Let’s be honest. Burpees are the exercise everyone loves to complain about, but we keep doing them because, well, they actually work. If you've ever been in a CrossFit box or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class, you've heard that dreaded command. Down. Out. Up. Jump. It sounds simple enough. But if you’ve ever felt like your heart was going to explode or your lower back was screaming after ten reps, you’re probably doing something wrong. Learning how to do burpees isn't just about throwing your body at the floor and hoping for the best. It’s about mechanics.
Burpees were originally designed by a physiologist named Royal H. Burpee in the 1930s as a quick way to assess fitness. He didn't intend for people to do fifty of them in a row until they puked. He wanted to see how the heart reacted to rapid changes in position. Today, they're the gold standard for full-body conditioning because they hit your quads, chest, hamstrings, and core all at once. Plus, they spike your metabolic rate like nothing else.
The basic breakdown of how to do burpees properly
Forget the frantic flailing you see on social media. Start standing. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. Don't overthink the stance; just be comfortable. You're going to squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of you. This is where people mess up. They bend at the waist and round their spine like a question mark. Don't do that. Drop your hips. Use your legs.
Once your hands are planted firmly—fingers spread wide for stability—jump your feet back. You should land in a high plank position. Your body needs to be a straight line from your head to your heels. If your hips sag toward the floor, you're putting a massive amount of shear force on your lumbar spine. Squeeze your glutes. Seriously, squeeze them hard. It protects your back.
Now, for the "real" burpee, you drop your chest to the floor. It’s basically a rapid-fire push-up. Then you push back up, jump your feet forward toward your hands, and explode into a vertical jump. Reach for the ceiling. Land softly. That’s one rep.
Why your lower back hurts
If you feel a sharp pinch in your spine, you’re likely "snapping" your hips up from the floor without engaging your core. Dr. Stuart McGill, a world-renowned expert in spine biomechanics, often talks about the importance of core stiffness. When you jump your feet back in a burpee, your core has to act as a brace. If it’s loose, your spine "clunks" into extension.
Try this: when you jump your feet back, imagine you're about to get punched in the stomach. That bracing feeling is what keeps your back safe. Also, check your foot placement. When you jump your feet forward to stand up, try to land with your feet wide and flat. Landing on your toes puts a ton of pressure on your patellar tendon. It’s a recipe for knee pain.
Common mistakes and the "Flopping" problem
There's a huge debate in the fitness world. Should you do a strict push-up or just flop to the ground? In competitive CrossFit, the "flop" is standard because it’s faster. You’re essentially using gravity to get down and then peeling yourself off the floor. But for the average person looking to get fit, the flop is risky.
- Mistake 1: The Rabbit Jump. This is when you jump your feet so close to your hands that your knees end up in your armpits. It’s awkward and hard on the joints.
- Mistake 2: Holding your breath. You'd be surprised how many people forget to breathe. If you hold your breath, your blood pressure spikes and you’ll burn out in thirty seconds.
- Mistake 3: The "Saggy" Plank. If your belly hits the floor before your chest, your plank is broken.
I’ve seen people try to power through 50 burpees with terrible form just to finish the workout. Honestly? It’s better to do 10 perfect ones. If you're tired, step back instead of jumping back. It’s called a "step-back burpee," and it’s a legitimate way to keep moving without risking an injury.
Advanced variations for when you’re bored
Once you’ve mastered how to do burpees with standard form, you can start getting fancy. But only if you can do 20 reps without losing your breath completely.
- Target Burpees: Instead of jumping into the air, jump and touch a bar or a mark on the wall. This ensures you’re actually getting vertical and not just doing a little hop.
- Box Jump Burpees: Instead of the vertical jump, jump onto a wooden box. This adds a massive explosive element and works your fast-twitch muscle fibers.
- Dumbbell Burpees: Hold a pair of light dumbbells. Drop down, do the push-up on the handles (careful with your wrists), and then stand up and overhead press the weights. This is brutal. It’s often called a "Devil Press."
Science-backed benefits of the movement
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared different types of exercise and found that high-intensity bodyweight movements like burpees were more effective at improving cardiovascular fitness than traditional steady-state cardio. They create a massive oxygen debt. This means your body has to work overtime to recover even after you’ve stopped moving. It’s the "afterburn" effect, or EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption).
Basically, you’re burning calories while sitting on the couch twenty minutes later.
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Also, burpees are functional. Think about it. If you fall down in real life, a burpee is just the technical way of getting back up. It’s a foundational human movement. We lose that as we age. By practicing the transition from the floor to a standing position, you’re maintaining mobility that is crucial for long-term health.
Modifying for beginners
If you have a lot of weight to lose or you're just starting out, don't go to the floor yet. Use a bench or a sturdy chair. Place your hands on the bench, step your feet back, step them in, and stand up. No jump. This takes the impact out of the movement while still getting your heart rate up.
Gradually move to lower surfaces. A bottom step on a staircase is a great intermediate point. Eventually, you’ll be on the floor. There is no shame in the modification game. None at all.
Programming burpees into your routine
Don't just do them every day. Your central nervous system needs a break. Try the "Death by Burpees" protocol if you're feeling brave.
On minute one, do one burpee. Minute two, do two. Keep going until you can't fit the required number of reps into the minute. Most people tap out between minutes 12 and 15. It starts easy. It ends in a dark place.
Alternatively, use them as a "finisher." After your weight lifting session, do four rounds of 30 seconds of burpees followed by 30 seconds of rest. It's only four minutes of work, but it will leave you drenched in sweat.
Actionable Next Steps
To actually get better at this, stop focusing on speed today.
Start your next workout by performing five slow, deliberate burpees. Focus on the plank. Feel your core engage. Ensure your feet land flat when you jump back in. If you hear a loud "thud" when you land, you're being too heavy on your feet. Aim for silence. Soft landings mean your muscles are absorbing the impact, not your cartilage.
If you can’t do a push-up with good form, do the burpee but stay in the plank position instead of going to the floor. This is often called a "half-burpee" or a "kick-out." Master that first. The chest-to-floor version is an ego move until you have the upper body strength to support it.
Check your shoes, too. If you’re wearing running shoes with huge foam heels, you might feel unstable. Try training in "flat" shoes or even barefoot if you're at home to improve your proprioception and ankle stability.