Burpee is the best exercise for those who are limited in their free time, but are looking for any way to maintain their figure in perfect condition. We are going to tell you in detail what the secret of burpee effectiveness is, and how to do it correctly.
What is a burpee?
A complex exercise that combines a plank, push-ups, squats and jumps was developed by physiologist Royal Burpee in the 1930s. It was used to assess the physical condition of a person. The person would perform 4 repetitions, and then their pulse was measured. Based on the data obtained, calculations were made.
Today, burpees are used all over the world as an effective exercise for working out major muscle groups and losing weight.
To perform 20 repetitions per minute, the body spends 10-15 kcal. The greater the weight of a person, the higher the energy costs. In a 10-minute workout, you can lose 100-125 kcal. For those who don’t want to waste time going to the gym, this is the perfect solution.
Burpee has a beneficial effect on the entire body:
- It improves heart and lung functioning. Intense exercise stimulates the heartbeat, normalizes blood pressure, and lowers bad cholesterol levels.
- It increases stamina. Since burpee exercises combine push-ups and jumping, they develop willpower and the ability to withstand heavy loads.
- It improves coordination. The transition from plank to jumping requires a sense of balance and good reaction.
- It increases oxygen consumption. It is beneficial not only for the heart, but for all organs. Blood circulation is enhanced, which means that tissue nutrition improves, and fat oxidation becomes more intense.
- It works on the upper and lower body. Unlike isolation exercises, burpees target multiple muscle groups. Thanks to this, they can replace a full-fledged workout in the gym.
- The main advantage of the burpee is that it does not require a lot of space, time and additional gear. All you need is 10 minutes a day and 2 sq.m of space.
How to perform burpee correctly?
There are several variations of the exercise, but you should try the classic version first:
Despite the ease of movement, the correct execution of the exercise requires maximum effort. It is undesirable to take long breaks between exercises, as rest reduces the effectiveness of the training.
Before practicing burpees, it can be a good idea to warm up in order to prepare your joints and avoid injury. Do 5-10 squats, stay in a plank for 30 seconds, and push up 5-10 times from the floor. If you are a beginner, do 10-15 burpees a day at a slow pace, gradually increasing the speed and number of repetitions.
7 variations of burpee
Depending on your fitness levels and your goals, you can choose one of the exercise options:
- With palms off the floor. The exercise develops the muscles of the arms and shoulders. At the bottom point, push up and lift your hands off the floor before returning to the initial lying support.
- With a squat. This variation allows you to relieve the load on the back muscles. Instead of bending over, do a squat with your hips parallel to the floor. When leaving the lying position, first do the squat, and then straighten.
- With pull-ups. An exercise for experienced athletes looking to improve performance. After performing a standard burpee, jump and grab the bar with your hands to pull yourself up and then take the starting position.
- With jumping on the box. The exercise already contains a jump. Complicating this action increases the muscle tone. After taking the lying support position, jump onto the box on one side and jump off on the other side.
- No jump. This is a lightweight version of burpees. Do the traditional exercise, but pull up your legs as you get out of the lying position and straighten without jumping.
- On one leg. The workout is complicated by the fact that you need to keep one leg suspended.
- Jumping up. At the end, you need to jump higher and pull one knee to your chest.
Before choosing an exercise option, you need to adequately assess your physical condition not to provoke negative consequences.
Typical mistakes
Even when performing classic burpees, the following mistakes are often made:
- Squatting in the first phase. Some people squat instead of bending. After push-ups, they do the same thing and squat. This exercise overstrains the muscles of the calves.
- Lying support on one leg. Beginners do not perform a jump, but take turns rearranging their legs. This reduces the load and does not allow the desired effect to be obtained.
- Incomplete straightening in a standing position. This makes it impossible to fully load the muscles.
- Relaxation while lying down. When touching the floor with their chest and hips, some people prefer to rest, reducing the effectiveness of burpees.
Do the burpee exercise every day, using any variation. Within a month, you will feel how your posture and general well-being have changed. The main thing, however, is that you will be happy to look at your reflection in the mirror.
