To preface this article before I get in to the content, this is a fundamental exercise that I include on the warm-up in The Gauntlet (HIIT) training routine and this is how to do burpees correctly because not everyone has the best form. So let's get started...

How To Do Burpees with Proper Form

Many of you know this exercise. And many of you may know how to do burpees. Which means you can most definitely add the jump if that’s the case. However, it's crucial to master the basic burpee first to ensure safety and effectiveness before progressing to variations.

However, this article is more for people who I’ve noticed got in my 14 Day Challenge and I asked them to add the HIIT workout on top of the challenge. Burpees utilize your own body weight for resistance, making them a convenient and versatile exercise that can be performed anywhere without any equipment.

Brother's, this exercise is such a damn good move that I used it consistently as a full time exercise instructor in the warm-up.

Everyone hated me for using this move but then they started to feel better after they got through it and I saw classmates learning how to do burpees correctly.

What are Burpees?

Burpees are a powerhouse of a full-body exercise that combines a squat, pushup, and jump into one fluid movement. This versatile and intense exercise targets multiple muscle groups, making it a staple in many fitness routines. When you perform a burpee, you’re working your entire body, including your legs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, arms, chest, and shoulders.

It’s a compound exercise that not only builds strength and endurance but also significantly boosts your cardiovascular fitness. Plus, burpees are a fantastic way to burn calories quickly, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to shed some pounds while getting stronger.

Benefits of Burpees as an Intense Exercise

As you can see, I am leading by example, to show you how I train classes. And there are many benefits to burpees. Burpees are a versatile exercise that can be adapted to various fitness levels and goals.

This is why you must know how to do burpees correctly. First and most important is you are improving heart health. Let’s get to the full list:

• You burn a significant amount of calories

• You build strength when you add lunges and/or push-ups

• You also improve core strength and coordination

• Burpees engage your core, shoulders, arms, and heart all-in-one.

• You will enhance your flexibility because you are activating various muscles all at once.

Now do you see why I encourage everyone to do burpees? This is a phenomenal exercise for all of these benefits alone.

Proper Form and Technique

Starting Position

Begin in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward or slightly outward. Keep your back straight, engage your core, and look forward. This is your starting position, and it’s essential to maintain a strong, stable stance before moving into the next phase of the burpee.

Plank Position

From the starting position, drop down into a squat position and place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart. Kick your feet back into a plank position, ensuring your body forms a straight line from head to heels. 

Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. This plank position is critical for maintaining proper form and protecting your lower back.

Squat Thrust and Jump Squat

From the plank position, perform a pushup by lowering your body until your chest almost touches the ground. Then, quickly return your feet to the squat position and stand up, jumping straight up into the air. 

Land softly on the balls of your feet and repeat the process. It’s essential to focus on proper form and technique throughout the entire exercise, especially when transitioning between the squat thrust and jump squat. Keep your core engaged, and your body in a straight line to avoid injury.

By following these steps and maintaining proper form, you’ll maximize the benefits of burpees and ensure a safe, effective workout

Mistakes with Bodyweight Burpees

There are plenty of mistakes many of you do not even consider thinking about if you are new to this exercise, so here are common mistakes with burpees:

• You do not warm-up the body

• You try to rush through the exercise

• You forget to engage your core in plank position

• You arch the lower back

• You don’t land correctly when you jump

• You have poor push-up form

To ensure proper form and reduce shoulder strain, consider incorporating the hand release burpee. This variation emphasizes muscle engagement in the back and helps maintain proper form.

To increase the cardio intensity, try to jump straight up instead of rising from a low squat position. Remember to land softly to maintain form.

That is the most common mistakes on bodyweight burpees. And you need to be sure to pay attention to each muscle group that you work throughout the movement or you don’t get the most out of the exercise.

Why I Prefer Burpee's Over All Cardio Machines

I have plenty of clients I worked through the years of personal training and I know the value of running on the treadmill. That is if you know how to use it.

However, every other cardio machine in my professional opinion, it does NOT at all give you the accurate assessment of calories burned.

That’s why I recommend this fit-bit on my blog frequently. Cardio machines in my mind are extremely unreliable if it doesn’t know your weight.

One last major reason I prefer burpees to cardio machines is you are guaranteed to spike your metabolism fast when you start out your day doing burpees in the morning.

In addition to the basic burpee, incorporating burpee variations can provide a more comprehensive workout. These variations can increase the challenge and intensity of your routine, making it more effective than traditional cardio machines.

You can also use the health app on your phone to calculate the calorie burn which is more reliable than any cardio machine.

The Bottom Line: How To Do Burpees Correctly

I knew I was eventually going to write an article on this exercise and how beneficial this is for you to do to train your state of mind.

In fact, everyone always tells me it's their least favorite exercise, however, that means you need to fucking do it because anything you don't like doing my friend...

This can and will raise up your masculine energy. Here is a warm-up that I would always do in my HIIT classes that I want you all to write down if you have goals for weight loss...

• Running in Place

• Jumping Jacks

• Standard Burpees

One minute each. You heard that correctly. I cannot recommend anything more powerful for you to burn fast calories to increase your metabolism. 

If there is one thing you can takeaway, let it be that when you know how to do burpees correctly, you improve heart health instantly. [R]

Feel free to comment below any questions, comments and concerns. I will do my best to reply.