Burpees
Full-body cardio from squat to push-up to jump — the toughest no-equipment standard.
Execution
- Stand tall, drop into a squat and place the hands in front of the feet.
- Jump both legs back into a plank, optionally perform one push-up.
- Jump the legs forward under the body, back into a squat.
- Explode up into a jump, hands clapping briefly over the head.
Tips
- Choose tempo by training age — form beats speed.
- Scaling: skip the push-up; replace the jump with standing up — both make it accessible.
Why burpees are so tough
The burpee combines four movements — squat, push-up, return to squat, jump — and moves the body from the floor to fully vertical twice per rep. It's exactly this change in elevation that drives the heart rate up faster than almost any other exercise: the cardiovascular system has to constantly redistribute blood.
That makes it an excellent conditioning stimulus and a mediocre strength exercise. If you want to build strength, separate exercises serve you better; if you want to be out of breath in ten minutes, this is it.
Execution
From standing into a squat, hands on the floor, feet jumping back into a high plank. One push-up with the chest touching the floor, then the feet jump back to the hands and extend explosively upward. The trunk stays firm through the plank phase — exactly where most people lose form under fatigue.
Adjustments
- No jump. Just stand up tall instead of jumping — noticeably easier on the joints for the same cardio stimulus.
- No push-up. For beginners; the load stays high enough.
- Step instead of jump. Stepping the feet back one at a time is easier on the lower back.
Programming
In intervals rather than long sets: 20 to 40 seconds of work, an equal rest, six to ten rounds. As soon as the push-up phase gets sloppy — sagging hips, half range of motion — end the set.