Whether I am teaching a boot camp class or training my clients, whenever I say the word burpee I usually hear a sigh or a complaint. My question for you is, why? This body-weight exercise gets the heart rate up and is a full-body movement. Therefore you are working so many more muscles with just ONE exercise!

There are a few different variations of a burpee. You can do a burpee with a pushup and a jump at the end, or you can do just the simple squat thrust. This movement can be altered to you based on your athletic capability.

Image 1 shows me lowering down towards the floor, image 2 demonstrates me kicking my feet back into a pushup position. You would then lower into a pushup

Image 3 shows me jumping back into a wide stance (you can also do a narrow stance with your feet on the insides of your hand)

Image 4  did not make the cut! It was too blurry, but that last step is a nice explosive jump into the air. Then you repeat with another burpee.

So.. now the workout! My Thursday challenge for you is to complete as many burpees in 1 day as possible. Whenever you have a free minute get down and do some burpees. Record how many you complete!

Please share your numbers

Not only are burpees a total body workout but man do they get your heart pumping. It is a great exercise that can be progressed or regressed based on your athletic ability! This sometimes dreaded exercise torches calories, so give it a try! Maybe you will learn to love them too.

During pregnancy I find it easier to bring my burpee into a wider squat before I stand up. It is less stress on my abdominal region.

Are you up for a burpee challenge?

How many burpees can you perform in 5 minutes time? Record the amount of repetitions you perform in 5 minutes, and a few days later try the workout again. See if you can increase your total.

Don’t make excuses, take 5 minutes out of your day and try it.

How to do a burpee?

STEP #1

Bring your hands to the floor and place them about shoulder width apart

STEP #2

Jump your feet back so your body is in a pushup position. You can have your feet in a wide or narrow stance                 (optional add pushup here)

STEP #3

Jump your feet back towards your hands

STEP #4

Stand up (add a jump for an extra challenge) and repeat!

Make sure to take rest when needed. (Also, take note that there are many different variations of a burpee)