Muscles worked
What the burpee trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Clear your space. Find a flat, non-slip patch of floor about the length of your body, with room overhead for the jump. Wear shoes on hard floors.
- 02
Stand tall. Feet about hip to shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly out, arms relaxed at your sides.
- 03
Pick your version. Decide before the set whether you will jump or step your feet back, and whether you will add a push-up, then keep every rep the same.
Step by step
How to do the burpee
- 01
Squat and plant. Push your hips back, bend your knees and place your hands flat on the floor just in front of your feet, about shoulder width apart.
- 02
Kick back to a plank. With your weight on your hands, jump or step your feet back until your body is a straight line from head to heels. Land softly on the balls of your feet with your hips level.
- 03
Optional push-up. If you are doing the push-up version, lower your chest to the floor with elbows angled back, then press up to the plank in one piece.
- 04
Feet back in. Pull your knees toward your chest and jump or step your feet forward so they land flat, just behind your hands, in a squat.
- 05
Stand and jump. Lift your chest, drive through your whole foot to stand, and jump straight up with your arms overhead. Land on soft knees and go straight into the next rep.
Cues to say in your head
- Hands down, shoulder width
- Straight line in the plank
- Hips stay level
- Feet land flat
- Stand tall, then jump
- Land soft
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Hips sagging when the feet land
Brace your abs before you kick back and land in a plank, not a sag. If your lower back still dips, step your feet back instead of jumping.
Flopping to the floor instead of a push-up
Either lower under control as one solid plank or skip the push-up. Dropping your chest and peeling up hips first can strain your lower back.
Feet landing on the toes far from the hands
Bring your knees all the way in so your feet land flat, close behind your hands. That gives you a squat you can stand up from.
Rounding over to reach the floor
Sit your hips back and bend your knees more on the way down, so your back stays long as your hands go down.
Stiff, loud landings
Land from the jump on the balls of your feet, settle onto your whole foot, and let your knees and hips bend to absorb it. Quiet landings are the goal.
Rushing until form falls apart
Pick a pace you can hold. When reps get sloppy, slow down or switch to the step back version for the rest of the set.
Stay safe
Burpees put your body weight through your wrists and shoulders and add repeated landings, so build up the number of reps over a few weeks. If your wrists ache, spread your fingers and keep your hands flat, or put your hands on a bench or box. When you get tired, step your feet back and forward and drop the jump rather than letting your hips sag or your landings get heavy. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain in your back, knees, wrists or shoulders, or if you get dizzy, short of breath beyond normal hard effort, or have chest pain, and check with a doctor before hard intervals if you have a heart or blood pressure condition.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technique | 3 to 4 | 5 to 8 | 40–50% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Conditioning | 6 to 10 | 8 to 12 | 50–65% 1RM | 30 to 60 s |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 25 | 50–60% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Conditioning sets
108–140lb
6 to 10 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 30 to 60 s rest. Short, hard intervals, or reps every minute on the minute. Keep the pace steady from the first round to the last.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Burpee questions
What muscles do burpees work?
Mainly your quads and glutes, which stand you up and power the jump. Your chest, shoulders and triceps hold the plank and do the push-up, and your abs keep your body straight when your feet land.
What are the best burpee modifications for beginners?
Step your feet back and forward one at a time instead of jumping, skip the push-up, and rise onto your toes instead of jumping at the top. If getting to the floor is hard, put your hands on a bench or box to shorten the range.
How do you do a burpee broad jump?
Do a normal burpee, but when you stand up, swing your arms and jump forward as far as you can control with both feet, landing softly in a quarter squat. Drop straight into the next burpee from where you land.
Do you have to do a push-up in a burpee?
No. The original burpee goes to a plank and back without one, while many workouts use a chest to floor version. Pick one and keep it the same across a set so your reps are comparable.
How many burpees should I do?
Start with a few sets of 5 to 8 clean reps. For conditioning, most people use intervals such as 8 to 12 reps with short rests for 6 to 10 rounds, and add reps or rounds slowly over a few weeks.
Are burpees cardio or strength training?
Mostly cardio and conditioning. They raise your heart rate quickly and build muscular endurance, but they are not heavy enough to replace squats, push-ups or presses for building strength.
Train in Protocol
Log your burpee by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.