Fitness enthusiasts have a LOVE-HATE relationship with Burpees.
They love the results but hate the challenge.
But that challenge is exactly why Burpees provide amazing results that you’ll both see and feel.
What type of results? Burpees – this one powerhouse exercise – will work all these muscle groups …
Chest … Shoulders … Triceps …Abdominals … Quadriceps, Hamstrings …glutes … calves … Erector Spinae, and Latissimus
The polymetric power of Burpees will help you burn calories and build muscle using your own body weight to build strength. Plus, the impact generated by the Burpee will also help you build bone strength.
Here’s how to do a proper Burpee and turbo-charge your fitness program …
:: Standing straight in a wide stance (feet a little wider than shoulder width), squat down with your thighs parallel to the floor. Explosively jump high and reach for the ceiling.
:: Land softly in a wide stance and squat down … make sure to keep your back straight. (Hints: Don’t hunch your back when you squat and make sure you bend at the hips. Also, when jumping and landing, make sure your knees are wider than your shoulders to help make kicking back into the Plank easier.)
:: Kick back into a plank position, shooting both legs back simultaneously. With this plank position, your hands should be under your shoulders. You should now be in a raised Push Up Plank position. (Hint: Your hands, when placed on the ground, should be flat on the floor.) Also, you should be creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
:: Now perform one Push Up. (Hints: You can perform one, two, or three push-ups per repetition depending on your desired level of challenge. Also, don’t bounce during the push-up. Control your decent to work your muscles on the way down.)
:: Next, draw your legs back to a squat position, keeping your back straight.
:: Jump high, reaching for the ceiling
:: Work up to 3 Sets of 10 repetitions.
Hints: You can add variety and extra challenge to Burpees by changing the push-up done. There are many types of push-ups. Each can work your body differently, helping to confuse your muscles, adding powerful results to your workouts. Also, instead of doing one kickback, you can do two, three … up to five kickbacks per repetition.
You’ll notice that this full-body exercise is a combination of four classic drills that will help get your body in shape. They are …
:: A plyometric jump
:: Squat
:: Plank
:: Push Up
Feel Free To Modify This Exercise To Suit Your Fitness Level
There are almost countless ways to make this exercise easier or more challenging depending on your exercise program, fitness level, and age.
For example, you can eliminate the push-up to make the exercise easier.
You can make the Burpee a lower impact exercise by walking your legs back (first one than the other) into the plank, instead of thrusting them back.
You can also break the Burpee down and perform the following exercises individually to build up your strength and stamina before taking on the formidable Burpee …
:: Hill Climber
:: Squat Jump
:: Push-Ups
Remember, with the Burpee – as with most exercises – focus on quality over quantity. An exercise done improperly at best won’t get you the results you want and at worst can injure you.