The January Combine: A 4-Week Crew Challenge to Start 2027
The January Combine is a free 4-week fitness challenge you do with your friends. It runs from Saturday, January 2 to Friday, January 29, 2027. Every week you take four quick tests in The Weekly Combine app, your crew competes on who improves the most, and by the end of the month you'll know exactly how much fitter you got.
Download The Weekly Combine and join the January Combine
Why a challenge beats a resolution
A resolution is a promise you make to yourself in private, which makes it easy to break. A challenge has a start date, an end date, a scoreboard and people watching. That's why it works.
The January Combine gives you all four. Four weeks is short enough to commit to, long enough to see real change, and the group chat will make sure nobody quietly drops out.
How it works
Step 1: Build your crew (by January 1)
Download The Weekly Combine, start a crew and invite your people. Two is enough, but four to ten is where it gets good. Think old teammates, the parents from soccer practice, your coworkers, your siblings.
Step 2: Take your first Combine (January 2 to 8)
The first Weekly Combine of 2027 opens Saturday, January 2. It's four benchmarks, one each for strength, power, endurance and mobility, with targets set for your age and sex. Retake them as often as you like during the week. Your best result counts, and it sets your starting Athletic Age.
Step 3: Show up every day (all month)
Do the daily drill, about four minutes, Sunday through Friday. Every day you show up builds your Momentum streak, and consistency counts toward your Athletic Age too.
Step 4: Beat your number (weeks 2 to 4)
A new Combine opens each Saturday: January 9, January 16 and January 23. Take your best shot each week and watch your Athletic Age move.
Step 5: Crown a winner (January 29)
When the final Combine closes Friday, January 29, compare your crew's results. We suggest two titles:
Most Improved: the biggest drop in Athletic Age from week 1 to week 4
Iron Streak: the longest Momentum streak
The loser buys the first round, picks the next challenge, or does whatever your group chat decides. Make it count.
Why this works for people over 30
Most January challenges are built for 25-year-olds with an hour a day and joints that don't complain. The January Combine is built for the rest of us:
Fair competition. Every target is set for your age and sex, so a 52-year-old can beat a 34-year-old on improvement.
Short sessions. About four minutes a day, plus four benchmarks a week.
Rewards for showing up. The streak counts effort, not perfection.
Balanced. You train strength, power, endurance and mobility, not just cardio.
Tips to win your crew
Don't max out on day one. Take your first Combine seriously, but your week-1 score is your starting line. Leave room to improve.
Use all week. You can retake each benchmark until Friday. Try once early in the week and again once you've recovered.
Fix your weak spot. Your results will show which pillar is dragging your Athletic Age down. A little work there pays off fastest.
Talk trash, kindly. Post your scores in the group chat. Nothing motivates like a friend one spot ahead.
FAQ
What is the January Combine?
It's a free 4-week fitness challenge in The Weekly Combine app, running January 2 to 29, 2027. You and your friends take four short fitness tests each week and compete on who improves their Athletic Age the most.
Is the January Combine free?
Yes. The Weekly Combine is free to download on the App Store, and the challenge uses the app's regular weekly Combines and crews.
What's a good fitness challenge to do with friends?
Pick something with a clear score, a fixed length and a fair way to compare people of different ages and fitness levels. The January Combine checks all three by ranking crews on improvement in Athletic Age.
Can I join after January 2?
Yes. Join any time, and your first Combine becomes your starting point. You'll just have fewer weeks to improve.
How much time does it take?
About four minutes a day for the daily drill, plus four benchmark tests each week.
Your crew is waiting
Text this to three friends today. By January 29 you'll have a winner, a few great stories and an Athletic Age that's lower than when you started.