Burpees are a bit ‘Marmite.’
But whether you love or hate them, there’s no denying they bring a profusion of health benefits.
There aren’t many other exercises that push your heart and lungs as much as these bad boys. Or burn as many calories.
In this brief article, we’re going to take a closer look at why burpees are so good.
Assume your position, people.
Read on.
What are burpees?
A burpee seamlessly combines a squat, a plank, a push-up, and an explosive jump.
Ooh er.
It’s that one fluid motion that engages various muscle groups simultaneously. Essentially, making them a full body workout in one move.
Why are they called burpees?
It’s probably little surprise that Burpee is a person. An American physiologist to be exact.
Royal H. Burpee, as he was known, is described by his grandson as, “a physical fitness nut.”
He developed the exercise in the 1930s and it was originally used for the Burpee test. This is where a series of burpees are performed in quick succession to test agility and coordination.
Over time, burpees have evolved from a fitness assessment tool to a staple exercise.
What muscles do burpees work?
Well, they’re essentially a full-body exercise.
Each rep engages your quads, hamstrings, glutes, chest, arms, shoulders, and core.
Wait. There’s more.
The explosive jump at the end activates your calves and your stabilising muscles.
Mr Burpee, we salute you.
Can burpees actually build muscle?
Let’s be clear.
Burpees alone aren’t going to make you look like Arnold in Commando. Or Diamond from Gladiators.
They won’t give you the same level of muscle development as traditional weightlifting exercises.
However, there is a good combination of things going on here.
The resistance from your body weight and the dynamic nature of the move can stimulate muscle growth. Or at the very least, improve your overall muscle tone.
So, rather than making you big, they’re more for building functional strength and endurance.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll settle for that.
Benefits of Burpees
They’re a full-body workout: They target multiple muscle groups simultaneously. You save time. You maximise efficiency.
They’ll boost your cardiovascular health: The high intensity means you’ll elevate your heart rate and improve your overall heart health.
They’ll increase your strength and endurance: Adding burpees to your fitness routine can lead to significant improvements in strength, endurance, and overall athletic performance.
They can improve your agility and coordination: Burpees are dynamic and explosive. Get the hang of them and watch your balance, coordination, and agility soar.
You don’t need any equipment: Perform these all-stars anywhere, anytime. Just bring your own body.
How many calories do you burn doing burpees?
As we mentioned, burpees are quite intense and use multiple muscle groups. Hence, they have plenty of calorie-burning potential.
A rough estimate is that 1 burpee burns 0.5 calories.
However, for a more accurate calculation, you can use our Burpees Calorie Calculator.
It will show you how many calories you burn based on your bodyweight and the number of minutes you spend doing them. Give it a try!
What’s the verdict?
Burpees aren’t just another exercise, they’re a powerhouse manoeuvre.
They can build your strength and endurance. They can improve your overall fitness. And they can torch calories.
So they deserve a place in your workout routine.
Many of our Fitness Classes incorporate the humble burpee. Some of our instructors even insist on a burpee finish.
But the participants love them for it!
Come and see for yourself.
