March Madness Myzone Challenge: How to set up a slam dunk tournament

March Madness isn’t just for basketball – it’s the perfect opportunity to get your gym community fired up and engaged with a high-energy Myzone Challenge!

Based on the famous college tournament, this bracket-style competition will have members competing in teams, advancing through rounds, and pushing their fitness limits to come out on top.

Basketball not your thing? Find out how to create a Myzone challenge, in whatever theme you like.

Still here? Follow this step-by-step guide to set up and run your March Madness Myzone Challenge successfully. You can find March Madness and other challenge assets in the Myzone Marketing Portal.

Step 1: Decide on your challenge format

Before launching your challenge, answer these key questions:

🏀 Solo or team challenge?
- Will participants compete individually, or will you organize teams?
- For teams, how many members per team? 4-6 members per team often works well.

🏀 How many total participants?
- A 32- or 64-team format works best, just like the real March Madness tournament. Download your 32-team tournament poster or your 64-team tournament poster to get started.
- If you have fewer participants, consider a 16-team bracket or adjust accordingly.

🏀 How long will each ‘game’ last?
- The total challenge duration should be 4-6 weeks, with rounds lasting one week each.
- If you want a faster-paced tournament, shorten each game to 3-4 days per round.

🏀 How will teams advance?
- Choose how a team wins their match-up. Your options are:

1. Most MEPs: The team with the highest total Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) for that round moves forward.
2. Average MEPs per member: The team with the highest per-person average advances.
3. Hit a MEP threshold + coin flip: Teams must hit a set MEP goal, and if both do, a coin flip decides the winner for extra suspense!
   
   

Step 2: Set up your March Madness Myzone Challenge

Create a Myzone Team Challenge
- Log in to your Myzone Admin Portal
- Select “Challenges”
- Click the Plus (+) icon to create a new challenge
- Choose “Team Challenge”
- Name your challenge: March Madness Myzone Challenge

Organize teams by college affiliation
- Let members choose their favorite college teams or assign them randomly.
- If your gym has a local college affiliation, consider highlighting that team!

Set up your first bracket match-ups
- Create a bracket-style tournament with head-to-head match-ups.
- Label rounds as:

1. First Round (Week 1)
2. Second Round (Week 2)
3. Sweet 16 (Week 3)
4. Elite 8 (Week 4)
5. Final Four (Week 5)
6. Championship Round (Week 6)

Run weekly challenges for each match-up
- Each week, create a new Myzone Team Challenge with only the remaining teams.
- The winning team (based on total or average MEPs) advances to the next round.
- The losing team moves into a Consolation Bracket, so everyone stays engaged!

Step 3: Drive engagement with fun incentives

Award prizes for winning teams
It should go without saying that the team that wins the Championship Round gets the grand prize! BUT, there’s more you can do to keep people moving.

Offer second and third place prizes for teams that made it far in the tournament. Or consider smaller incentives each week, like gift cards, gym swag, or free classes.

Create a visual bracket for in-club excitement
Print out a large bracket and update it weekly like a real March Madness poster. You can always use a whiteboard, digital display, or gym posters to show which teams advance.

Boost participation with social media and emails
Be sure to announce matchups and winners on Instagram, Facebook, and gym newsletters. On social, make sure that you tag Myzone, too.

Encourage members to post their MEP scores and workout photos with a hashtag like #MyzoneMarchMadness or #MarchMEPness.

Step 4: Keep the momentum going

Motivate members to push harder each round. Remind them that advancing means earning more MEPs and staying consistent.

Their activity doesn’t even have to be in your four walls. If they’re taking part in an event outside of your club, or even just walking the dog, it all counts! Use in-app messaging through Myzone Chat or any community groups you’re part of to keep energy high.

Lastly, wrap things up with a big celebration of effort. Host a final event for all participants, celebrating the winning team with prizes and recognition. Don’t forget to encourage all participants to continue training with Myzone after the challenge ends.

Why your gym should run a Myzone March Madness Challenge

1. Boosts gym member motivation with a fun, competitive format ✔ 
2. Increases workout consistency as members push to advance each round ✔ 
3. Strengthens community engagement by bringing members together in teams ✔
4. Drives more MEPs and fitness accountability ✔

Don’t miss out on the March Madness hype! Set up your Myzone Challenge today and watch your gym members compete, connect, and crush their fitness goals.

For more information, take a read of how to create a Myzone Challenge to engage your gym members.