It’s sweaty, awkward, and most people hate it—but the burpee may be the single most effective move for building strength, burning fat, and toughening your mind. Here’s everything you need to know to master it, love it, and make it your most powerful daily habit.
1. The First Time I Tried a Burpee: A Love-Hate Story
I remember the first time I tried a burpee. I was in a crowded gym class, standing between a guy who looked like he was carved from marble and a grandmother in neon sneakers who seemed to be in better shape than me. The trainer clapped her hands: “Alright, everyone, ten burpees—go!”
The first one felt clumsy but doable: squat, kick back, push-up, jump.
The second one… my legs were already shaking.
By the fifth, my lungs were on fire.
By the tenth, I was questioning every life choice that had brought me here.
Later, as I sat gulping water and trying not to collapse, the trainer explained: “If you hate burpees, it’s because they work.” That was the moment I realized this wasn’t just a cruel torture move—it was a full-body transformation tool disguised as a simple exercise.
2. What Exactly Is a Burpee?
The burpee is a two-part calisthenics move that combines a push-up and a vertical jump into one fluid motion.
A single repetition involves:
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Starting in a standing position.
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Dropping into a squat and placing your hands on the ground.
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Jumping your feet back into a plank.
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Performing a push-up (optional for beginners).
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Jumping your feet forward.
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Exploding upward into a jump with hands reaching for the sky.
It sounds straightforward—but doing it at speed will leave you gasping.
3. The History: From Military Drill to CrossFit Darling
The burpee’s origin story goes back to the 1930s when Royal H. Burpee, an American physiologist, created it as a simple fitness test.
Originally, it was just a four-count movement without the push-up or jump. The U.S. military adopted it during World War II to quickly assess soldiers’ agility, strength, and endurance. Over time, fitness trainers added more intensity, making it the sweat-drenched version we know today.
Fun fact: In the original test, performing 8 burpees in 20 seconds was considered “excellent” fitness. Today, CrossFit athletes can do more than that in half the time.
4. Why the Burpee Feels So Brutal
If burpees feel like punishment, that’s because they recruit almost every major muscle group and spike your heart rate in seconds.
Muscles worked:
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Legs: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
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Core: abs, obliques, lower back
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Upper body: chest, shoulders, triceps
In essence, you’re doing a full-body strength workout + cardio sprint at the same time—without any equipment.
Physiologically, the burpee taxes:
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Anaerobic capacity (short bursts of high power)
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Cardiovascular endurance
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Muscular endurance
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Explosive power
5. Health Benefits That Make the Pain Worth It
Burpees are a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) staple for good reason:
🔥 Burns Calories Fast
The average person can do 20 burpees in a minute. A 155-pound person burns about 250 calories in 20 minutes—more than jogging at a moderate pace.
💪 Full-Body Strength
Works legs, core, arms, and shoulders in one move.
❤️ Improves Heart & Lung Health
Increases VO₂ max (your body’s ability to use oxygen), lowering your risk of heart disease.
🧠 Boosts Brain Function
High-intensity moves like burpees increase neurotrophic factors, improving memory, focus, and mood.
⏳ Longevity
A 2015 study found that vigorous exercise is linked to a longer lifespan.
6. How to Do a Perfect Burpee (Step-by-Step)
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Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
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Squat down, hands on the floor.
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Kick your legs back into a plank.
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Do a push-up (optional for beginners).
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Jump your legs forward toward your hands.
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Explode upward, jumping into the air.
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Land softly and immediately go into the next rep.
7. Beginner-Friendly Variations
If you’re just starting out:
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Squat thrust: Skip both the push-up and jump.
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No jump: Just stand up after the push-up.
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No push-up: Hold a plank for a second instead.
8. Advanced Variations to Test Your Limits
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Burpee box jump
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Burpee with a Bosu ball
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Burpee with dumbbells
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One-legged burpee (balance challenge)
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Burpee pull-up (jump to a pull-up bar)
9. The Psychology of the Burpee
Burpees trigger a unique mental barrier: they’re uncomfortable, quick to tire you out, and not glamorous. But that’s exactly why they build mental resilience.
Sports psychologists call this “voluntary discomfort training”—doing hard things on purpose to strengthen your mind for life’s challenges.
10. A 4-Week Burpee Challenge
Week 1: 5 burpees × 3 sets (rest 60s)
Week 2: 8 burpees × 3 sets
Week 3: 10 burpees × 4 sets
Week 4: 15 burpees × 4 sets
11. Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Landing hard (hurts knees and back)
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Dropping hips in plank (strains lower back)
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Rushing without proper form
12. Why You Should Start Today
Burpees don’t require a gym, equipment, or much space. You can do them in your bedroom, office, or hotel room. In just 5 minutes a day, you can dramatically improve strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
💬 Final Thought:
If you can commit to one uncomfortable thing a day, make it the burpee. It’s more than just an exercise—it’s a daily reminder that you’re capable of doing hard things.
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