Burpees, the name sounds a bit playful, but it is a very challenging whole body exercise. It combines push-ups and jumping movements, can exercise multiple large muscle groups at the same time, and improve cardiopulmonary function. Although it makes people breathless, the health rewards it brings are worth every drop of sweat.
1. The core advantages of burpees
1. Efficient calorie burning
The intensity of burpees makes it a fat burning weapon. The average person can complete about 20 burpees per minute, and the calories burned vary depending on body weight:
| Body weight | Calories burned per minute |
|---|---|
| 125 pounds (about 57 kilograms) | 10 calories |
| 155 pounds (about 70 kilograms) | 12.5 calories |
| 185 pounds (about 84 kilograms) | 15 calories |
For example, for a person weighing 70 kilograms, doing burpees for 20 minutes continuously can burn about 250 calories. The greater the intensity, the more calories burned.
2. Exercise for whole-body strength and endurance
Burpees are a type of freehand training that uses one’s own body weight as resistance to fully activate the muscles of the legs, buttocks, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. It not only shapes the lines, but also improves muscle endurance and functional strength.
3. Improvement of cardiopulmonary health
As part of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), burpees can significantly enhance cardiopulmonary function. Studies have shown that HIIT helps reduce abdominal fat, lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes, improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and even promote brain health.
4. Convenient and flexible, suitable for various environments
No equipment is required, just a small space, whether at home, hotel or office, you can turn on the fat burning mode at any time. By adding changes such as jumping, push-ups or weights, burpees can also meet the training needs of different levels.
2. Standard steps of burpees
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and back straight.
- Place your hands on the ground in front of your feet, with your palms slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Kick your feet back quickly into a push-up position, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
- Do a push-up, paying attention to not collapsing your back and not lifting your hips.
- Jump your feet back to the starting position and return to a squatting position.
- Stretch your arms up and then jump up quickly.
- Bend your knees slightly when you land, and prepare for the next repetition.
Complete several times in a row quickly, which not only exercises your muscles, but also challenges your heart and lungs.
3. Variations to suit different levels
Beginners can try:
- Omit push-ups and jumps: Just squat and kick your feet and then return to the squat position to reduce the intensity.
- Omit jumps: Return to the squat position directly after completing push-ups without jumping up.
- Omit push-ups: Hold the plank position for a few seconds, or do half push-ups to gradually increase upper limb strength.
Advanced challenges:
- Burpee jumps: Use a jump box instead of ground push-ups, and jump on the box instead of jumping to increase explosive power training.
- Burpee jumps with Bosu ball: Complete push-ups and standing ball raises with a Bosu ball in hand to improve core stability.
- Burpee jumps with dumbbells: Hold light dumbbells in both hands to complete the movement, increase the weight, and strengthen muscle strength.
4. Safety precautions
- Beginners should first master the essentials of the movements to avoid wrist or shoulder injuries due to excessive speed.
- It is recommended to start with a small number of repetitions and gradually increase to 8-10 consecutive movements.
- Those with health problems or who have not exercised for a long time should consult a professional or doctor before starting.
- Keep the core tight during the movement to protect the spine and avoid back collapse.
Although burpees are tiring, they are an efficient exercise that combines strength, endurance and cardiopulmonary training. It does not require equipment and can be practiced anytime and anywhere. It is a tool for improving physical fitness. Master the correct posture and challenge yourself step by step. You will experience the whole body rejuvenation and health improvement brought by burpees.
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