The Ultimate Burpee Workout Routine To Tone Your Whole Body

The dreaded burpee– an exercise that seems to be loved by fitness professionals and loathed by everyone else. But what if we told you that this move is a secret weapon when it comes to toning your whole body? Yes, the burpee can be used as part of an effective workout routine to help you achieve your fitness goals. When performed correctly, this exercise can help tone your muscles, improve your cardiovascular fitness, and boost your overall calorie burn. Here’s everything you need to know about the ultimate burpee workout routine to tone your whole body.

What Is A Burpee?

A burpee is a full-body calisthenic exercise that is often used as a cardio move or as part of a strength-training routine. 

The exercise consists of 5 components:

1. Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Bend at the knees and lower your body into a squatting position.
3. Place your hands on the ground in front of you and kick your feet back so that you are in a push-up position.
4. Perform a push-up, then quickly return to the squatting position.
5. Jump up into the air with your arms overhead and repeat the entire sequence.

Can You Get In Shape With Just Burpees?

While burpees are a great way to get in shape, they should not be the only exercise that you do. To see results, you need to create a well-rounded workout routine that includes a variety of different exercises.

With that being said, burpees can be a great addition to your workout routine as they are an excellent way to tone your muscles and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

Adding burpees to your workout routine is beneficial as they (1):

• Are a full-body exercise that works on multiple muscle groups at once
• Are an excellent way to get your heart rate up and improve your cardiovascular fitness (2)
• Help boost your calorie burn both during and after your workout (3)
• Increase your functional fitness, which can help you in your everyday activities
• Are a great way to challenge yourself and add variety to your workout routine
• Can be done anywhere, anytime, with no equipment needed

Furthermore, burpees are a full-body exercise that works on multiple muscle groups at once.

Below, we break down each muscle group that is worked during a burpee:

• Chest: The chest muscles, specifically the pectoralis major and minor, work to stabilize the body and move the arms.
• Shoulders: The shoulders, specifically the deltoids, work to stabilize the body and move the arms.
• Arms: The biceps and triceps work to move the arms.
• Back: The back muscles, specifically the latissimus dorsi, work to stabilize the body.
• Core: The core muscles, specifically the rectus abdominis and obliques, work to stabilize the body.
• Legs: The quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes work to move the legs while moving from the squatting position to the push-up position. The calves work to stabilize the body while in the push-up position.

Read More: How To Do Burpees For Beginners: Mastering The Basics To Keep Injury At Bay

How Many Burpees Should You Do A Day?

The number of burpees you should do a day varies depending on your fitness level and workout goals. If you are new to exercise, start by doing 3 to 5 sets of 10 burpees.

As you get more comfortable with the exercise, you can increase the number of sets and reps that you do. For a more challenging workout, aim for 5 to 10 sets of 15 to 20 reps.

If you want to push yourself a little more, try doing a timed burpee challenge where you see how many burpees you can do in 1, 2, or 5 minutes.

However, remember that no matter how many burpees you do, make sure to focus on proper form to get the most out of the exercise and prevent injury.

How Often Should You Do Burpees?

You can do burpees every day if you want, but we recommend 3 to 4 times per week as a good starting point. This will give your body time to recover in between workouts while still allowing you to see results.

If you notice yourself getting too sore or observe that your workout performance is suffering, cut back on the number of days per week that you are doing burpees.

Remember, it’s important to listen to your body and make adjustments to your workout routine as necessary.

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How To Incorporate Burpees Into Your Workout Routine?

Now that you know all the benefits of adding burpees to your workout routine, it’s time to learn how to do them. 

Follow these tips to make sure you are doing them correctly:

Master The Form

As with any exercise, proper form is key to getting the most out of the move and preventing injury. 

Watch out for these common mistakes when doing burpees:

• Not going all the way down into the squat position.  Make sure your thighs are parallel to the ground before placing your hands on the ground.
• Bouncing out of the squat. You can instead stand up by pushing through your heels and engaging your glutes.
• Not keeping your core engaged. This will help you maintain good form and prevent your back from arching during the move.
• Letting your knees collapse inward. Keep your knees in line with your ankles to protect your knees from injury.
• Not jumping high enough. Jump as high as you can at the end of the move to get your heart rate up. Land softly on your feet to absorb the impact.

Vary The Movement

Once you have the basic burpee down, you can start to mix things up by adding in different variations. This will help you avoid boredom and plateaus, and it will also challenge your muscles in new ways.

Some of our favorite burpee variations include:

• Burpee with a push-up: You can add in a push-up while in the plank position, before standing back up.
• Burpee with a plank jack: While in plank position, jump your feet out to the sides and then back together. Stand up and repeat.
• Burpee with a tuck jump: After jumping up at the end of the move, bring your knees up to your chest before landing.
• Burpee with a shoulder press: Swap the jump at the end of the move for an overhead shoulder press with dumbbells.
• Burpee with an upright row: Instead of jumping at the end, do an upright row with dumbbells while standing.

Pair It With Other Exercises

Burpees make a great addition to any workout routine. To get the most out of your workouts, pair burpees with other exercises that target different muscle groups.

This will help you create a well-rounded routine that will tone your whole body. 

Here are some of the few favorite workout combinations:

• Burpees + squats/lunges: For a lower body-focused workout, pair burpees with squats or lunges. We recommend doing 3 sets of 15-20 reps of each exercise.
• Burpees + push-ups: For an upper body-focused workout, do a set of burpees followed by a set of push-ups. Alternate exercises until you have completed 3 sets of each.
• Burpees + crunches: For a core-focused workout, do a set of burpees followed by a set of crunches. Alternate exercises until you have completed 3 sets of each.

Read More: What Do Burpees Work: Here’s Why This Move Makes Even The Fittest Of Us Beg For Mercy

Sample Beginner Burpee Workout Routine

Not sure where to start? This beginner burpee workout routine is a great way for a head start. It includes a mix of the lower body, upper body, and core exercises to give you a well-rounded workout.

Do each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest. Complete the entire circuit 3 times through.

Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of light cardio (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc.)

Workout

• 10 burpees
• 10 squats
• 10 push-ups
• 10 sit-ups

Cool Down

• 5 minutes of light stretching

Sample Intermediate Burpee Workout Routine

Ready for a challenge? This intermediate burpee workout routine will help you take your workouts to the next level.

Do each exercise for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest. Complete the entire circuit 3 times through.

Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of light cardio (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc.)

Workout

• 15 burpees
• 15 lunges (each leg)
• 15 push-ups
• 10 sit-ups
• 5 burpee with a push-up

Cool Down

• 5 minutes of light stretching

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Sample Advanced Burpee Workout Routine

This advanced burpee workout routine is perfect for experienced exercisers who are looking for a challenging workout.

Do each exercise for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest. Complete the entire circuit 4 times through.

Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of light cardio (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc.)

Workout

• 20 burpees
• 20 squats
• 20 push-ups
• 10 sit-ups
• 10 burpees with a push-up
• 5 burpees with a plank jack
• 5 burpees with a tuck jump

Cool Down

• 5 minutes of light stretching

The Bottom Line

Burpees are a great way to tone your muscles and improve your cardiovascular fitness. When performed correctly, they can help you achieve your fitness goals.

Start by doing 3 to 5 sets of 10 reps and increase the number of sets and reps as you get more comfortable with the exercise. Aim for 3 to 4 burpee workouts per week.

Most importantly, focus on proper form to prevent injury and get the most out of the exercise.