Dare Ladder

Quick Intro

Dare Ladder is a shared climb with a winner at every step. Both partners start at a low, easy target, for example five reverse lunges on each leg. They do it side by side, and whoever wins the round chooses the next target, which has to be higher. Round by round the ladder climbs: more reps, more seconds or more distance. Either partner can call a stop at any round, and that ends the ladder. The partner who won more rounds wins the dare.

Both partners always do the same work, so nobody is singled out. The winner of each round has some control over how fast the ladder climbs, and either partner can stop it whenever they choose. That shared control is what keeps the game feeling fair.

The same ladder works for three exercises: reverse lunges, high knees and the bear crawl. This guide gives the rules once, then a section for each version with its own way of judging the round.

What You’ll Need

• Two people.
• Floor space for both partners side by side. The bear crawl needs a lane of several metres on a floor that is kind to the hands and knees.
• A timer for the high knees version, and cones or tape to mark distances for the bear crawl.
• A phone or paper to note rounds won.

How to Play

1. Agree the exercise, the starting rung, the top rung and how the round winner is decided.
2. Both partners do the first rung together.
3. The winner of the round sets the next rung, higher than the last.
4. Rest briefly, about 30 to 60 seconds, then both do the new rung.
5. Keep climbing until either partner calls a stop or the top rung is done.
6. Count the rounds each partner won. The higher number wins the dare.

The Top Rung

Before starting, agree the highest rung the ladder can reach, for example 20 lunges per leg, 60 seconds of high knees or 20 metres of bear crawl. No round goes above it, and once it has been done, the ladder is over.

The top rung keeps a friendly contest from climbing past the point where form holds up. Choose a number both partners could do with clean technique on a fresh day.

Calling a Stop

Either partner can stop the ladder at any time, between rounds or in the middle of one. Stopping is a normal choice, not a loss: the dare is decided by rounds already won, and a partner who stops early can still win it. That matters, because it means nobody has a reason to keep going when their legs, shoulders or balance have had enough.

Setting the Next Rung

The round winner chooses how much higher the next rung is. A small rise, one or two reps, five seconds or a metre, keeps the ladder long. A big rise brings the end closer, and the winner might not enjoy it either, since both partners do every rung. A fair rise is one both partners can reasonably manage. A jump meant purely to make the other partner stop is not in the spirit of the game.

How Fatigue Builds

Each rung is a little harder than the last, and the rests are short, so the work adds up faster than it looks. By the later rungs, technique is the first thing to slip. Watch for it in both partners and treat a sloppy rung as a sign the ladder is close to its natural end.

Making It Fair

Both partners always climb the same ladder. The handicap changes how the partner who needs it does the exercise, as set out in each version. Training With a Friend covers more on handicaps like these.

The Versions

Lunge

Reverse lunges are taught at Reverse Lunge. The rungs are reps per leg, starting at around five.

• Winning the round: the first partner to finish the rung with clean form, the back knee lowering under control and the front knee staying over the foot.
• Handicap: a less stable partner takes a shorter step back.
• Safety: balance is what goes first as the legs tire. Watch for the front knee wobbling or caving inward. A wobbly rung is a good moment to call a stop.

Racing lunges can tempt partners to rush. A rep that loses balance does not count and has to be done again.

High Knees

High knees are taught at High Knees. The rungs are seconds, starting at around 15.

• Winning the round: the partner with the better form over the whole rung: higher, more even knee drives and a steadier rhythm. The two partners face each other and agree the winner honestly. If they cannot agree, the round counts for nobody and the last winner sets the next rung again.
• Handicap: a slower partner can drive the knees a little lower at the same cadence, and is judged on effort and consistency.
• Safety: a cleared, stable floor. Stop if either partner’s footing looks unsteady.

Judging on form keeps this version from becoming a pure endurance grind, since rushing the knees makes them drop.

Bear Crawl

The bear crawl is taught at Bear Crawl. The rungs are distances, starting at around three metres.

• Winning the round: the first partner over the line with the hips kept low throughout. A partner whose hips pop up into a high, easy position cannot win the round, however fast they finish.
• Handicap: a less mobile partner can crawl a shorter personal distance on each rung while racing on the same ladder.
• Safety: the floor must be suitable for hands across the whole distance. Keep the pace controlled even as competition builds, since a fast, sloppy crawl strains the wrists and shoulders.

Staying Safe

• Respect the top rung. It is there so the ladder never outgrows the partners.
• Stopping is always fine. Pain, wobbles or simply having had enough are all good reasons.
• Rest between rungs. Short is fine, but take it every time.
• Clean form or no count. A rep or a metre done badly does not move anyone up.

Common Mistakes

• Rising too fast. Big jumps end the ladder before it gets interesting.
• Racing past good form. In the lunge and crawl versions, speed only counts if the form is clean.
• Arguing over the high knees winner. Agree the tie rule before starting.
• Forgetting the count of rounds won. Note each round as it happens.

Fitting It Into a Session

Dare Ladder suits the second half of a session. The lunge version fits a leg day, the bear crawl version a full-body or core day and the high knees version a conditioning day. One ladder is usually enough. For more on ordering the session, see Building a Partner Session.

Getting Better Over Time

Note the highest rung reached in each version. As fitness improves, the ladder climbs further before someone calls a stop. When the top rung is reached easily, raise it a little.

Related Games

• Escalation Dare trades rising hold-time dares between partners.
• Loser’s Ladder — Squat Jump climbs a squat jump ladder one rep at a time.
• Burpee Add-One Ladder does the same with burpees.
• Bear Crawl Tag turns the bear crawl into a chase.

FAQ

Who sets the first rung?

Both partners agree it before starting. It should feel easy for both.

What if the round is a dead heat?

Neither wins it, and the last winner sets the next rung.

Can the ladder go down?

No. Every new rung is higher. To ease off, call a stop and start a fresh ladder later.

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Related to Reverse Lunge, High Knees and Bear Crawl.