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The Lift
Gabrielle Kassel


HOW TO BANG OUT BURPEES LIKE A BOSS (WITHOUT BARFING)

Medically reviewed by Danielle Hildreth, RN, CPT — Written by Gabrielle Kassel
on August 18, 2020
 * Proper form
 * Benefits
 * Upping the difficulty
 * Progress, not pressure


This is a series where we break down simple fitness activities you can do
anywhere — and not just do them, but do them right. With these helpful tips, you
can take control of your exercise process at your pace.
Share on PinterestDesign by Mekhi Baldwin

The only reason to name an exercise after a gaseous explosion of digestive tract
air? Well, because after doing a dozen of them, you feel like you’ve got a bout
of indigestion.

Kidding! The burpee exercise isn’t named after mouth farts. It’s named after
Royal H. Burpee (I sh*t you not!).

And while it does do a number on your entire bod, you’ll want water afterward,
not Pepto. Promise!

Now that that’s out of the way, read on for your guide to the movement that’s as
hard and humbling as it is efficient and effective.

The Lift
HOW TO DO A BURPEE CORRECTLY:

 1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms down by your sides.
 2. Brace midline, then bump your butt back and bend your knees to lower into a
    squat.
 3. Plop palms onto the floor ahead of you, just outside feet.
 4. Shift weight into hands as you jump feet back into a high plank position,
    landing on the balls of your feet.
 5. Double-check that core is braced. Then, keeping elbows locked into rib cage,
    lower into a push-up.
 6. Press into palms to push back up to a high plank position.
 7. Jump feet up to either side of hands.
 8. Explosively jump up, clapping hands overhead.

Share on Pinterest


BURPEE FORM TIPS (BECAUSE THAT SH*T IS HARD)

It turns out the burpee isn’t quite the foolproof movement it’s sold as.

“The burpee is so easy to get wrong,” says certified strength and conditioning
coach Mia Nikolajev, who also competes in powerlifting. “Throwing your body onto
the ground and hoping for the best just isn’t a recipe for staying safe.”

Do your body a favor and follow these form tips closely.


1. BRACE YOUR MIDLINE

The entire time. During every(!) single(!) rep(!).

“It’s especially important to brace your midline when you transition into and
out of the high plank,” says Philadelphia-based trainer Mike Watkins, founder of
Festive Fitness. “Failure to do so can put your spine in a compromised
position.”

The recommendation to avoid a sore lower back: Slow down.

When you pop back into a high plank, pause and think about pulling your belly
button into your spine. Then (and only then!) move on to the push-up.

At the bottom of the push-up, double-check that your core is cinched, and then
press back up to a high plank again. You should be able to draw a straight line
connecting your head to your heels this entire time.

If you take video of yourself doing a burpee and you look like you’re doing
Upward-Facing Dog, it’s a sign your core wasn’t engaged.


2. LET YOUR BODY DICTATE WHERE YOUR FEET GO

Generally, your feet should be hip-width apart when you’re in a high plank
position — including in the middle of a burpee. But Watkins suggests widening
your feet if you’re bigger-bodied or you have preexisting knee or ankle
injuries.

“Placing your feet beyond the width of your shoulders will give you a bigger,
more stable base,” he explains.


3. CHECK YOUR HAND PLACEMENT

Pro tip: Halfway through a burpee, you have to do a push-up. Not a Superman. And
not a diver’s pose.

In other words, instead of placing your hands above your head, you want them
planted directly under your shoulders. Your shoulders will be angry at you
otherwise.


4. PREPARE YOUR WRISTS AHEAD OF TIME

Even if you’re planning to do burpees correctly, Nikolajev recommends doing a
few wrist drills beforehand. These could include:

 * wrist rolls
 * prayer stretch
 * backward kneeling leans
 * forward kneeling leans
 * sideways kneeling leans

“People with desk and computer jobs are especially likely to have tight wrists
that need to be warmed up ahead of time,” she says.


5. ACTUALLY ENGAGE YOUR MUSCLES

During the push-up portion, you want your elbows tucked close to your body, not
flared out like wings.

But, Nikolajev warns, “You want to make sure you’re contracting the muscles that
control the joints rather than just ramming your joints into position.” Hello,
elbow injury.

So, when you hit the deck, think about screwing your pinkies into the floor,
juicing grapes between your shoulder blades, and pulling your elbows and toes
toward each other. That will actively engage your triceps and lats.


6. BREATHE

While it’s never a good idea to hold your breath when you exercise, considering
that your heart rate will be sky-high by rep 3, it’s especially important to
breathe during burpees.

Try inhaling at the top and exhaling when you shoot your legs back into a high
plank. Inhale at the bottom of the push-up, and exhale as you explode your feet
back up to your hands.

If you’re moving Dash-fast (that’s an “Incredibles” reference, BTW), you may
need only 1 breath per movement. And if you’re moving slow and steady, you may
need 3 breaths. So, experiment with what works for your lungs.

The Lift
NOTE: WORK YOUR WAY UP TO STANDARD BURPEES

Watkins recommends getting comfortable with the individual exercises in the
burpee (the push-up, high plank, and jump squat) before putting them all
together.

If you can do 5 push-ups, hold a plank for 20–30 seconds, and hit 5–10 jump
squats, you’re ready to try burpees.


BENEFITS OF BURPEES

Yes, they’re hard, but they’re also really good for you.


FULL-BODY WORKOUT

According to Watkins, burpees don’t discriminate when spreading the workout
wealth.

“Burpees work your chest, triceps, core, shoulders, glutes, quads, calves, and
hips,” he says. “When done correctly, they are a true full-body movement.”


CARDIOVASCULAR CHALLENGE

It might sound scary, but in this case, challenging your cardiovascular capacity
is a good thing.

“Any time you’re changing planes of motion, it’s going to spike your heart rate
and give your cardio a boost,” says Nikolajev. “And burpees — which require you
going from laying down (bottom of a push-up) to standing/jumping up over and
over and over again — do just that.”


INCREASED EXPLOSIVENESS

“If you do a standard burpee where you hop out into a plank, hop in and then
jump to stand up, it’s a plyometric exercise,” says Nikolajev.

Plyometrics can help you:

 * run faster
 * jump higher
 * become more agile

Hey, athletes, these perks (^) are especially beneficial to you.


ZERO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Even if that boitch Rona has shut the doors on your go-to fitness studio, it
can’t stop you from burpee-ing as much as you want.

More in The Lift
View All
The Great Weight Debate: Is Heavier Weight or More Reps Better for You?
Written by Gabrielle Kassel
Lost in Fitness Translation? Here Are the Differences Between Circuits,
Supersets, and Intervals
Written by Gabrielle Kassel
Strong Schedule: How Often Should You Strength Train?
Written by Gabrielle Kassel

CAN YOU MAKE THE BURPEE EVEN HARDER?

You betcha.

You could just go faster. But when you’re going as fast as you can, Nikolajev
says, form tends to falter.

So, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, you’ll get a bigger bang for your buck
burpee by doing one of the following instead:

 * adding a second push-up at the bottom of the burpee
 * adding a hand release at the bottom of the push-up
 * doing a tuck jump after every burpee

The Lift
CAN YOU DO BURPEES WHEN PREGNANT?

There’s no universal rule for working out while pregnant, but generally,
standard burpees are considered safe through the end of the first trimester.
After that, it all comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what your
doctor deems safe.

If burpees are out, squat thrusts (burpees without the push-up) are a good sub.
Ditto for air squats and wall push-ups.



BTW, IF YOU HATE BURPEES, YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE TO DO THEM

“There are many other full-body exercises that get your heart rate up,” says
Nikolajev.

Some alternative options:

 * inchworms
 * jump squats
 * kettlebell farmers walks
 * mountain climbers
 * weighted squats
 * deadlifts

So, if you’ve always wanted to film yourself doing an epic training montage that
includes burpees (or if you just enjoy them), have at it! But if not, that’s
A-OK.

Remember, you have control over your workout goals.

Gabrielle Kassel is a New York-based sex and wellness writer and CrossFit Level
1 Trainer. Follow her on Instagram.

More in The Lift
View All
The Great Weight Debate: Is Heavier Weight or More Reps Better for You?
Written by Gabrielle Kassel
Lost in Fitness Translation? Here Are the Differences Between Circuits,
Supersets, and Intervals
Written by Gabrielle Kassel
Strong Schedule: How Often Should You Strength Train?
Written by Gabrielle Kassel

Last medically reviewed on August 18, 2020

2 sourcesexpanded

 * Nikolajev M. (2020). Personal interview.
   
 * Watkins M. (2020). Personal interview.
   

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