How to Do Burpees: Proper Form, Modifications, and Workouts

Burpees are one of the most effective bodyweight exercises—and one of the most hated. They build cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, and work your entire body with zero equipment.

Here's how to do them correctly, scale them to your level, and use them effectively in your training.

What Makes Burpees So Effective

A single burpee combines:

• A squat
• A plank
• A push-up (optional)
• An explosive jump

This hits nearly every muscle group:

• Legs: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
• Core: Abs, obliques, lower back
• Upper body: Chest, shoulders, triceps
• Cardiovascular system: Heart rate spikes quickly

The constant position changes (standing → ground → standing) make burpees uniquely demanding for both strength and conditioning.

The Standard Burpee: Step by Step

Starting Position

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.

Step 1: Squat Down

• Bend your knees and hips
• Lower into a squat position
• Place your hands on the floor in front of you, just outside your feet

Step 2: Jump or Step Back to Plank

• Jump both feet back simultaneously (or step back one at a time)
• Land in a high plank position
• Body should form a straight line from head to heels
• Hands directly under shoulders

Step 3: Perform a Push-Up (Optional)

• Lower your chest to the floor
• Keep elbows at 45-degree angle to body
• Push back up to plank
• (Skip this for the basic version)

Step 4: Jump or Step Feet Forward

• Jump both feet forward toward your hands (or step one at a time)
• Land in the squat position from Step 1
• Feet should land outside your hands

Step 5: Jump Up

• Explosively jump straight up
• Reach arms overhead
• Land softly with bent knees

Step 6: Repeat

• Immediately lower into the next rep
• Maintain rhythm without pausing at the top

Common Burpee Mistakes

1. Sagging Hips in Plank

Problem: Lower back drops, core disengaged Fix: Squeeze glutes and brace core throughout the plank phase

2. Worming Up Instead of Jumping

Problem: Hips rise first, then chest (like an inchworm) Fix: Keep body rigid, jump feet all the way to hands in one motion

3. Landing With Straight Legs

Problem: Jarring impact on joints Fix: Always land with soft, bent knees on the jump

4. Hands Too Far Forward

Problem: Long distance to travel, inefficient Fix: Place hands just outside feet, not way out in front

5. Shallow Jump

Problem: Missing the explosive power benefit Fix: Fully extend hips and jump with intent (even if not high)

6. Holding Breath

Problem: Fatigue faster, dizziness Fix: Breathe out on the jump, breathe in on the way down

Burpee Modifications (Easier to Harder)

Easiest: Step-Back Burpee (No Jump)

• Step back one foot at a time to plank
• Step forward one foot at a time
• Stand up without jumping (reach arms overhead instead)
• Best for: Beginners, joint issues, building basic pattern

Easier: Step-Back Burpee With Jump

• Step back to plank (no jumping back)
• Step forward to squat
• Add the jump at the top
• Best for: Building toward full burpees

Standard: Full Burpee (No Push-Up)

• Jump back to plank
• Jump feet forward
• Jump up
• Skip the push-up
• Best for: Conditioning focus, higher rep counts

Standard+: Full Burpee With Push-Up

• Complete push-up at the bottom
• Best for: Full-body strength + conditioning

Harder: Burpee With Tuck Jump

• At the top, perform a tuck jump (knees to chest)
• Best for: Explosive power, advanced conditioning

Harder: Burpee Over Object

• Perform burpee, then jump laterally over a barbell, box, or line
• Best for: Agility, CrossFit-style training

Hardest: Burpee Box Jump

• Perform burpee in front of a box
• Jump onto box instead of regular jump
• Step down and repeat
• Best for: Power development, serious conditioning

Hardest: Burpee Pull-Up

• Perform burpee under a pull-up bar
• Jump up and complete a pull-up
• Best for: Full-body strength, advanced athletes

How Many Burpees Should You Do?

For General Fitness

• Beginner: 5-10 reps, 2-3 sets, full rest between
• Intermediate: 10-15 reps, 3-4 sets, 60-90 sec rest
• Advanced: 15-20+ reps, 4-5 sets, 30-60 sec rest

For Conditioning/Cardio

• Time-based: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off × 5-10 rounds
• AMRAP (as many reps as possible): 5-10 minutes continuous
• Every minute on the minute (EMOM): 5-10 burpees at the start of each minute

For Fat Loss

Burpees work well in HIIT protocols:

• 20 seconds max effort, 10 seconds rest (Tabata) × 8 rounds
• Mixed with other exercises in circuit training

Sample Burpee Workouts

Beginner: Burpee Basics (10 minutes)

• 5 step-back burpees
• 30 seconds rest
• Repeat 5-6 times
• Focus on form, not speed

Intermediate: Burpee Ladder

• 1 burpee, rest 10 seconds
• 2 burpees, rest 10 seconds
• 3 burpees, rest 10 seconds
• Continue up to 10
• Then back down: 9, 8, 7... to 1
• Total: 100 burpees

Advanced: Death by Burpees

• Minute 1: 1 burpee
• Minute 2: 2 burpees
• Minute 3: 3 burpees
• Continue until you can't complete the required reps in the minute
• Most people fail around minute 12-15

Conditioning: Burpee + Run

• 10 burpees
• Run 200m (or 1 minute)
• Repeat 5 times
• Minimal rest

Full Body: Burpee Circuit

Complete 3-4 rounds:

• 10 burpees
• 15 air squats
• 10 push-ups
• 15 lunges (total)
• 30 second plank
• Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds

Making Burpees Suck Less

1. Pace Yourself

Going all-out on rep 1 means dying by rep 10. Find a sustainable rhythm.

2. Focus on Breathing

Exhale on the jump, inhale on the descent. Rhythmic breathing helps endurance.

3. Break Them Up

Instead of 20 straight burpees, do 4 sets of 5 with brief pauses. Same total work, more manageable.

4. Use Music

Burpees to a beat feel less terrible. Match your rhythm to the tempo.

5. Count Down, Not Up

Psychologically, counting from 10 to 1 feels faster than 1 to 10.

6. Scale Appropriately

There's no shame in modifications. A step-back burpee done well beats a sloppy full burpee.

Who Should Avoid Burpees?

Consider alternatives if you have:

• Wrist injuries: The plank position loads wrists significantly
• Shoulder problems: The push-up and catching yourself stress shoulders
• Severe knee issues: The jumping and squatting may aggravate
• Lower back problems: The position transitions can stress the spine
• High blood pressure: The rapid position changes cause BP spikes
• Pregnancy: Generally not recommended, especially later trimesters

Alternatives that provide similar benefits:

• Mountain climbers (less impact)
• Squat thrusts (no jump)
• Jumping jacks (less complex)
• Step-ups with overhead reach
• Battle ropes

The Bottom Line

Burpees are brutally effective because they're hard. They combine strength, cardio, and full-body coordination in a single movement.

Keys to success:

1. Learn proper form before adding speed
2. Start with modifications and progress gradually
3. Focus on breathing and rhythm
4. Scale the workout to your fitness level
5. Include them regularly but don't overdo it

Whether you love them or hate them (most people hate them), burpees deliver results. A few minutes of burpees can challenge you in ways that much longer workouts can't.

Start with 10. See how you feel. Then add more over time.