The burpee is one of those multipurpose exercises. It’s a full body workout that challenges both
your strength and your cardiovascular health and is the ultimate fitness test.
The Benefits of the Burpee:
- Strength building: Chest, back, arms, shoulders, thighs, hamstrings, and core muscles are all
engaged. - Functional fitness: We may not be hunter gathers anymore, sprinting through the woods
over natural obstacles, but our bodies still benefit from bodyweight-based movement that is
functional in our everyday lives. The burpee not only increases and improves muscle strength,
but heart and lung strength, agility, flexibility, fast-twitch muscles, endurance, and stamina. - Burns fat: You’ll know what we’re talking about a few seconds in. With all those muscles
engaged and the pumping action of the legs, combined in an explosive, quick movement,
the burpee is one intense exercise. Studies show that high intensity exercise (done in shorter
periods of time) is better at burning fat (up to 50% more) than conventional steady-steady
exercise. This kind of exercise has also been shown to increase metabolism, improving calorie
burn throughout the day as a result. - Burpees are a free, do anywhere exercise. All you need is your body and the motivation to
stick to it.
How to Do a Basic Burpee:
- From standing, move into a squat position placing your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Jump your feet back behind you into a pushup position.
- Quickly jump your feet back up into the squat position.
- From the squat position, in one explosive movement, jump up as high as possible,
reaching arms overhead.
Repeat
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60 Second Burpees:
- Set an interval timer to 60 seconds
- Do as many full burpees as you can in 60 seconds while keeping good form.
Results:
15 burpees or less: below average fitness
Around 25 burpees: average fitness
Around 35 burpees: above average fitness
45 burpees or more: superhero status
If you feel like you need an extra challenge, try adding a full pushup after you jump your feet
back behind into a pushup position. Still think you’re in great shape?