Let’s be honest – 2020 is turning out to be an extra-ordinary year for all of the wrong reasons. It has been mentally and financially tough for individuals and organizations everywhere. Now, more than ever before, it feels like we are all just ‘hanging in there’ until life can get back to normal.
In response to the hard-times, we are excited to launch the Hang In There Challenge as a way to have some fun, spread positivity and highlight the sloth’s surprising superpowers – all while hopefully raising some funds to support our sloth conservation efforts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvAhjUFLnlU&ab_channel=TheSlothConservationFoundation
How long can you ‘hang’ like a sloth for?
Nothing complicated – just holding onto a bar with your hands and dangling. Technically this straightforward maneuver is called the ‘dead hang‘, and you might be surprised by how difficult it is! Very few people are able to hang on for longer than 1 minute, and the dead hang world record is only 13 minutes 52 seconds!
‘Hanging on’ is the sloth’s secret weapon. You might think that the only thing a sloth can do for a prolonged period is sleep, but you would be mistaken (although sloths are also the undisputed nap champions of the world).
A sloth can easily dangle underneath a tree branch all day long. In fact, they often fall asleep like this! We have even watched a sloth hang from just one arm – with the elbow at a 90 degree angle – for over 15 minutes! These incredible feats of strength and stamina would make any human gymnast jealous.
Do you think you are stronger than a sloth? Are you up for the challenge? Read on to find out how you can take part and be in with a chance of winning the ultimate sloth-lovers goodie bag!
Take The ‘Hang In There’ Challenge:
1. Find an appropriate horizontal overhead ‘bar’ to dangle from.
This could be a pull-up bar, a climbing frame, a tree branch… get creative! Just make sure that whatever you are holding onto is secure and can support your body weight.
2. Set up your camera, or ask a friend to film you.
3. Grip the ‘bar’ with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) and take your feet off the floor.
Keep your arms straight. Don’t adjust your grip, let go with one hand or change position.
4. Time how long you can hang in there for!
5. Upload your effort to social media (Facebook, Instagram or TikTok)
- Make sure that you tag us in your post or story – @slothconservation
- Use the hashtag #HangInThereChallenge
- Nominate 3 friends to also take the challenge by tagging them in your post
The Prizes!
There are 2 awards available:
The Hang In There Challenge Champion – awarded to the person who ‘hangs in there’ the longest!
The Most Creative Hanger – awarded to the person who’s entry makes us smile the most!
Winners will be awarded with the ultimate sloth-lovers goodie bag! This includes a beautiful sloth book, our 2021 sloth calendar, a ‘hang in there’ tote bag, Hang In There Champion Certificate and some extra mystery surprises.
To be in with a chance of winning, you need to make a donation to support our work and upload your donation receipt to social media along with your video! The donation amount is totally up to you – we will monitor all entries and winners will be announced on the 31st October via our social media channels!
Disclaimer: please be careful when participating in this challenge (after all, sloths are very careful creatures)! While there are lots of positive health benefits to this exercise (improves strength, decompresses the spine and stretches out the upper body), you must be responsible for your own safety. Make sure you are hanging from a secure ‘bar’ that can support your body weight, and work your way up in duration to prevent injury. If you are pregnant or have back / shoulder problems, consult your doctor or a personal trainer for advice. The Sloth Conservation Foundation is not responsible for any injuries incurred while participating in this challenge!
