Hate or love em’, burpees are an exercise you can do in a small space, they can be effective and make you feel like you’re working hard but—
Are you qualified to do them?
Are you intentional or are you flopping like a fish?
Here is a good burpee:
Here is a floppy fish burpee:
Like running, burpees are available to you but if they’re not done correctly you’re keeping physiotherapists in business.
I love burpees. But I hate to see them butchered. They deserve more respect than they’re given.
I also love INTENSITY— BUT the right amount for the INTENTION of the workout.
Burpees used in a short workout vs long workout will be approached differently.
An example of two workouts you can do at home:
5x15 burpees as fast as possible
Rest until fully recovered between sets
VS
20 minute AMRAP
12 burpees
30m bear hug carry (hold loaded backpack at your chest)
6 Turkish get ups
30m walking lunge
Aim to keep consistent rounds, the first should look the same as the last.
The intention with the latter is aerobic. There’s time to focus on your burpees more and practice good movement.
The intention with the first, however, is anaerobic, which means GET. AFTER. IT. BUT if you have burpees that are not efficient (fish out of water) you’re probably not going to reach the desired outcome.
That’s annoying. SO what do you do?
We become stronger and more efficient in order to be able to work harder (swipe for proper burpee technique)
While practicing getting better and getting stronger, consider regressing the movement so you’re able to illicit a similar stimus (swipe for regressions).
In the Bold Collective Program (in gym and out of gym) there are always different burpee options to not only meet individuals where they are at in their capabilities but also where they're at each day.
For goodness sake, if you’re doing a truckload of burpees with your workouts in quarantine right now you owe it to yourself and your body to do them correctly. Why not practice the SKILL of them while you’re at home?
Even if you’ve been training for a long time, this still matters.
How to perform a beautiful burpee
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, weight in your heels, and your arms at your sides.
Push your hips back, bend your knees slightly. As you lower your body into a squat place your hands on the floor directly in front of you.
Jump your feet back to softly land on the balls of your feet in a plank position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels.
Midline should be on here! Check your hips aren’t sagging to the floor or being pushed into the sky. Keep your ribs tucked down.
Jump your feet back in so that they land just outside and behind your hands. Finish by jumping up with your hips open.
Avoid snaking your body up off the floor, but press with both hands equally into the ground, keeping your head in line with your spine, butt tight, midline on to stand.
Burpee regressions
Burpee with no push up: hands on the ground, jump feet back then jump back in.
Step back and step up: just remove the jump. A good option for those with injuries.
Reduced ROM burpee: Choose a raised surface to place hands on. Progress by decreasing the range of motion.
If you want to make your burpees mean something train with me in The Bold Collective. You can find out more about the Out of Gym Edition here.