Burpee
The burpee is a bodyweight conditioning exercise that takes you from standing to a plank with your chest on the floor and back up into a jump. It works the legs, chest, arms and trunk at a light load, and it is mainly used to raise heart rate and build work capacity.
Also called: Burpees, Squat Thrust with Jump, Up-Down, Military Burpee · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: compound
Step by step
- Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Squat down and place your hands flat on the floor just outside your feet.
- Jump or step your feet back into a straight-body plank, with your hands under your shoulders and your glutes and abs tight.
- Bend your elbows and bring your chest and thighs to the floor under control.
- Push the floor away to straighten your arms, then jump or step your feet back in under your hips.
- Stand up and jump straight up, reaching your arms overhead.
- Land softly through your whole foot with your knees bent and go straight into the next rep. Breathe out on the push-up and the jump, and keep breathing on every rep.
- Hands down, feet back, chest down, feet in, jump
- Straight plank, hips in line
- Hands under your shoulders, soft elbows
- Land soft through your whole foot
- Pick a pace you can hold for the whole set
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriceps | Prime mover | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | C |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Secondary | C |
| Gastrocnemius | Secondary | C |
| Hamstrings | Secondary | C |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | C |
| Obliques (internal/external) | Stabiliser | C |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | C |
| Hip flexors | Dynamic stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Hips sagging in the plank
Fix: Squeeze your glutes and abs so you are straight from shoulders to heels.
Worming up from the floor
Fix: Push up as one rigid unit, then bring your feet in.
Rounding the back as the feet come in
Fix: Step your feet in instead of jumping when you tire, and keep your back flat.
Crashing onto straight arms
Fix: Place your hands under your shoulders with a slight bend in your elbows.
Stiff-legged landings
Fix: Land through your whole foot with your knees bent.
Starting too fast
Fix: Choose an opening pace you can hold for the whole set.
What the research says
General fitness · first choiceEndurance · first choiceFat loss & conditioning · first choicePowerSport performance
- Conditioning — In a 4-week study, one 4-minute set of 20-second bodyweight intervals, including burpees, four days a week raised aerobic fitness about as much as 30 minutes of treadmill running.
- Functional intervals — A 4-week trial found burpee-style interval training raised VO2max by about 11%, statistically similar to running intervals at about 13%, while session heart rates stayed below those of running.
- Formats — Common formats are 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off, a set number every minute, and timed rounds. There is no research comparing these formats for the burpee.
- Enjoyment — One study found burpee intervals were rated more pleasant than traditional high-intensity exercise at a similar intensity.
- Muscle growth — The burpee has not been studied for muscle growth or maximal strength. It is mainly used for conditioning and muscular endurance.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the burpee in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.