Held throughout May 2026, the bipartisan challenge brought together 264 participants across 34 Congressional teams, who collectively generated 927,882 Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) over 31 days. Each participant averaged 3,501 MEPs during the month – more than triple the 1,300 MEP benchmark aligned with the minimum monthly physical activity guidelines for Americans and reinforced the growing commitment to physical activity driven health and wellness on Capitol Hill.
The Oversight Committee Majority emerged as the standout performer, securing first place in both the ‘Highest Average MEPs’ and ‘Highest Total MEPs’ categories. The team’s strong performance highlighted the enthusiasm and competitive spirit that has become a hallmark of the annual challenge.
“The Congressional Physical Activity Challenge, now in its 6th year, continues to demonstrate how physical activity can bring people together while supporting healthier lifestyles,” said Mike Stack, President, Physical Activity Alliance. “Witnessing hundreds of Congressional staff and Members commit to moving more sends a powerful message about the importance of physical activity for physical, mental and economic health. We are grateful to everyone who took part, supporting our mission to encourage more people to move more for longer.”
Participants tracked their activity through Myzone’s heart rate-based ecosystem, earning Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) for the effort they put into physical activity rather than the type of exercise they completed or the performance level achieved.
Built on Myzone’s Motivation Technology (MoTech), the platform is designed to make movement accessible, rewarding and sustainable whilst helping people build movement habits that can be sustained over the long term. By recognising effort wherever and however activity takes place, Myzone supports greater exercise adherence and encourages individuals to make physical activity a consistent part of their daily lives.
Per Gustafsson, Director of Sales, The Americas, Myzone, said: “The real success of this challenge isn’t simply the number of MEPs earned, it’s the decisions participants made to prioritise movement throughout the month.
“Lasting health outcomes come from consistency, not perfection. That’s why we’ve pioneered Motivation Technology, combining behavioural science and wearable technology to help people create movement habits they can stick with for life. The Congressional Physical Activity Challenge is a great example of how recognising effort, creating accountability and fostering community can motivate people to move more today while building healthier habits for the future.”
The challenge once again highlighted the important role physical activity plays in improving health outcomes. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers, while also delivering significant benefits for mental health and overall wellbeing.
“Congratulations to every member of the House Oversight Committee Majority Staff on this historic achievement” added Oversight Chairman, James Comer. “Their unprecedented success in this year’s Congressional Physical Activity Challenge reflects the same dedication, discipline, and teamwork they bring to serving the American people every day. I am proud of this team and grateful for their hard work both in and out of the office.”
As the nation’s largest coalition dedicated to advancing regular participation in physical activity, the Physical Activity Alliance continues to advocate for policies and systems that make active living easier and more accessible for all Americans. Together, the PAA and Myzone are helping to raise awareness of the critical role physical activity plays in supporting healthier communities, while encouraging sustainable behaviour change that enables more people to enjoy the benefits of lifelong movement. Challenge results:
Highest Average MEPs
- Oversight Committee Majority – 10,288 MEPs
- Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) – 9,549 MEPs
- Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) – 8,258 MEPs
Highest Total MEPs
- Oversight Committee Majority – 144,035 MEPs
- Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) – 133,695 MEPs
- Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) – 102,150 MEPs
Top Individual Participants
- Sapna Delacourt (Oversight Committee Majority) – 18,557 MEPs
- Stephen Bittner (Office of Rep. Mike Johnson, LA-04) – 17,039 MEPs
- Bobby Bivens (Office of Rep. Gregory Meeks, NY-05) – 16,934 MEPs
The Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) is the nation’s largest coalition dedicated to advancing regular participation in physical activity. The organisation leads efforts to create, support and advocate for policy and systems changes that empower people to enjoy physically active lives. Through collaboration and advocacy, the PAA works to make physical activity more accessible, frequent and integrated into everyday life for all Americans.
About Myzone
Myzone is the global pioneer of Motivation Technology (MoTech), a new and dedicated category of FitTech that fuses cutting-edge technology with behavioural science to keep people moving for life.
Its award-winning, heart rate-based effort tracking platform, now enhanced by Myzone Go, a software-first motivational experience, builds lasting habits by rewarding effort and encouraging active communities both inside and outside the gym. Trusted by fitness operators, trainers, and millions of users in over 100 countries, Myzone turns motivation into measurable action. Learn more at myzone.org
katie.lewis@brandchatter.co.uk
Brand Chatter