One Exercise To Rule Them All

In the realm of fitness, there's an exercise that everybody dreads to do but still do them because of the tremendous result it gives. If you want to be on tip-top shape in no time, then you need to add the name BURPEES on your exercise library. If you haven't heard and done burpees before, I'm sure you'll develop a love-and-hate relationship with it; you'll love the results and you'll hate the vomit-like feeling that it induces.

Named after US physiologist Royal H. Burpee in 1930s, he developed the 'burpee test' in 1940 as part of his Ph.D. thesis as a quick and easy way to assess fitness. It was later adopted by the United States Armed Services as a way to assess new recruits when the U.S. entered World War II. Today, burpees are commonly becoming part of exercise programs for weight loss, functional training, sports, and even warrior challenges. 

Do It and Do It the Right Way

There's a lot of variations of burpees and each variation is as equally intense as the other. Of all variations, my favorite is the old-fashioned, bodyweight burpee; it's explosive, fast-paced, and convenient (you can have a dose of burpees at the park, at home, or even while you're on vacation chillin' at your yacht).

Now, to do this right, you need to take note a few things to perform the bodyweight burpee. (Step 1) You'll start on a squat position with your hands on the ground in front of you. (Step 2) Kick your feet back and at the same time drop your chest into the downward position of a pushup. (Step 3) With explosiveness, push up with the arms while simultaneously kicking the feet back to starting position. (Step 4) Complete the burpee by explosively jump into the air. As soon as you land, drop back to step 1 and continue. Perform at a fast pace.

Numbers Don't Matter

Burpees are very intense. A proper burpee will leave you gassed, for most people, after you reached the 10th repetition mark; your lungs feels like it's about to explode, lactic acid starts to build up around your legs, and your arms a bit shaky. Cranking hundreds of burpees without the intent of being explosive, you're missing the full benefit of this exercise. 

Instead of exploding in the air during the jump, most people I see doing hundreds of burpees would opt for small hops. That's okay, if you're doing it in a competition where form won't matter. If you're doing it just to brag, I don't buy it. As a form of exercise, I still prefer the old saying, quality over quantity.

Not For Everyone

Doing burpees require good upper body and core strength. Without a good foundation of strength and proper programming, burpees can do more harm than good. Proper guidance from a coach or personal trainer is recommended for those who are just starting out. 

If burpees is new to you and you've been sedentary your whole life, build some strength with basic exercises i.e., pushups, squats, sit-ups, etc. Then you can start slowly, breaking down each movement with proper form, and gradually increase the movement speed as you get better and stronger.

Conclusion

Burpees has become a staple in the modern fitness industry and competition (CrossFit, Spartan Race). Athletes and fitness enthusiasts recognize that burpees bring extraordinary results if used properly and brutally fun in a competitive environment. It can be used as a warm-up or a great finisher right after you're done with your workout. As a conditioning exercise, you will not find many exercises that match the intensity of burpees. So, drop down and give me 15 burpees. 

Train hard, train smart.