Burpee
Why it matters
The Burpee builds strength and size in your quadriceps and chest. As a compound movement, it trains several muscles together and carries over to real-world strength and power.
How to do it
- Set a stable, athletic base with your feet under your hips.
- Load your hips and take a breath before the explosive rep.
- Be explosive on the way up, moving the load or your body as fast as possible.
- Absorb the landing or return softly through your hips and knees.
- Reset to a stable, balanced position before the next rep.
Coaching cues
- Be explosive on the way up and controlled on the way down.
- Land softly on your mid-foot, absorbing through your hips and knees.
- Reset fully between reps rather than rushing the next one.
- Drive through your knees and feel the front of your thighs work.
- Own the full range of every rep before you add reps or make it harder.
Watch out for
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Landing stiff-legged with a hard, loud impact.
A stiff landing wastes the force your legs should be absorbing.
Instead Land quietly and let your hips and knees bend to absorb the force.
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Rushing reps and losing power output.
Rushed reps are less explosive, and power is the whole point of the movement.
Instead Take a full reset between reps so each one is maximally explosive.
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Letting the knees collapse inward on landing.
A collapsed-knee landing is a weak position to absorb force.
Instead Land with your knees tracking over your toes and your hips back.
The detail
- Tempo
- Explode on the effort; land and reset under full control.
- Breathing
- Take a breath and brace before each rep, then exhale on the effort.
- Range of motion
- Complete the full jump, throw or drive, then reset before the next rep. Take the quadriceps through its full working range each rep.
- If you are new to it
- Start with lower height or lighter load and step down between reps.
- Once it is easy
- Increase height, distance or load only while landings stay quiet and controlled.
Safety
- Reduce the load if you lose control of the movement.
- Stop the set if you feel sharp pain.
- When you fatigue, step down rather than jumping down between reps.