The Benefits of Burpees and How to Do Them

ANSWER 

A Burpee is an exercise that gets the whole body moving. It looks a bit like a squat combined with a push-up and a jump all smashed into one crazy movement. You’ll get some real fitness out of it and burn calories in the process, of course. Provided you can manage to keep going. One minute of burpees will cost you anywhere between 10 to 15 calories based on your weight and the intensity with which you perform the exercise. The exact number is subject to change and you shouldn’t be concerned about it. In order to perform a Burpee, you have to squat, put your hands flat on the floor, jump straight back into a plank position, perform a pushup (which you can opt to forego in case you find it difficult initially), and jump up from a squatting position.

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Burpees are a magic bullet that get your chest, arms, shoulders, core, glutes, quads and hamstrings all working together.
• Even a relatively small person like you might burn around 10-15 calories per minute doing them.
• Burpees are great because they work on your strength and cardiovascular fitness at the same time, theyre a real two for one deal.
• If the thought of doing a full Burpee is just too much to bear you can always tone it down a bit by removing the push-up or the jump.
• To get the most out of Burpees youve got to do them properly.
• Keep your core muscles tight and your back straight to avoid injury.
• Try to do 3-5 sets of 10 – 15 burpees with some rest in between each set.

INTRODUCTION

Burpees are one of those exercises that most people just dont get on with. Theyre hard to master and will leave you gasping for air like a fish out of water, your legs burning and your arms aching like theyve had the life sucked out of them. Its not uncommon to hear burpees described as the most hated exercise of all time but the truth is, theyre actually really quite brilliant.

The great thing about Burpees is that they require no special equipment and they dont demand some superhuman level of skill. Theyre a full body workout that actually work all of your major muscle groups and start bringing real results very quickly.

Burpees are essentially just one movement, a fluid motion that combines a squat with a push-up and a jump. It really is a complete exercise in one. They are great for building up your strength, endurance, and for burning calories like theyre going out of fashion.

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WHAT ARE BURPEES?

Well, Burpees are a really effective full body exercise that combine loads of different movements all in one go. Theyre a bit of a modern invention, and were created back in the 1930s by an American physiologist called Royal H. Burpee.

According to the story, Burpees were originally just a quick test of fitness that consisted of four quick movements – squat, kick back, jump forward and stand up. Its a long way from the modern Burpee that we know and love today which has all of these elements, plus an added push-up and jump, making it a much more challenging and rewarding exercise.

There are five stages to a burpee: First you lower yourself down into a squat and place your hands on the ground. Next you kick your feet back into a plank position. After that, you do a push -up (you can skip this bit if you find it to hard at first). Next, you jump your feet back forward towards your hands and finally, you leap up into the air with your arms over your head You just keep repeating this cycle for as long as you can or until youve done the set amount of reps.

The Awesome Benefits of Burpees

Burpees deliver some pretty sweet benefits that are tough to find in other exercises – but thats what makes them so awesome. Here are the top ones.

Get Your Cardio On

Burpees can get your heart rate up in a hurry, forcing your cardiovascular system to work really hard. And as a result, theyll help you build stamina and endurance in the long run.

Now, we’ve got studies that show burpees are just as effective as traditional cardio for boosting cardiovascular fitness. One study found that doing burpees for just 8 minutes made a pretty significant dent in heart rate and oxygen consumption.

One reason burpees are so effective for fat loss is because of the afterburn effect – your body keeps burning calories for hours after the workout is over. That’s called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) – and its a key reason why burpees are so good at burning fat.

You Burn Calories in No Time

Burpees are a calorie-burning machine. For a 150-pound person, you can burn around 10-15 calories per minute doing these bad boys. Thats 100-150 calories in just 10 minutes. And compared to jogging – where youd burn about 10 calories per minute – burpees are a no-brainer for anyone who wants to get moving in a hurry.

And dont forget about the EPOC effect – the intense effort you put in makes your body work overtime to recover. This means you keep burning calories for hours after you stop.

Work Your Body from Head to Toe

Burpees are a full-body exercise that will put the entire major muscle groups in your body to work.

• Chest and arms: The push-up bit targets that all-important pectoral muscle, as well as your triceps and shoulders.
• Core: When you’re in the plank position, you’re engaging your abs and lower back. Jumping and kicking get those all-important core stabilizers working.
• Glutes and legs: Squatting and jumping are great for getting your glutes, quads, hams and calves in shape.
• Shoulders: And dont forget about the plank and the jumping phases – theyll help keep your shoulders strong and healthy.

Because burpees hit so many muscle groups at once, they’re an incredibly efficient way to get a great workout. You dont need to do a million exercises to hit your chest, legs and core – burpees take care of all that for you.

Get Stronger and More Coordinated

Burpees arent just an easy way to get a great workout – they also help build functional strength. The kind of strength you use every day – stuff like squatting, pushing, jumping and landing. Theyre movements we all use all the time.

And they help with coordination too. Getting from one phase to the next in a burpee requires timing and body awareness – your nervous system has to learn to get all the muscle groups working in sync. When you can do that, youll find that you perform better in almost any activity you try.

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How to Do a Burpee – Correctly

Proper form is essential here – do it wrong and you’ll be injured or wasting your time. Follow these steps to avoid both.

Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart – just like you’re about to take off running. Keep your arms at your sides though – don’t get ahead of yourself just yet.

Step 1 – Squat Down: Bend your knees and lower yourself down into a squat – but don’t just stop there. Place your hands on the floor right in front of you, and aim to get them slightly wider than your shoulders.

Step 2 – Get Your Plank On: Jump your feet back into a plank position. Your body should be in a straight line from head to heels – don’t let those hips sag. Your core is the key here, so keep it tight.

Step 3 – Push-Up Time: Now lower your chest down towards that floor by bending your elbows. Keep your body straight as a board – don’t lose that form just yet. Push back up to plank position – or skip this step if you’re a beginner, I won’t tell.

Step 4 – Jump Your Feet Forward: Both feet at the same time – quickly! Land them just outside your hands. Your knees should be bent – you’re not quite standing up yet.

Step 5 – Get Airborne: Now explode upwards into a jump – and get those arms all the way up high. Land softly with your knees bent – we want to avoid a nasty shock there.

Step 6 – Do It All Again: You can’t stop now – you’ve got to keep going. Jump into the next repetition.

Keep your core tight, breathe steadily – and don’t even think about holding your breath.

Burpee Variations – For Everyone

Not everyone can do a full burpee – and that’s totally fine. We’ve got variations for beginners and the more advanced among us.

Beginner Burpee Variations

Step-Back Burpee: Don’t kick those feet all the way back, just take a step back with each foot. It’s a bit kinder on your body, but still gets those muscles working.

No Push-Up Burpee : Ditch the push-up part – it’s still a great workout even without it. Squat, kick back, jump forward, and stand up – simple.

No Jump Burpee : You don’t have to jump at the end – just stand up. It’s a bit of a weights-off cardio-wise, but still some great strength benefits.

Incline Burpee: Move your hands up onto a bench or a step instead of the floor. This takes a bit of the strain off your upper body.

Advanced Burpee Variations

Burpee with Tuck Jump: As you jump up, bring those knees in to your chest. It adds a bit of extra flair.

Burpee with Push-Up and Jump: And if you thought that was a bit too easy, add a push-up and then jump all the way up to really put yourself through your paces.

Burpee with Dumbbells: Hold those dumbbells during the push-up and jump – they add an extra bit of resistance and make it a bit harder.

Burpee with Pull-Up: Take it to the next level and combine a burpee with a pull-up. Do a burpee under a pull-up bar, then jump up and do a pull-up. This one’s not for the faint of heart.

Burpee with Box Jump: Replace that vertical jump with a box jump – it adds a bit of extra power and jumps up the intensity.

Common Burpee Mistakes to Avoid

Sagging Hips in Plank. – Your body shouldn’t just look like a straight line, it actually needs to be a straight line from head to heels. And if your hips are sagging, it’s likely putting strain on your lower back – so keep that core engaged to support yourself.

Leaning too Hard on Your Feet When Landing. – You want to land softly, on bent knees. The whole point of that is to avoid stressing out your joints – so don’t just drop down on your feet and hope for the best. Bending your knees takes some of the impact out of the movement.

Bypassing the Push-up Altogether. – Now if you’re doing the full burpee, then a push-up is a must – it does a world of good for your chest and arms. If a full push-up is just not doable for you, then you can fall back on a knee push-up or, if you’re just starting out, skip it altogether and try a variation that’s a bit more beginner-friendly.

Holding Your Breath Throughout. – You need to breathe steady throughout this movement. So exhale as you push yourself up, and inhale as you drop down low.

Pushing Yourself Too Hard. – And another thing – the goal here isn’t speed, it’s proper form. If you find yourself breaking form because you’re trying to go too fast, then you need to slow down.

Not Warming Up Before You Even Start. – Burpees are pretty intense, to be honest. Before you start, make sure you’re giving your muscles a bit of a warm-up with some light cardio and some dynamic stretches.

Trying to Do Too Many Too Soon. – Burpees are no joke – they’re hard. Don’t try to tackle too many of them too soon, or you’ll just end up sore and burnt out. Start off small and build up gradually.

How Many Burpees Should You Do?

The thing is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this one. It depends on just where you are with your fitness level, and what your goals are.

Start with as few as you think you can really manage , burpees are bound to wear you out quick. You can always tack on a few more next time. Proper form is a whole lot more important than pushing the numbers up.

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CONCLUSION

Burpees are probably the most effective exercise going round, the kind that really gets your heart rate up and burns calories in no time. Plus they work loads of different muscle groups and help build both strength and coordination. You don’t need any equipment either and can pretty much do them anywhere.

The crux of the thing is getting the form right. Drop down into a squat, kick back into a plank position, do a push-up, leap forward and then jump right up again. Now if you’re a complete beginner you can modify the movement so it’s a bit more manageable, and if you’re more advanced, try adding some variations to mix it up a bit.

Just do a handful of burpees today and take it from there. Add one more next week, and the week after. They are brutal, they are uncomfortable. But they work and your body will give you a big thank you if you stick at it.