Full body
Burpee
The Burpee is a plyometric exercise with no equipment for your whole body. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: quads (vastus lateralis) 12%, gluteus maximus 12% and mid chest 10%.
How to do it
- Stand with feet hip-width, arms by your sides.
- Squat down and place the hands flat on the floor in front of the feet.
- Jump the feet back into a plank and lower the chest to the floor.
- Push back up and jump the feet in toward the hands.
- Jump straight up with the arms overhead, land softly and flow into the next rep.
Tips
- Keep a steady pace you can hold for the whole set.
- Land the jump with soft knees and the whole foot.
- Keep the trunk tight so the body moves as one piece in the plank.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag or pike in the plank.
- Landing the feet far outside the hands on the jump-in.
- Landing stiff-legged from the jump.
Muscles worked by the Burpee
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Drop to the floor, push up, jump the feet in and jump up: a full-body pattern of squat, push and jump with the core holding the plank.
Burpee alternatives
Same equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Burpee work?
Mainly the quads (vastus lateralis), gluteus maximus and mid chest. The quads (vastus medialis), front delts, upper abs, hip flexors and triceps (lateral head) assist.
Is the Burpee good for beginners?
Yes. The Burpee is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Burpee?
For example the Burpee Box Jump Over and Burpee Broad Jump. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Burpee harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Burpee Box Jump Over and Burpee Broad Jump.
Log your sets in Zulta
Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.