Burpee Bonanza
This "Workout of the Week" features several variations of the beloved burpee
I declared my love for burpees in one of the first Substack pieces I wrote (see: “The Burpee: A Royal Exercise Routine”). But I know from anecdotes among the fitness community that not everyone feels this way.
The burpee has clearly become one of the most polarizing workouts of our time. Its inventor, Royal H. Burpee never intended this exercise to be a full blown workout in and of itself. It was initially considered and utilized to be a test of one’s fitness level. The max amount of repetitions Burpee suggested in his PhD thesis was four. However, the burpee has evolved from its modest origins into a full body exercise that benefits strength, conditioning and cardiovascular fitness. It is therefore not out of the ordinary for burpees to be the basis and foundation of a daily workout session.
As soon as you do your first burpee, it’s clear that they are a great cardio exercise. The plank and (optional) push up component makes the burpee an ideal strength exercise too. However, because it is a bodyweight exercise, in order to obtain true gains in muscle mass we need to perform the burpee at a high volume. This means lots of reps, and ideally doing variations of the burpee that incorporate lots of push elements. For example, when I do burpee workouts, I perform around 300 burpees and 600 push ups on average.
The following is an intermediate to advanced burpee routine that will build muscle and endurance due to the high number of reps and the incorporation of multiple pump push ups. How intense you make this workout is up to you. I definitely suggest that you challenge yourself (i.e. going out of your comfort zone), but also find a pace that feels right for your strength and fitness and strength level. Also, remember to take as much rest as you need between exercises and sets. I usually take a fifteen second break between movements, and up to a minute or two between sets. This isn’t a marathon. Please ensure that you perform each rep properly. Maintaining good quality and form is the key to getting the best fitness results, as well as preventing injury and burnout.
First set:
Fifteen one pump burpees (i.e. a burpee with a push up).
Fifteen two pump burpees (i.e. a burpee with two push ups).
Fifteen three pump body builder burpees (i.e. a three pump burpee with two plank jacks).
Fifteen Navy Seal burpees (i.e. a three pump burpee with two mountain climbers).
Fifteen switch burpees (perform a one pump burpee, then jump 180 degrees and perform another burpee. Watch a demo).
Repeat for two rounds.
Second set:
Pyramid push ups. To complete a full set of pyramid push ups, perform one push up then two, then three, four and five; and then go down from five to one. Repeat this exercise twice for a total of sixty push ups.
Ten two pump plank skier burpees with tuck jump. This dynamic burpee variation will test the limits of your endurance (cardio) and strength.
Ten devils press. I explain this movement and how to perform it in my ode to the burpee post. To recap, the devils press combines three compound movements: a dumbbell burpee, hip hinge and dumbbell snatch. It is great for adding lots of resistance and dynamism into a burpee.
Repeat for two rounds, and then congratulate yourself on a job well done!
This concludes another “Workout of the Week” for your exercise enjoyment. The only rule, aside from maintaining good form, is to always work hard and have fun!
If you choose to do this routine, please let me know about your experience. And if you have any questions or general comments, I am always thrilled to hear from you!
