Despite the funny name and not being as well known as pushups or squats, burpees are a highly effective and challenging exercise. This versatile two part movement essentially combines a pushup with a leap in the air. Incorporating them into your routine can help build strength, increase endurance, burn calories, and boost your overall cardio fitness. Here is a guide on the benefits of burpees, how to perform them correctly, and variations to suit your fitness level.
Introduction to the burpee exercise
Burpees have a funny name but they mean serious business when you want a good workout. A burpee is essentially a pushup followed by a jump in the air and doing several of them in a row can get you really tired very quickly. It is a fantastic way to challenge many of the major muscle groups in your body all at once.
The calorie burning power of burpees
You can burn a lot of calories if you keep up a good pace and intensity. Most people can manage about 20 burpees in a minute which means a 155 pound person can burn around 250 calories if they do them for 20 minutes straight. Of course you will burn even more calories if you push yourself to do them at a higher intensity and speed.
Achieving a full body workout
Since burpees are a calisthenics exercise they just use your own body weight for resistance so you do not need fancy gym gear. The focus is on a full body workout that aims to build muscle strength and endurance in your lower and upper body at the exact same time. A standard burpee will work hard to strengthen the muscles in your legs hips buttocks abdomen arms chest and shoulders.
Boosting cardiovascular health and fitness
Burpees fit perfectly into high intensity interval training because they get your heart pumping fast. Research from a 2015 study shows that doing vigorous exercise like this can help burn body fat especially around the stomach area while improving your blood flow and lowering your blood pressure. You also get incredible cardio benefits like stronger heart and lungs and a lower risk of heart disease.
The convenience of equipment free exercise
Doing burpees is great because there is zero equipment to buy. You only need your body and a tiny spot on the floor. People can do them in a small apartment or an office. Getting a good sweat going is very simple anytime without paying for a pricey gym membership.
Step by step guide to proper form
You want to start in a squat position with your knees bent and feet shoulder width apart before you lower your hands to the floor. Kick your feet back so you are in a pushup position and do one pushup while keeping your body straight from your head to your heels. Then just do a frog kick to bring your feet back stand up reach your arms over your head and jump quickly into the air before landing back in a squat.
Modifications for beginners and easier variations
If a standard burpee feels way too challenging right now you can easily skip the pushup and the jump to make things a bit more manageable. You can just do a squat thrust where you kick your legs back into a pushup position and return to the start without doing the actual pushup or jumping up. Holding a plank for a few seconds instead of dropping for a pushup is also a great way to build up your strength slowly.
Advanced variations for a bigger challenge
Once you get really good at standard burpees you can grab a pair of dumbbells to make things much harder. You just hold the weights while you do the pushup and then raise them above your head when you stand up instead of jumping. You can also try doing a burpee box jump where you jump onto a solid plyo box or bench instead of just jumping straight up into the air.
Essential safety tips for injury prevention
Burpees are only helpful if you do them safely so you really need to start slowly with just a few reps until you can do them without any pain. Dropping down into a pushup can put a lot of extra stress on your wrists and shoulders so be very careful not to go so fast that you twist something when you land. Always make sure you have the basic form figured out completely before you try adding extra weights or higher jumps.
Final takeaway on incorporating burpees
Doing burpees can be completely exhausting but that is exactly what makes them such a highly effective exercise for building your endurance and fitness. If you ever feel unsure about your form it is a great idea to ask a certified personal trainer to watch you and help you out. Anyone new to high intensity workouts or someone with a health condition should always talk to their healthcare provider first just to be totally safe.
