Burpees are a plyometric exercise that is a combination of a jump, plank, and push-up. This super-effective exercise engages all the muscles in your body, quickly raises your heart rate to the fat-burning zone and allows you to burn a large number of calories in a short time.
The burpee exercise (or burpee as it is also called) was invented back in 1939 by the American Doctor of Physiological Sciences Royal H. Burpee as a quick and reliable way to conduct fitness tests. But this exercise gained particular popularity after the surge in CrossFit training, where burpees are a key element of the workout. Now burpee is actively used not only in CrossFit, but in interval, functional and cardio training.
Exercise “Walking a Lame Dog”
This movement is also known as the bear tree crawl. It involves holding your body like a three-legged dog and walking forward and backward. This exercise activates many of the same muscles as the burpee.
Read also: Why the glaze does not harden
The Lame Dog Walk may seem easy, but it will ignite your muscles.
Using one leg to jump forward is a powerful way to target your core and requires a lot of stability and balance.
You can increase your cardio factor by doing it as quickly as possible, or slow down to reduce the load.
Read also: Squat machines in Moscow
What else will change?
- Excess weight will go away, and it will become visually noticeable. Burpees force the body to burn a large number of calories during and after exercise.
- You will feel a surge of energy. After an intense workout in the morning, you definitely won't need coffee.
- You will become more dexterous. During the exercise, the brain learns to synchronize the work of all parts of the body and keep them under control.
- You will gain stamina. 50 burpees a day is not that easy. But such a load improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and oxygen is more efficiently delivered to all organs.
- You will have an even posture. Keeping your back muscles toned is one of the main tasks during the exercise. This exercise will help you strengthen your muscle corset and slouch less.
A beautiful body without a gym - does it happen?
Want a toned body in just eight minutes a day? Join the burpee challenge!
Disadvantages of Constant Planking
The first thing you need to know is that the plank does not help burn belly fat in any way; it is impossible to pump up your abs with the help of the exercise. The plank is a static exercise, so you can stand for hours without the abdominal muscles becoming prominent.
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Endurance will increase, but there will be no relief. No one on the beach will say, “Oh! The plank did its job, you look gorgeous!” And the plank certainly doesn’t help correct your posture. So you can safely cross out the bar from your exercise cycle.
Planking is not the best way to develop muscles
Statistics and record holders
When the Burpee technique became popular, many athletes decided to write their name in the history of sports. Burpee records are held by many people. It all depends on the technique and complexity of execution.
In the spring of 2016 in Moscow, Igor Kim broke the record with a score of 4555 times. The athlete managed to complete it in 12 hours. The athlete performed a complicated program (lying emphasis, push-ups with the chest and stomach touching the floor, jumping and clapping overhead).
Previously, the record was set in the UAE by Englishman Lee Ryan. He completed it in 24 hours and completed 10,100 times. He excluded jumping, overhead clapping, and push-ups from his burpees.
Can it be done every day?
The main goal of physical exercise is to improve health, lose weight, and improve muscle structure. Doing burpees daily will help you achieve your goals. The initial number of repetitions does not exceed 10-12, gradually the muscle fibers get used to the loads, after a month it is realistic to perform 50 repetitions daily. After a month of intense, daily exercise, your body will be transformed.
If you follow the recommendations in a month of cyclic training, you can lose 7-8 extra kilos, increase endurance, and activate metabolic processes.
Recommendations for heart rate values
Do not perform the exercise to the point of complete exhaustion, this can lead to detrimental consequences because it creates overload for the heart, liver, kidneys and other internal organs. Increase the load gradually.
Buy a heart rate monitor and calculate the maximum allowable heart rate for yourself. This can be done using the formula:
Maximum heart rate = 205.8 - (0.685 * age)
This is the limit value beyond which you will not be able to continue training. Do not exceed this value during exercise, otherwise you will harm your heart.
How to do burpees correctly?
There are several options for how to properly perform the burpee exercise.
The classic version involves execution in the following sequence:
- From the starting position standing, squat down with your hands on the floor.
- Jump back into a plank position.
- Return to the starting standing position.
- Jump up to the highest possible height.
The execution speed is selected individually. It should not be slow or excessively fast. The human body has the ability to get used to constantly repeated stress and movements. In order to increase efficiency, there are variations to complicate the movements performed.
The load should be given commensurate with individual physical fitness. It's better to start with entry-level exercises.
The speed of the exercise is selected individually
Low impact burpees with chair
Refers to the first level of load and complexity of execution. The movements are performed in the following sequence:
- from a vertical position, support the chair with your hands;
- in the rhythm of a fast step, take the position of a plank;
- return to a standing position through a step without jumping.
The frequency of repetitions to move to the next level is 14-16 times. The height of the support matters - the higher the support, the lower the load on the muscle groups.
Low impact burpees on the floor
An effective exercise for weight loss is burpees with emphasis on the floor. The principle is similar to the described option with a chair. The difference is that from a vertical position, the hands are placed on the floor, after which the exercise is performed according to the algorithm described above. This variation is suitable for people with knee joint diseases. The possibility of performing two sets of 14-16 repetitions indicates the need to move to the next level of complexity.
Burpees with a Focus on Semi-Effective Weight Loss Exercise
Burpees without jumping and push-ups
The classic burpee without push-ups and jumping up is suitable for inclusion in a complex cardio workout. This option is ideal for those who have just started a course of exercise and are not prepared for increased physical activity. This type is used by girls to lose weight in a short time. To achieve maximum performance, execution speed must be above average.
Confidently performing two sets of this technique with 14-16 repetitions each indicates the need to increase the load. The following variation with jumping helps to avoid addiction
Burpees without push-ups
The ability to perform exercises in various variations allows them to be used by people with different training levels and health conditions. Persons who have not mastered the skills of proper push-ups can perform burpees with the exception of this movement from the complex. To maximally load the muscles of the shoulder girdle, you need to learn the technique of doing push-ups. Without push-ups - the standard women's version.
Classic burpee with push-ups
The classic method, in which all major muscle groups are involved. Push-ups increase the effectiveness of the complex of movements. Advanced athletes perform push-ups in the form of a wave - touching the chest, stomach and legs to a horizontal surface. This type is used at home, in the gym, and in open spaces. The optimal number of repetitions is 15-16. The maximum result that many strive for is 40-50 repetitions.
The effectiveness of the complex of movements increases the push-up
Examples of workouts
The simplest thing is to do burpees for 30 seconds, then take a break for 30 seconds or a minute, repeat the complex 4-6 times depending on your current physical condition. Gradually increase the number of approaches to 8-10 and time to 1 minute. For example, you can increase the period of performing the movement each next session by 5-10 seconds, and the rest time remains the same. Or add one additional approach every third workout.
There is a technique called Tabata. Perform the exercise intensely for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat the complex 8-10 times.
You can do 50 burpees in the first lesson, with rest breaks, if you can’t handle this amount at once. Then, at the next workout, perform 55 exercises and increase the number of repetitions, etc., using this kind of ladder.
You can include burpees as part of the CrossFit complex. If you do workouts in the morning, it will speed up your metabolism, help you quickly lose excess weight and energize you for the whole day.
Burpees - why strain without benefit?
Burpee is a cycle of push-ups and jumping squats. The exercises work all the muscles of the body; this is an excellent option for general development, but completely useless for the “pumping” regime. It is much more convenient and beneficial for the body to do all the same exercises: push-ups, squats, jumping, but with breaks between approaches. In this case, the weights must be increased in order to develop the necessary muscle groups.
The only benefit from non-stop bench presses, squats and abdominal pumping is an increase in endurance. The muscle groups of the abdomen, legs, and arms will not grow, no matter how hard you try.
Burpees are not the best option for creating sculpted muscles.
What muscles work
The burpee technique is useful for maintaining the figure of girls and men. At first glance, the strength exercise does not seem difficult until you start.
Thanks to cross fit, the following muscles of the body are pumped:
- buttocks;
- pectoral muscles;
- caviar;
- biceps, triceps;
- stomach, lower back;
- spine, hips, elbow and knee joints.
By performing exercises regularly, the legs, buttocks and abdominal muscles especially develop.
How to replace burpees
This exercise is not a simple one, so today the relevant question is what can replace burpees. This is the question we will consider in the article.
If you want to achieve good results in fitness, then you should not give up burpees once. Professional instructors recommend a simplified version for beginners - without the jump. At the initial stage, this is absolutely appropriate. But if you are wondering exactly what exercise to replace burpees with, then we offer several effective options.
- Training with ropes. The complex is aimed at tightening muscles and burning fat. They provide excellent cardio exercise and strengthen the body. The most common exercise is the wave, performed like this:
- starting position: standing straight, bend your knees slightly;
- perform wave-like movements with a stationary body.
take the rope in both hands;
This is not the only exercise with a rope; the trainer in the gym will suggest others.
A good alternative to replacing burpees, allowing you to effectively work out your back and abdominal muscles. To perform it, you need to take a lying position, as for push-ups. This is a classic position in which you need to freeze for a while. The "bar" has more complex varieties. You can stand on your elbows, perform turns or swing your legs in the process.
- hold the dumbbell at hip level and extend your other arm forward;
To learn more about how to replace the burpee exercise, consult a professional trainer. He will create an optimal training program based on your goals and physical capabilities.
Newbie mistakes
- Beginning athletes often neglect warming up. This may cause injury.
- Many people, trying to quickly achieve high results, do burpees to the point of exhaustion - remember, overtraining is worse than undertraining.
- Beginners do not create a training plan with specific goals and do not follow a diet. This leads to the fact that, studying without a specific goal, over time, they quit classes.
- Beginners do not allow the body to rest. You shouldn’t exercise intensively every day and increase the load; take 2-3 breaks a week and your results will immediately begin to improve.
Precautions and contraindications
Burpees are one of the most famous exercises in CrossFit. It has a positive effect on health and the body. But there are cases when the burpee technique may be contraindicated for both girls and men. Contraindications cannot be ignored, as the result will be negative.
In such cases, doctors recommend not to engage in:
- Heart problems. Burpees put a lot of stress on the heart.
- If a girl is pregnant and breastfeeding. It is better to exclude burpees for this period.
- Dilatation of veins. Because the load is enormous on the legs.
- Any ailments, poor health, injuries. It is better to take a break to fully restore the body.
- Trauma to the musculoskeletal system.
- Excess weight.
- If there are surges in pressure.
Burpees can rightfully be considered the most effective exercise for burning fat. With its help you can achieve a slim and toned body. The main thing is to follow safety rules and recommendations of fitness trainers. You can design an exercise so that it does not require going to the gym.
How many calories are burned?
As mentioned above, burpees are considered one of the most intense exercises. According to approximate calculations by scientists, when performing 7 approaches per minute, it is possible to spend about 15 - 20 kcal. Metabolic processes increase in the same way as with a 30-second bicycle sprint.
But the number of calories burned also depends on the person’s initial weight. So, the heavier it is, the more calories are consumed. As a result, in five minutes of training you can spend from 80 - 100 kcal, and in an hour - up to 1200 kcal.
We recommend reading about boxing for weight loss. You will learn about the benefits of boxing for weight loss, contraindications for training, training for men and women. And here is more information about the barbell for weight loss.
Burpees will be a great way to realize your desire to lose weight without hours of tedious workouts in a stuffy gym or treadmill. Feedback on this exercise is mostly positive. The main task is to overcome the laziness and discomfort of the first workouts.
"Bridge" in the air
Lie down on the mat. The spine is straight, the legs are slightly bent at the knees and parallel to each other, the ankles are in loops. Arms are extended along the body, palms are on the floor. Using a powerful abdominal force, lift your pelvis up as high as possible, while keeping your shoulders and head on the floor. The angle at the knees should be 90 degrees. Pause briefly at the end point of the movement to prolong the tension in the muscles of your back, hips and buttocks. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position. Do the required number of repetitions. Move without jerking: fast and sharp movements create inertia and significantly reduce the load.
