Some thoughts and discussions from me.
How to Do the Perfect Burpee
I get knocked down, but I get up again! You’re never gonna keep me down!
Chumbawumba…anyone?
It very well might just be me, but every time I do burpees I think of that song. It also might be the reason that I actually like burpees. Perhaps it’s because they symbolize resilience in a sense? You know, you fall (ok, safely move) down to the ground, only to bounce right back up again.
I try not to indulge in negativity, but rather to take a moment when something unexpectedly bad happens, and then bounce right back as soon as I can.
Or, perhaps I like burpees because they can be done just about anywhere, requiring no equipment at all. Either way, burpees, in my opinion, get more of a bad rep than they should.
But sadly, along with the kettlebell swing and the deadlift, the burpee is one of those exercises that’s wildly popular, yet promoted with abandon without proper instruction every single day. And while I absolutely love the fast-paced movement of women finding a form of training that empowers them, safety has always been, and will always be #1.
Now, most of the time people can get away with botched form when it comes to the burpee, because it’s not a loaded exercises. However, it is dynamic and requires power, both of which need proper form cueing in movement.
The idea for this post came when I saw an instagram video the other day of someone wreaking havoc on their lumbar spine while doing burpees for days (well, you know, as many as this person could fit in the :15 window, anyway.) Instead of making a self-serving, judgmental facebook post chastising bad-form-burpees, I thought I’d use my annoyance in a productive way by making a little video on how to do the perfect burpee:
[Tweet “NEW post! How to Do a Proper Burpee – via @TrainerPaige”]
(For the sake of this post, let’s assume that a burpee even if you don’t include a push up.)
[Tweet “How to Do the Perfect Burpee (w/ video!) via @TrainerPaige”]
outfit: sports bra – Nike, tights – puma, kicks – puma
Burpees are such a great exercise because they can be modified down to including no push ups and no jumping at all up to including multiple jumps with even multiple push ups! For more workouts with burpees, you can see this post, this post, or this post.
Have a lovely Tuesday, friends! Don’t forget to sign up for MoveHappy – it starts TOMORROW!!! 😀
Spill it: BURPEES – love ’em or hate ’em?!
LOVE burpees! I love that there are so many different variations. Thanks for these form cues! It can be easy to forget proper body mechanics, especially when you’re doing burpees quickly in a workout.
Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves recently posted…I Am the Real Dairy Queen
Great cues! Burpees are so wildly popular, that many trainers assume everyone knows proper form.
I have found that I am more comfortable jumping my feet up wider than arms width after the push up portion. I *assumed* I was modifying because its not comfortable for me to thrust my hips into a narrow stance like I have seen others do. Burpees are tough, but worth it!
Love them!
Taylor @ LiftingRevolution.com recently posted…How To Make Amazing Vegan Cheese: Herby Goat & Sweet Cream Cheese Recipes
Hate so much! But I know they’re great. Thanks for the tips! Part of my dilemma is that my hamstrings are so tight I feel like it’s hard to keep my back straight on the bend down and rise back up, but maybe thinking of it like a deadlift will help that.
Kacy recently posted…Traveling Slow in Brazil
Great advice here! I am always concerned when I see people at the gym doing them just to get them done without paying any attention to technique. Such a perfect breakdown.
Definitely my favorite HIIT move. I incorporate them into every one of my home workouts!
Awesome demo Paige!
Well, shoot… I’ve been doing burpees wrong all along — I always keep my feet narrow! Thanks for this post!