The Burpee is one of the most challenging bodyweight exercises. Simplified, it is a jump thrust with a pushup. That adds an upper body strength element to the exercise, further increasing the physical demand and, thus, the benefit to you.
Online Personal Training Video: Burpee
How To Do It
1. From a standing position, squat down so that your arms are outside your legs and your hands are on the floor.
2. From this position, “shoot” your legs back, landing in the pushup position. Then…
3a. Perform a pushup. OR…
3b. Drop your knees to the floor and perform a pushup.
4. Reverse the motion and “pull” or “jump” your feet back to the starting squat position.
5. Once in the squat position again with your hands on the floor, in one motion return to a standing position and jump, hands above your head, feet off the ground.
Online Personal Trainer Tips
1. Keep your hips up. Do not let them fall below the imaginary straight line drawn between your shoulders and ankles when in the pushup position. Letting your hips drop can put undue pressure on your lower back and lead to injury.
2. Do not jump from a squatting position in which your back is hunched. To avoid injury, return your back to a neutral, vertical position before jumping.
3. During the pushup, your hips, stomach and chest should touch the floor at approximately the same time.
4. As with all exercises, master form before increasing the speed of the exercise.
