Burpee (Standard)

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The classic full-body conditioning movement: squat, plank, push-up, jump feet in, jump up. A staple of CrossFit and military-style conditioning for full-body metabolic output.

Demo: CrossFit

Sets

4

Reps

10-15

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

Avoid with wrist, shoulder, or knee pain. Regress to step-back burpees (no jump) for those with high-impact restrictions.

Setup

Stand feet shoulder-width, clear space in front and above.

Execution

  1. 1Squat down and place hands on the floor just outside the feet
  2. 2Jump or step feet back into a plank position
  3. 3Perform a push-up, chest to floor
  4. 4Jump or step feet back in toward the hands
  5. 5Explode up into a jump with arms overhead

Key cues

  • Chest touches the floor on the push-up
  • Hips stay level in the plank, no sagging
  • Full jump extension at the top
  • Move with rhythm, not chaos

Common faults

  • Skipping the full push-up range of motion
  • Sagging hips or piking in the plank position
  • No real jump at the top (just standing up)
  • Poor pacing leading to breakdown in form under fatigue

Tweaks

  • Half burpee (no push-up) for a faster-paced conditioning variant
  • Add a broad jump instead of a vertical jump
  • Add a pull-up at the top for burpee pull-ups
  • Perform for max reps in a time window (AMRAP) or EMOM

Regressions

Progressions

Muscles

Primary: Chest, Quadriceps, Glutes, Shoulders

Secondary: Core, Triceps, Calves

Notes

Primary energy system: lactic (glycolytic) for higher reps/time-based sets; alactic for isolated singles. Named after physiologist Royal H. Burpee, originally a fitness test movement, now a conditioning staple.

Sources

Attribution: CrossFit Journal