Burpee

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Burpees are a lot. And that's most definitely a good thing. As a combination squat, plank, push up, and jump they do an incredibly good job of getting your heart rate up as well as providing some strength benefits. If that sounds like too much, there are many simpler variations like the squat thrust (no push up or jump).

The Basics

Burpee is primarily used to improve your cardio. By changing the level of intensity, duration, and/or intervals, you can target different adaptations. Longer, less intense sessions improve your aerobic capacity while shorter, more intense sessions (often done as intervals) improve your power and anaerobic capacity. It is also considered a conditioning exercise, meaning that it also provides some degree of strength training as well. It is well suited to a more intense interval style of training, like HIIT.

Form

Squat

• From standing, squat down and place your hands on the ground in front of you
• They should be about shoulder width or slightly wider apart
• Come onto the balls of your feet as needed

Kick Back

• Shift your weight to your hands
• Kick both feet back simultaneously so that you end in a plank position

Push Up

• Lower yourself until your chest touches the ground
• Push yourself back up to plank position

Jump In and Jump

• Jump both your legs back to the squat position simultaneously
• Squat back up, jump at the top
• Raise and clap your hands together above your head

Transition

• Upon landing, immediately squat back down to start the next rep

Common Mistakes

Arching Your Back

During the pushup portion of the burpee, it's common to see people allowing their chest to rise before the hips for the sake of efficiency. While this does make the push up easier, it also increases the risk of injury.

Landing on Your Heels

When landing the jump portion of the burpee, be sure to land on the balls of your feet, not your heels. Also, be sure bend your knees into the next squat to absorb your landing.

Not Modifying

There are many variations of the burpee so there's no need to do too hard of a version that you're not ready for. Listen to your body and modify as needed. A good example would be taking out the jump portion and just standing up instead.

Additional Info

Naming

Originally, the burpee was considered what a squat thrust is today. You would squat, kick your legs back, kick them back in, and then stand up. However, with the popularization of Crossfit, the standard burpee now includes a jump and push up.

Efficiency

As the burpee was popularized by Crossfit, in which it is often performed as reps for time, there is an allowable efficient method to performing a burpee. Essentially, there isn't a distinct separation between the combined exercises and the push up is often performed with the chest rising before the hips. The lack of separation is fine and even recommended, however, be sure to keep your core neutral when performing the push up to reduce the risk of injury.

Progression

Burpees are most often progressed by trying to do more reps or doing them in less time. It is possible to add weight to them by using a weighted vest. However, they are primarily used as a metabolic conditioning and endurance exercise rather than for developing strength.

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