Why You Should Give Burpees a Chance

Why You Should Give Burpees a Chance

For most, burpees are a groan-inducing exercise. A favorite of gym teachers, personal trainers, and boot camp instructor alike, the burpee is an exercise most of us have done, and hated, at some point in our fitness pursuits. But it’s time to stop fearing and start embracing the burpee! Here’s why:

It’s a Great Total Body Workout

The burpee involves your upper body, lower body and core all in one simple, cardio busting movement!

Like jumping jacks burpees can be done in sequence and utilized in a circuit. Since it’s such a great cardio move, burpees are often pulled into an exercise simply to raise your heart rate between exercises (known as active rest).

Like with all strength movements, burpees get easier with time and practice. At first, doing 10 may seem like a tremendous feat, but after practicing a few times a week, you’ll be doing 30 in a row no problem.

How to Execute a Burpee

  1. Start in a standing position.
  2. Bend your knees and place your hands on the ground in front of you, jumping your legs back into an upward plank.
  3. Jump your feet back in and stand up

You can also add a little jump at the end. Or, for added difficulty, you can do a push up as your legs jump back into an upward plank. The goal is to make this one fluid motion.

This video from Linora Low is a great visual on how to execute a burpee properly.

A Burpee Circuit

Here’s a fun burpee circuit you can do in 10 minutes, no equipment needed! As this circuit is a full cardio circuit, ensure you are cleared by your physician to do rigorous heart-pumping exercise before starting.

Do each move in the circuit for 30 seconds, then rest for one minute, and repeat!

  1. Burpees
  2. Jog in place
  3. Jump squats
  4. Jog in place
  5. Burpees
  6. Rest
  7. Jumping jacks
  8. Rest
  9. Burpees
  10. Jumping jacks