{"id":123133,"date":"2025-09-08T15:45:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/123133\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T15:45:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:45:18","slug":"have-you-tried-the-roxanne-push-up-challenge-i-guarantee-itll-leave-a-smile-on-your-face-at-the-end-of-your-next-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/123133\/","title":{"rendered":"Have you tried the Roxanne push-up challenge? I guarantee it\u2019ll leave a smile on your face at the end of your next workout"},"content":{"rendered":"

It might be nearing its 50th anniversary, but \u201cRoxanne\u201d by The Police is destined to keep getting played in gyms and CrossFit boxes for one simple reason\u2014the refrain of the 1978 hit provides the soundtrack to a popular push-up routine, just like the \u201cBring Sally Up\u201d push-up challenge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The \u201cRoxanne\u201d version is simpler, though: assume a straight-arm plank and perform one push-up every time lead singer Sting belts out the name Roxanne.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Be warned: that\u2019s no mean feat.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll require a strong core to hold a straight-arm plank for at least three minutes (the single version is officially timed at 3min 2sec and the album version at 3min 15sec).<\/p>\n

Plus, well-trained chest, shoulder and triceps muscles to complete 26 push-ups in total.<\/p>\n

The Police – Roxanne (Official Music Video) – YouTube
\n\"The<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Note there\u2019s an incomplete \u201cRoxanne\u201d at 1min 19sec that catches everyone out and a challenging minute-long sequence including 15 Roxanne reps as the song fades out.<\/p>\n

But, if you\u2019re up for the challenge, it\u2019s a playful way to build core and upper-body strength.<\/p>\n

Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also always found it to be a great way to wrap up any group workout session\u2014and I guarantee it\u2019ll leave everyone smiling.<\/p>\n

Remember, you can rest as needed, or start on your toes and drop down to your knees as fatigue sets in.<\/p>\n

Keep going for as long as you can, note how far you get and try to beat your best next time round.<\/p>\n

Want to give the \u201cRoxanne\u201d push-up challenge a go yourself? Here\u2019s how you can adapt it for any ability, or shake it up to target different muscle groups.<\/p>\n

Make it easier: use incline push-ups <\/p>\n

\n

\"Woman\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: svetikd \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Place your hands on a park bench or wall. The lower you place your hands, the harder it will feel.<\/p>\n

If you can complete the whole song in this position, then move to the floor next time and start by performing each rep on your knees. Too easy? Progress to reps on your toes.<\/p>\n

Make it harder: add plank shoulder taps<\/p>\n

Hold a straight-arm plank throughout and perform a push-up on every \u201cRoxanne\u201d and two shoulder taps (one for each shoulder) on every \u201cred light\u201d.<\/p>\n

Make it lower body: swap push-ups for squats<\/p>\n

This is an alternative version I used to programme at the end of park workouts.<\/p>\n

Lower into a squat hold position, with your thighs parallel to the floor. Then, every time Sting sings Roxanne, perform a full squat, returning to the squat hold.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sorry-not-sorry for how much your thighs will burn. \u201cHow times have changed,\u201d one of my group once joked. \u201cI used to enjoy drinking to that song.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make it full body: swap push-ups for burpees <\/p>\n

From standing, every time you hear Roxanne drop to the floor, perform a push-up, get back to your feet, jump off the floor and clap your hands together overhead.<\/p>\n

This will challenge you to move efficiently to keep up through the fast-paced choruses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It might be nearing its 50th anniversary, but \u201cRoxanne\u201d by The Police is destined to keep getting played…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123134,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-123133","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}