Are burpees a strength training exercise?

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matt123zav
matt123zav Posts: 7 Member
edited December 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
Are burpees a strength training exercise? I have read a couple of different things..if I alternate between hiit sprinting exercise one day and burpees the next along with eating the amount of calories suggested with my stats would that be a good workout plan? Or is there more I should add to it? Thank you :)
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Burpees are not strength training...
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    ^Actually, they kind of are... Not as in "lifting heavy", but they are classified as strength training/aerobic exercise.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I realize that they have that pushup in there (if you are doing it), but personally, I would consider it cardio.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    mitch16 wrote: »
    ^Actually, they kind of are... Not as in "lifting heavy", but they are classified as strength training/aerobic exercise.

    I would consider them to be more of a general conditioning exercise that is beneficial in developing explosiveness and anaerobic endurance more so than strength....

    I use them as part of an overall program, but by themselves they're going to be pretty limiting.

    I can't imagine doing them as my sole workout, either. My PT added them to my knee rehab (I'm actually kind of happy to be back to the point that I can do them)--but I know he didn't add them just to placate me since I can't really run again yet.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    Maybe for the seasoned exerciser they aren't building MORE strength but for those of us just beginning the push up involved is a body weight strength exercise. That would be like saying lunges and squats weren't strength if not using extra weight.. or saying a push-up isn't a strength exercise. Everyone is at a different level!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    hallesy wrote: »
    Someone dared me a year ago to do my Birthday Burpees (48) every day for a month. I recorded my weight and my time each day. After 28 days I did them 60% faster on day 28 than day 1 (day 1 over 10 mins, day 28 just over 4 minutes), and I TRIPLED my weight loss that month than i normally did. Coincidence?

    A great accomplishment, but irrelevant to the topic.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Maybe for the seasoned exerciser they aren't building MORE strength but for those of us just beginning the push up involved is a body weight strength exercise. That would be like saying lunges and squats weren't strength if not using extra weight.. or saying a push-up isn't a strength exercise. Everyone is at a different level!


    The question was: "Are burpees a strength training exercise?" And for the most part, the answer is no. A "beginner" --assuming they could even do a burpee--will experience an "increase" in strength as part of the initial adaptation to the exercise. However, that increase will be modest and will quickly plateau if there is no progressive resistance. If someone said "is exercising on an ellliptical a strength exercise?", I could give your exact same answer--a beginner would see a modest increase in measurable strength as part of the initial adaptation to the exercise.

    I can't imagine anyone saying that working out on an elliptical is a "strength exercise", and yet physiologically, the analogy is similar.

    Burpees are an excellent "conditioning" exercise but that's not necessarily the same thing as strength training.

    Personally, I have always seen burpees as more of an "applied" exercise--meaning, after one has followed a resistance exercise program and gained strength/muscle, burpees are a good exercise to include in general conditioning program meant to increase power, maintain/increase aerobic fitness, increase "functional" strength, maintain strength, etc.

    I would not consider burpees (or bodyweight squats or body weight lunges for that matter) as "strength exercises" except for the very deconditioned, or in very limited applications.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,991 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    I realize that they have that pushup in there (if you are doing it), but personally, I would consider it cardio.

    What pushup?

    This is a burpee: From a standing position, bend down into a squat, lean over & place your hands on floor to support your torso w/your arms w/o allowing your knees to touch the floor kick your legs back so that body is in a plank position, kick off w/your feet and bring your legs back up to your chest in one movement while still supporting your torso w/your arms, lean back into the squat position and then stand up.

    Repeat as much as you can or want. No pushups involved. Most of the work is done by the glutes and quads but there is some arm, shoulder, back and core involvement in supporting the torso during the exercise.

    It is not considered a typical "strength" exercise but just try to do 20 in a row w/o sufficient strength snd conditioning. That's why it's so often the go-to exercise in HIIT body weight exercise routines.
  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
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    I've always done a full push up with burpees, starting in the military 37 years ago.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
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    They helped me with cv and endurance most. Do a search here for "lifting programs". Pick one. SL5x5 is easy and can be the quickest way to build your base strength. Are you trying to get stronger for a sport?
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,991 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Most places where I have done them, there is a pushup done from the plank position before coming back up.

    Guess there are other ways to do them.

    I see what's depicted in the illustration but I've never been taught to include a pushup or a jump doing them. I've always done them as I described, which is difficult enough when done in quantity.
  • 150FNG
    150FNG Posts: 18 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Most places where I have done them, there is a pushup done from the plank position before coming back up.

    Guess there are other ways to do them.

    I see what's depicted in the illustration but I've never been taught to include a pushup or a jump doing them. I've always done them as I described, which is difficult enough when done in quantity.

    Squat Thrust and Burpee are always used like pretty interchangeably, but I've always known squat thrust to be what you described and a burpee to be with the pushup.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Most places where I have done them, there is a pushup done from the plank position before coming back up.

    Guess there are other ways to do them.

    I see what's depicted in the illustration but I've never been taught to include a pushup or a jump doing them. I've always done them as I described, which is difficult enough when done in quantity.

    It's the only way I've ever done them. They are gross if you have eaten too recently.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    They're a good all round bodyweight move in my opinion, as long as you do the pushup and not just the kick-out in plank.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,991 Member
    edited December 2016
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    "150FNG wrote: »
    Squat Thrust and Burpee are always used like pretty interchangeably, but I've always known squat thrust to be what you described and a burpee to be with the pushup.

    Never heard what I do called a "squat thrust" b4 but i guess that's an apt description. Always called them burpees.

    I'll have to remember to distinguish them from what others consider "burpees" in the future and to ask for clarification to see if we're talking about the same thing or not.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    matt123zav wrote: »
    Are burpees a strength training exercise?

    No they're torture :smiley:
    Seriously for me they're both a form of strength exercise and cardio. I struggle big time with them and still need to modify with a step, but they do seem to be helping to strengthen my shoulders while putting my heart rate up.

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