Regardless of any one person’s physical fitness level, we all know that eating well and exercising are the foundations for good health. Most of us have a small arsenal of workout moves that we know, regardless of whether or not we use them regularly. The burpee is one such exercise. And for some reason, this high energy set of cardio moves scares the pants off anyone with less physical activity than G.I. Joe. Which makes sense since military and professional sports teams have been using them for decades to get their men rock hard for battle.
Despite its bad reputation, the Burpee has multiple benefits and is really an awesome way to get every part of your body in shape. It’s the perfect mix of high and low impact cardio, and works out all your major muscle groups.
How to do a Burpee properly?
The basic burpee has four counts, and it is the foundation for literally dozens of variations. Make sure you have plenty of space, especially behind you. Also be sure to stretch your arms, legs, and waist before starting a burpee set. Keep in mind you will be doing these moves quickly, so remember to breathe to keep your oxygen intake high.
Start in a standing position; feet shoulder width apart and arms at your side. First, drop into a squat, placing your hands on the ground in front of you. Next, kick your feet behind you into a push-up stance. Then quickly revert both feet back to squatting position. Lastly, jump up from squat position.
Most personal trainers start their clients with 3 sets of 10 burpees, so if you’re new to them, start there. Another suggested way to perform them is to start with 10, rest one minute, do 9 more, rest one minute, do 8 more, and so on. As the burpees make you stronger, you can change this to push your limits.
How Burpees help your heart and lungs?
Burpees set the bar high for your heart and lungs. The high impact transitions between moves nearly equate to running, while the burn in your muscles, especially your legs, demand more oxygen from your lungs. There is no mortal on earth that can do burpees without breaking a sweat and gasping for air!
How Burpees work your every muscle?
When I say burpees work every muscle, I’m not being dramatic. We’ve already discussed the effect on your major organs. Let’s look at the rest.
The twin squats in each one simultaneously flexes all your leg muscles: hamstrings, butt muscles, front of thigh, and calf muscles. Your body responds this way to control your descent. You lower back also works with them to keep you balanced.
When you kick your legs out behind you and return to the second squat in the set, your hamstrings and butt muscles continue to support your movement. In addition, your hip flexors and quadriceps keep your legs from collapsing. Your shoulders, arms, chest and upper back also flex to support your weight and spine.
Lastly, when you jump up from the last squat your abs, quadriceps, and hamstrings contract, propelling you up off your feet and into the air. Also, if you choose to throw arms up when you jump, your shoulder deltoids will also get an extra mini-workout.
Just do them!
Sure your may sweat, and it might hurt for the first couple days. But doing burpees requires little more than time. You don’t need fancy equipment or a special place to do them. Your living room will work just fine. Best of all you’ll see, and more importantly, feel the difference in your strength and physical abilities when you make burpees part of your regular workout routine.
