if you don’t usually do them. Share your experience!"
Set a mini goal for your next swim and tell us what it is.
💡 Example: "Set a mini goal for your next swim and tell us what it is."
Swim with fins for a session and describe how it changed your speed.
💡 Example: "Swim with fins for a session and describe how it changed your speed."
What’s your go-to pump-up song before a big swim? Share your playlist.
💡 Example: "What’s your go-to pump-up song before a big swim? Share your playlist."
Try swimming in a different lane than usual. Did it change your pace?
💡 Example: "Try swimming in a different lane than usual. Did it change your pace?"
How many flip turns can you do in a row without a mistake?
💡 Example: "How many flip turns can you do in a row without a mistake?"
Share a tip for staying motivated during long sets.
💡 Example: "Share a tip for staying motivated during long sets."
Swim a ‘negative split’ 200m, making your second half faster. Post your splits.
💡 Example: "Swim a ‘negative split’ 200m, making your second half faster. Post your splits."
What color is your swim cap today? Post a selfie if you want.
💡 Example: "What color is your swim cap today? Post a selfie if you want."
Challenge: Swim with a pull buoy or paddles and report back on your form.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Swim with a pull buoy or paddles and report back on your form."
Who can come up with the funniest swim workout name? Share yours below.
💡 Example: "Who can come up with the funniest swim workout name? Share yours below."
Try a swim with your eyes closed for a lap. How did you stay straight?
💡 Example: "Try a swim with your eyes closed for a lap. How did you stay straight?"
What’s your favorite way to celebrate after a tough swim?
💡 Example: "What’s your favorite way to celebrate after a tough swim?"
Swim your age in laps or meters and tell us how it went.
💡 Example: "Swim your age in laps or meters and tell us how it went."
What’s the coolest swim location you’ve ever visited? Share a photo if possible.
💡 Example: "What’s the coolest swim location you’ve ever visited? Share a photo if possible."
Try a ‘no goggles’ swim for one lap and share your thoughts.
💡 Example: "Try a ‘no goggles’ swim for one lap and share your thoughts."
Swim a lap using only legs. How did it feel compared to your normal stroke?
💡 Example: "Swim a lap using only legs. How did it feel compared to your normal stroke?"
Post your best motivational quote for swim practice days.
💡 Example: "Post your best motivational quote for swim practice days."
Challenge: Swim the alphabet by naming a stroke, skill, or swim term for each letter.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Swim the alphabet by naming a stroke, skill, or swim term for each letter."
Share a before-and-after story about your swimming progress.
💡 Example: "Share a before-and-after story about your swimming progress."
Choose a template that fits your community's vibe and skill range. Post it as a new thread or announcement, making sure to highlight the rewards or recognition on offer. Encourage members to comment with photos, times, or stories, and spotlight the best entries in follow-up posts. Rotate challenges weekly or monthly to maintain excitement and ensure everyone has a chance to participate.
Since these templates are designed for all platforms, adapt your post format to fit your community's primary space. On forums and Facebook, use images and tag members to boost visibility. In chat apps, keep prompts brief and follow up with quick reminders. On Instagram or TikTok, encourage video submissions and use a unique hashtag for each challenge.
When creating a Distance Swim Challenge, offer tiered goals such as 500m, 1km, and 5km distances. Clearly define the rules for multiple swims (e.g., can members accumulate distance over separate sessions?). Highlight technique adaptations: suggest sprinters focus on speed intervals while distance swimmers maintain steady pacing. This inclusivity keeps all types of swimmers engaged and motivated.
Encourage members to upload screenshots from their swim tracking devices (Garmin, Apple Watch, etc.) or pool lap counters. Include a verification step in your template, such as a selfie at the pool or a brief written summary of the session (date, pool name, laps completed). This builds trust and community accountability while accommodating pools of varying lengths (25m vs 50m).
In your template, provide options for swimmers to choose their focus stroke but reward extra points for attempting the featured stroke—even if it's challenging, like butterfly. Include technique tips and video resources for the stroke in question. Encourage participants to share progress or struggles, fostering a supportive environment for stroke development.
Add a section in your challenge template for members to specify their environment (pool, lake, ocean). Create alternate goals or badges for open water conditions, such as dealing with currents, sighting, or wetsuit swims. Acknowledge unique safety considerations and encourage sharing tips for open water acclimatization to ensure engagement across all swimming contexts.
Design relay challenges where teams can self-balance by mixing faster and slower swimmers. Your template should prompt members to record their leg of the relay and create a group thread for collective tracking. Include creative variations, like 'medley relay' (each person swims a different stroke) or 'age-graded' times, so everyone contributes meaningfully regardless of ability.
Customize your challenge templates to include required sections for logging pre-swim warmups and post-swim hydration. Feature 'bonus points' for sharing photos or routines, and provide links to safe swimming guidelines (e.g., injury prevention stretches, hydration tips for long sessions). This reinforces essential swim safety habits while keeping the challenge interactive and educational.
Skool · Circle · Mighty Networks