Burpee Challenge
BUILD A BURPEE EXERCISE HABIT
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INTRO
What is a Burpee?
Burpees are a type of full-body exercise that involve squatting down, kicking your feet back into a plank position, then immediately jumping back up to a standing position and jumping into the air.
They’re a high-intensity, compound exercise that can help improve cardiovascular endurance, strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower body, and increase coordination and balance.
Invite your friends and coworkers to join your burpee challenge and keep each other motivated to stay consistent.
Burpees Benefits
Improved cardiovascular endurance
Burpees are a high-intensity exercise that can help improve cardiovascular endurance and boost cardiovascular health.
Increased muscle strength
Burpees are a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups at the same time, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, core, quads, and glutes. They can help increase muscle strength and tone throughout the body.
Increased flexibility
Burpees can help improve flexibility in the upper and lower body, as they involve a range of motion that stretches and strengthens the muscles.
How to do Burpees?
Burpees are often used in HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts because they can be done quickly and require no equipment.
It’s important to use proper form when doing burpees to avoid injury and get the most benefit from the exercise.
Burpees are a full-body exercise that combines the following movements into one compound exercise.
Squat. The first movement in a burpee is a squat. This involves lowering your body into a squat position by bending your knees and hips while keeping your back straight.
Plank. The next movement is transitioning into a plank position by placing your hands on the ground in front of you and stepping your feet back. In the plank position, your body should be in a straight line from your head to your heels, engaging your core and keeping your shoulders and hips aligned.
Push-up. From the plank position, you perform a push-up by lowering your body to the ground and then pushing yourself back up.
Squat jump. After the push-up, you jump your feet forward to return to the squat position. From there, you explosively jump upwards with your arms extended overhead.
Repeat. After landing from the jump, you immediately begin another repetition of the exercise by transitioning back into the plank position and repeating the entire sequence.
Burpee Variations
These burpee variations can add variety to your workout and challenge different muscle groups. It’s important to start with the basic burpee and gradually work your way up to more advanced variations as your fitness level improves.
Basic burpee
This is the standard burpee, which involves performing a squat, plank, push-up, squat jump, and repeating.
Weighted burpee
Hold a dumbbell in each hand while performing the exercise to add extra resistance.
Burpee box jump
Perform a burpee, but instead of a squat jump, jump onto a box or step, then step or jump down and repeat.
Burpee broad jump
Perform a burpee, then instead of a squat jump, jump forward as far as you can, landing in a squat position to repeat.
Modified burpee
If the standard burpee is too challenging, you can modify the exercise by skipping the push-up or squat jump, or both.
Medicine ball burpee
Hold a medicine ball at chest level while performing the squat and then lift the ball overhead during the jump.
Single leg burpee
Perform the burpee with one leg raised off the ground, alternating legs with each repetition.
Burpee pull up
Burpees for Beginners
Building a burpee habit can be challenging, but it is possible with a few simple strategies:
1
Start slowly
If you’re new to burpees, don’t try to do too much too soon. Start with a few repetitions and gradually increase the number over time. Aim to do a few sets of burpees a few times a week, and gradually increase the frequency and intensity as you get stronger.
2
Set specific goals
Setting specific goals can help you stay motivated and on track. For example, you might set a goal to do 10 burpees every day for a week, then increase the number to 20 burpees the following week.
3
Make it a habit
Incorporate burpees into your daily routine, such as doing a few sets in the morning or before bed. Once you make it a habit, it will become easier to stick with.
4
Mix it up
To keep things interesting, try different variations of burpees, or combine them with other exercises. For example, you could do a few sets of burpees followed by a few sets of jumping jacks or lunges.
5
Track your progress
Keeping track of your progress can help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come. Keep a record of the number of burpees you do each day or week, and try to improve on your previous performance.
Burpee Challenge Setbacks
Burpees can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can use to help you overcome setbacks in your burpee challenge.
Focus on form. Pay attention to your form and technique when doing burpees. Poor form can lead to injury and setbacks, so take the time to make sure you’re doing the exercise correctly.
Start small. If you’ve experienced a setback, such as an injury or illness, don’t try to jump back into your regular burpee routine right away. Start with a small number of modified repetitions and gradually increase as you feel more comfortable.
Modify the exercise. If you’re struggling with a certain aspect of the burpee, such as the push-up or the jump, try modifying the exercise. For example, you can skip the push-up or do a modified push-up on your knees.
Take breaks. If you’re feeling tired or fatigued, take a break. It’s better to do a few high-quality repetitions than to push yourself to the point of exhaustion.
Set realistic goals. If you’re struggling to meet your goals, consider setting more realistic ones. For example, instead of trying to do 50 burpees in one go, aim for 10 sets of 5 burpees throughout the day.
Be patient. Building strength and endurance takes time, so be patient with yourself. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not seeing progress as quickly as you’d like.
Get support. Enlist the help of a personal trainer, or invite friends or family members to help keep you motivated and accountable in your burpee challenge.
Burpee Challenge FAQ's
Burpees are a full-body exercise that work multiple muscle groups at once, making them an efficient and effective exercise for building strength and endurance. Here are some of the main muscle groups that burpees work:
- Legs. Burpees work the quads, hamstrings, and glutes as you squat down and jump up.
- Core. The core muscles, including the abs and lower back, are engaged as you move through the burpee motion, particularly during the plank and jump portions.
- Chest and Shoulders. The push-up portion of the burpee works the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Arms. The triceps, biceps, and forearms are also engaged during the push-up and plank portions of the burpee.
- Cardiovascular System. Burpees are a high-intensity exercise that can raise your heart rate and challenge your cardiovascular system, helping to improve endurance and overall fitness.
Overall, burpees are a challenging exercise that can help to build strength, endurance, and improve cardiovascular health.
The number of calories burned during burpees can vary depending on your age, gender, body weight, intensity, and duration of the exercise. If we assume that a person performs burpees at a moderate intensity for 10 minutes, they can expect to burn around 100 calories. However, if they perform burpees at a higher intensity for 10 minutes, they can burn up to 150-200 calories.
It’s important to note that the number of calories burned during burpees should be considered in the context of a person’s overall exercise routine and energy balance.
The number of burpees you should do depends on your fitness level, goals, and overall exercise routine. If you are new to burpees or exercise in general, it’s important to start slowly and gradually build up your strength and endurance.
A good starting point could be to perform 1-2 sets of 5-10 burpees with rest in between. As you become more comfortable with the exercise, you can increase the number of sets or repetitions gradually over time.
For those with more experience, a common goal is to perform a certain number of burpees within a set time frame, such as 50 burpees in 5 minutes or 100 burpees in 10 minutes.
It’s important to listen to your body and not overdo it, as performing too many burpees too quickly can lead to fatigue, injury, or burnout. Remember to warm up properly, maintain good form throughout the exercise, and take breaks when needed.
Boosting Your Burpee
Burpees are typically a bodyweight exercise that requires no equipment, however you may wish to increase the intensity with weights. Here are a few different resources that can be useful for performing burpees safely and effectively:
Fitness Apps. Many fitness apps offer burpee-based workouts, which can guide you through a set of burpees with instructions and timers.
Fitness Trackers. Fitness trackers can help you track the number of burpees you do (like the MasterHealth app), your heart rate, calories burned, and other important metrics while performing burpees.
Workout Clothes. Wearing comfortable and breathable workout clothes can make it easier to perform burpees by allowing for a full range of motion and preventing chafing or irritation.
Athletic Shoes. Wearing proper athletic shoes can provide support, cushioning, and stability, which can be beneficial when performing burpees.
Fitness Mats. Using a fitness mat can provide cushioning and support for your hands and knees during burpees, reducing the risk of injury and discomfort.
Weights. Dumbbells and medicine balls can be used to add extra intensity to your burpees. Hold the dumbbells in your hands, and push up while continuing to hold them.
Personal Trainer. A personal trainer can provide guidance, support, and motivation for performing burpees correctly and safely, as well as creating a personalized workout plan to help you achieve your fitness goals.
