Burpees are the dental appointments of the exercise world. They are dreaded and feared by the majority of people who hear about them.
What was the first thing you did when you read the word "burpees" in the title of this e-mail. This may be a pointless e-mail because this e-mail might lay there unopened until the end of time. But if you did read it, what first came to your brain?
There are several ways to do burpees, not just the soul crushing way that you might have done in the past. My goals is to help you find a more palatable version of this hated movement.
The basic burpee
This is the burpee that takes selfies with her bedazzled phone of her coffee at Starbucks while wearing Uggs. Or it is also when you squat down, hands to the ground, jump your feet back into a pushup position (pushup optional), jump your feet back up to the squat position, and then jump back up.
Bored with basic burpees
There are a lot of ways to spice up the burpee. One variation that I like to use is the Surfer Burpee. Everything is the same, except at the top. Instead of jumping straight up, you rotate in your jump 90 degrees so you end up in a squatting position with arms out to your side like you are hanging 10 with Johnny Utah and Bodie in Point Break.
How to make them easier or to work around joint issues
I like to use the hands elevated on a bench option to work around a lot of the issues that hold people back from being able to do a proper burpee. We use this version almost exclusively in our boot camp classes. You can still make them challenging without putting yourself in a compromised position.
Another option we always offer is the stepping version of the burpee. If the pounding from the jumping around bothers your knees, shoulders, etc... don't jump! Instead you can step one foot at a time back and forth then stand up powerfully instead of the jump at the top.
Or if you hate all that they stand for
You can give the Humane Burpee a try. This is the creation of powerlifter and former firefighter Dan Martin (no relation). You can get the same physical benefits from the burpee without all the pounding. It is comprised of three exercises: the kettlebell (or dumbbell swing), goblet squat, and the pushup.
The workout is in a descending ladder format. Here is what it looks like:
15 Swings
5 Goblet Squats
5 Push Ups
15 Swings
4 Goblet Squats
4 Push Ups
15 Swings
3 Goblet Squats
3 Push Ups
15 Swings
2 Goblet Squats
2 Push Ups
15 Swings
1 Goblet Squat
1 Push Up
The Humane Burpee is a great option for a finisher at the end of a workout or as a quick workout when you are pressed for time. The best part is that there are no actual burpees involved.