BURPEES: Love Them. Hate Them. Do Them.

Everyone’s favorite exercise….NOT!!!! Even though we hate them, there’s plenty of reason to love them. They burn some serious calories. They’re a total body movement which means with so many muscles activated they make you stronger. Let’s not forget there’s no equipment needed just you so they’re portable and can be done anywhere. Now you are head over heels for them right??

Don’t blame me or your coach or trainer, rather, credit goes to Royal Huddleston Burpee. This physiologist from New York created the movement for a fitness test done at the YMCA back in 1939. He used this exercise to receive acceptance into his doctoral program at Columbia University.

What sounds so simple on paper, makes us sweat and roll our eyes when we hear the agenda for today’s workout. So here’s the basics… ready, set, go: squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of you, then jump both your feet back to a plank position, then jump the feet in towards your hands, return to standing and jump up. There are of course a few variations. I believe that every BODY is capable of every type of exercise.

With my clients I can add a little quirk to make a Burpee suitable to their body’s needs. Bad knees or low back problems mean I might add a chair. The chair takes the pressure off the back, knees, and wrists instead of at the lower position on the floor. Jumping has its expiration date for many of our knees, so stepping in and back can take its place. An extra challenge would be adding a pushup or some renegade dumbbell rows at the plank position.

Here’s the selling point… a few sets of burpees are more beneficial then 30 minutes on the Elliptical at a steady state. The reality is that exercise is uncomfortable, but for results we have to move our body efficiently and effectively.

Burpees actually burn up to 50% more fat than moderately striding along on a cardio machine.

Don’t think of them as a punishment, rather, you are giving yourself a gift to feel and look better. I hate to break it to you, but in a world that wants fast results, burpees transform your body as they challenge you to get out of your comfort zone. Weight loss, core, strength, endurance, coordination, time saving….gosh what are the negatives??

The Lifestyle of the FIT and healthy person might have a love-hate relationship with Burpees but accepts the challenge to do what is best for their body. Burpees give that feeling of accomplishment. Sometimes we don’t want to hear the truth….DO BURPEES!!!!