What Is a Burpee?

How to do a basic burpee

Start standing. Place your hands on the floor, step or jump your feet back into a plank, return your feet under you and stand up. Many modern burpee variations add a push-up and a jump, but beginners can scale both parts.

• Stand tall with feet under your hips.
• Place hands on the floor and move into a plank.
• Keep your core controlled instead of letting the hips sag.
• Step or jump back in and stand tall again.

Which muscles do burpees train?

Burpees use the legs, hips, core, chest, shoulders and arms. They also challenge the heart and lungs when repeated for time or volume. That mix is why burpees feel harder than many single-muscle exercises.

• Legs and glutes during the squat and stand-up.
• Core during the plank and transition.
• Chest, shoulders and triceps if you include a push-up.
• Cardio system when reps are repeated with short rest.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is rushing until the movement falls apart. Poor plank position, collapsing shoulders, sloppy landings and too much volume too soon can make the exercise feel worse than it needs to.

• Letting the lower back sag in the plank.
• Landing hard without control.
• Choosing a daily target that is too high.
• Ignoring pain instead of scaling the movement.

Beginner-friendly variations

You can make burpees easier without losing the habit. Step back instead of jumping, remove the push-up, remove the final jump or use an elevated surface for your hands.

When to start a challenge

Once you can repeat a clean scaled burpee, you can start a challenge. Choose a low enough daily target that you can recover and keep showing up. The challenge should reward consistency, not punish you for being new.