Burpee

A full-body movement that flows from standing to a chest-to-floor position and back up to a jump. It is a staple conditioning exercise that spikes the heart rate and works the whole body.

Standard: From standing, the athlete drops so the chest and thighs touch the floor, then returns to standing and finishes with a jump and a clap of the hands overhead.

How to do the Burpee

1. Begin standing tall with feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Squat down, plant the hands on the floor, and kick the feet back.
3. Lower the whole body so the chest and thighs make contact with the floor.
4. Push up and hop or step the feet back in toward the hands.
5. Stand up explosively and jump so both feet leave the ground.
6. Reach and clap the hands overhead at full extension to complete the rep.

Common faults

• The chest and thighs not touching the floor at the bottom.
• Skipping the jump or the overhead reach at the top.
• A worm-like, sagging pushup instead of a rigid body coming off the floor.
• Not reaching full standing extension before the jump.

Scaling & progressions

• Step back and step in instead of jumping the feet to reduce impact.
• Elevate the hands on a box for an incline burpee with less range.
• Remove the jump and simply stand tall at the top.
• Slow the pace and reduce total reps to keep moving steadily.