Burpee Tutorial
The burpee is a fast, full-body bodyweight exercise that blends strength, power, and conditioning into one continuous movement. This version includes a full push-up and an explosive jump with a hand clap overhead, making it a demanding option for people who want to build real-world fitness.
It is best suited for advanced trainees or anyone with a solid strength base who wants to improve cardio capacity, core control, and total-body coordination. Focus on smooth transitions, strong plank alignment on the hands, and explosive intent on the jump rather than rushing sloppy reps.
Benefits
- Trains the entire body in one movement
- Improves cardiovascular endurance
- Builds explosive leg power
- Strengthens the core under fatigue
- Develops push-up and plank strength
- Burns a high number of calories
- Improves coordination and athleticism
Setup & Starting Position
Start standing upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Your posture should be tall, chest open, and eyes looking forward. Engage your core lightly by tightening your abs as if preparing to cough, without holding your breath.
Make sure you have enough space in front of you to kick your legs back and enough overhead clearance to jump and clap your hands. Wear shoes or train barefoot on a non-slip surface to ensure good traction during the plank and jump phases.
Setup tip: Before the first rep, rehearse stepping into a strong high plank position so you know exactly where your hands and feet should land.
How To Do Burpee (Step-by-step)
- Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and core lightly braced.
- Drop into a squat and place your hands flat on the floor just in front of your feet.
- Kick both feet back together into a high plank on your hands.
- Lower your chest all the way to the floor for a push-up.
- Briefly lift your hands off the floor, then place them back under your shoulders.
- Press through your hands to return to a strong plank.
- Jump both feet forward toward your hands, landing in a squat.
- Drive through your legs and jump straight up.
- Reach your arms overhead and clap your hands at the top.
- Land softly with bent knees and immediately prepare for the next rep.
Form Cues
- Hands under shoulders in plank
- Body straight during push-up
- Chest touches the floor
- Explode up, do not hop lazily
- Land softly through the feet
- Move smoothly between phases
Breathing & Bracing
Breathing during burpees should be rhythmic and purposeful. Inhale as you squat down and place your hands on the floor. As you kick your feet back and lower into the push-up, maintain a light brace around your core, thinking about pulling your ribs down toward your hips.
Exhale as you press up from the push-up and again as you jump your feet forward. Use a strong exhale during the explosive jump and overhead clap, which helps transfer power and keeps your torso stable.
A simple rhythm to repeat is: inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. Avoid holding your breath for multiple reps, as this can spike fatigue quickly. Your core should feel firm but not rigid, allowing you to move efficiently from rep to rep.
Common Mistakes
- Letting hips sag in the plank, fix it by squeezing glutes and abs.
- Skipping full chest contact on the push-up, fix it by slowing the descent.
- Landing stiff-legged from the jump, fix it by bending knees and hips.
- Placing hands too far forward, fix it by stacking shoulders over hands.
- Rushing sloppy reps, fix it by prioritizing form over speed.
- Failing to clap overhead, fix it by fully extending arms at the jump.
How It Should Feel
Quick Self-Check: A proper burpee should feel challenging and demanding, but controlled. You should feel your heart rate rise quickly while your legs, chest, shoulders, and core all work together.
Good signs:
- Whole-body fatigue rather than pain in one joint
- Strong plank and push-up position every rep
- Explosive but controlled jumps
Warning signs:
- Sharp pain in shoulders, knees, or lower back, stop immediately
- Lower back sagging during the push-up
- Neck strain from looking up during the plank
If you feel it mainly in your neck, keep your gaze slightly ahead of your hands. If your lower back feels stressed, slow down and tighten your core before kicking the feet back.
Alternative Names
Full burpee, Burpee with push-up
Variations
Easier
- Step-Back Burpee: Step one foot at a time back to plank and skip the jump.
- Burpee Without Push-Up: Hold a strong plank briefly instead of lowering chest to the floor.
- Low-Impact Burpee: Step back, step forward, and stand up without jumping.
Harder
- Tempo Burpee: Slow the push-up to 3 seconds down to increase time under tension.
- Burpee With Pause Push-Up: Pause for 2 seconds with chest just off the floor.
- Burpee Broad Jump: Jump forward instead of straight up for more power demand.
Sample Workout
Full-Body Conditioning Circuit
- Burpees, 8 to 12 reps
- Bodyweight squats, 20 reps
- Push-ups, 12 to 15 reps
- Plank hold, 30 to 45 seconds
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between rounds. Complete 3 to 5 total rounds depending on fitness level. Each burpee rep includes the full sequence from stand to jump and clap.
Progression Plan
Week 1: Perform 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 8 controlled burpees. Rest 90 seconds between sets. Focus on clean push-ups and soft landings. If form breaks down, stop the set early.
Week 2: Increase to 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Reduce rest to 60 to 75 seconds. Keep the same movement quality and breathing rhythm.
Week 3: Add difficulty by slowing the push-up to 2 to 3 seconds on the way down or by adding a brief pause at the bottom. Maintain reps but improve control.
Progress to advanced variations once you can complete all reps with stable plank form and explosive jumps. Repeat a week if fatigue causes sloppy technique.
FAQ
How many calories do burpees burn?
Burpees burn a high number of calories because they use many muscles and elevate heart rate, but the exact number depends on body weight and intensity.
Are burpees good for abs?
Yes, the core works hard to stabilize the plank, push-up, and jump phases.
How fast should burpees be done?
They should be done at a pace that allows full push-ups and safe landings, not rushed.
Do burpees build muscle?
They help maintain and build muscular endurance, especially in the legs, chest, and shoulders.
Summary
The burpee is a powerful test of total-body fitness that rewards effort and consistency. When done with a full push-up, strong plank, and explosive jump, it builds strength, endurance, and mental toughness at the same time.
Focus on quality reps, controlled breathing, and steady progression rather than chasing speed. Whether used in conditioning circuits or short intense workouts, burpees can become a reliable tool for pushing your limits and tracking your fitness improvements.
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