Burpees?

If college ball taught me anything it was to HATE burpies. Those things will kick your butt. We had to log 100 everyday. Oh my gosh. They will get you in shape. and make your calves look glorious!

Burpees appear lots in my circuit classes. I prefer weighted burpees, usually with 15kg dumbells to make them a little more interesting

AHHHHH Burpees! Love to hate these! But they work good core and cardio for me. I try to avoid them, but they always knock on my door and tell me they are ready for me.

OK OK. I give in. what are they?

OK OK. I give in. what are they?

This is how you do a burpee.

Sit into a squat.
Kick your feet behind you so you're in a push-up position.
Lower your chest to the ground.
Press back up to complete the push up.
Pull your feet back in so you're in squat position.
Jump up in the air while clapping overhead.

Bump

Burpees are Crazy/Cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7_TBHno0Os

they are a great cardio exercise. You will get out of them what you put in. I've seen some TERRIBLE burpee form in my time and especially when so many of these "do as many as you can" programs are about.

Neutral lumbar spine when you squat jump please

This is why I was kind of turned off of the insanity work out. Not that it won't be great for those who can maintain the good form, but I would worry about injury if I could not maintain good form. I usually do them slower than some would think I should, but I try to make each one right.

I might could handle these beginner ones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIQx1FiQt50&list=PL790FA88C4406237C

Maybe I should start here, and work up to a real one!!

OK OK. I give in. what are they?

This is how you do a burpee.

Sit into a squat.
Kick your feet behind you so you're in a push-up position.
Lower your chest to the ground.
Press back up to complete the push up.
Pull your feet back in so you're in squat position.
Jump up in the air while clapping overhead.

:noway: I don't think I can do that...maybe someday! Or maybe 1 if I'm lucky...:laugh:

I've been meaning to ask this question... my basement (workout space) has low ceilings, I can't do the overhead clap... will a burpee suffer if I were to, say, just bring my arms out to my side instead of overhead?

We called these 8 count body builders back when I was in the Navy. We had to do these constantly. Yes, they are a great core exercise. I didn't know they were called burpees nthese days, until I was doing them the other day, and someone saw me and ask" how many burpees do you do a day"? Hell, I didn't even know what he meant ....LOL...... I was like' WHAT?????, i WAS DOING 8 COUNT bb's a minute ago...." Then he told me they call them burpees now .....

I remember when they were called squat thrusts. I did not like them back then, and I don't like them now. I still do them, but I do so reluctantly.

That's exactly what I was going to say, every bit of it.

they are a great cardio exercise. You will get out of them what you put in. I've seen some TERRIBLE burpee form in my time and especially when so many of these "do as many as you can" programs are about.

Neutral lumbar spine when you squat jump please

A friend suggested adding a chin up into the mix.....no, don't do that, unless you are a masochist :happy:

I have bad shoulders. Instead of hopping my feet out behind me, I make it low-impact and walk each foot out individually and then walk them back in individually. Squat, left foot out, right foot out, left foot in, right foot in, stand, reach, repeat leading with right foot. They still suck.

And yeah, somehow that makes it better on my shoulders, lol. I know it doesn't sound right.

No it really does. The part where you jump back into plank position is really tough on your shoulders. I have very weak shoulders and the two times I have tried burpees, I hurt my right shoulder when I jumped back.

I just figured I would get my shoulders stronger in other ways and then maybe try again. I stopped going to some of the classes in my gym because the warm ups are burpees and the only modification you can do is skipping the push up. After hurting my shoulder the first time, when I went to the class again I did the modification of stepping back and the instructor was like come on jump back you can do it...so I jumped back and hurt my shoulder again...so I felt pretty inadequate and stopped going to those classes.

I have bad shoulders. Instead of hopping my feet out behind me, I make it low-impact and walk each foot out individually and then walk them back in individually. Squat, left foot out, right foot out, left foot in, right foot in, stand, reach, repeat leading with right foot. They still suck.

And yeah, somehow that makes it better on my shoulders, lol. I know it doesn't sound right.

No it really does. The part where you jump back into plank position is really tough on your shoulders. I have very weak shoulders and the two times I have tried burpees, I hurt my right shoulder when I jumped back.

I just figured I would get my shoulders stronger in other ways and then maybe try again. I stopped going to some of the classes in my gym because the warm ups are burpees and the only modification you can do is skipping the push up. After hurting my shoulder the first time, when I went to the class again I did the modification of stepping back and the instructor was like come on jump back you can do it...so I jumped back and hurt my shoulder again...so I felt pretty inadequate and stopped going to those classes.

LOL I'm glad someone understands! It really does put a lot of pressure on the shoulders. I think it's actually important for people to feel free to make modifications to exercises. Sad that you felt pushed to do more than what was safe for your own body. We know our bodies. We know our limits. Yes, we have to push past some of those perceived limits. But a limitation like that can cause injury, modifying the move is a wonderful way to have the best of both worlds. So you're doing it with a bit less intensity. It's still a tough exercise. I say, do it your way.