Burpee variations to mix up your training

Burpee Variations to mix up your training

There is only one move that is king of the body weight exercises. Only one that leaves no major muscle group untouched. As a trainer it is my favorite exercise to turn any workout into a great, come back for more kind of workout. That is the Burpee!

Burpees target your quads, glutes, core, chest, back and shoulder and they are great for cardio too. Your heart rate will go so high, as your endurance levels are put to the test.

The standard burbee is all about strength and conditioning, but why not mix up your training with a few burpee variations?

Push up Burpee

Stand with you feet hip width apart, arms at your sides.

Quickly lower into a squat position and place your palms on the ground about a foot in front of your feet.

Shoot your feet out behind you so you’re balanced on your hands and toes in a plank position, with shoulders directly over your wrists.

Maintaining a straight line from head to toe, complete one push up by lowering your chest to the floor, then press upwards back into plank position.

Next, jump your feet forwards so you are in a low squat.

To finish the move, jump straight up, exploding from the heels, while bringing your hands above your head. Land with your hands at your sides in neutral starting position.

Repeat.

2. Burpees with Dumbbells

Start standing up, holding a dumbbell in each hand – start with a weight you feel comfortable with before going heavier as you get more confident.

With your feet hip width apart, bend over, lowering the dumbbells to the ground, jump your feet backwards into a strong high plank position- your arms extended, hands resting on each dumbbell.

Then jump your feet back up towards your hands, so that they land outside each dumbbell.

Deadlift the dumbbells off the ground, keeping your spine straight and thrusting forward slightly from the hips.

3. Box jump burpee

Stand with your feet hip width apart, arms at your sides. Go through the movements of a regular burpee until you’ve jumped out of plank position and into a low squat.

Now, perform a box jump. With your knees slightly bend, hop up on a plyo box or stable, elevated surface. Hop or step down.

Repeat from the beginning

4. Mountain climber Tuck jump burpee

From a standing position, quickly drop down, placing your palm on the ground and jumping your feet back behind you so you’re in a plank position.

Perform mountain climbers by rapidly alternating between bringing one knee up under your chest while keeping the other leg extended. Switch your legs four times total and be sure to keep your hips down and your back straight. Your core should be engaged.

Jump your feet forwards so you are in a low squat.

Push through your heels, jumping straight up into a tuck jump. Your legs should come as close to your chest as possible.

Land as softly as possible and Repeat.

5. Half burpees

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and hands at your side.

Begin exercise by bending knees and lowering hips down while placing your hands to outside of your toes.

Next, kick legs back until they are straight to transfer weight onto your arms. You will now be in a push-up position.

Reverse movement back to starting position. This completes one rep. Repeat as necessary

6. One legged burpee

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

Bend your knees and reach forward to place your hands on the floor, while also lifting one leg behind you.

Kick your standing leg straight out behind you and immediately lower your entire body down to the ground, bending at the elbows. Keep the lifted leg off the ground the entire time.

Use your arms to quickly push your body back up and hop your standing leg back underneath your body, bringing your floating leg up, slightly bent, so it’s still off the ground.

Jump straight up into the air, reaching arms overhead. Place the floating leg back on the ground after you land, to end in start position.

7. Burpee plank row

Stand with a kettle bells (or dumbbells) in each hand and feet shoulder-width apart.

Bending at the hips and knees, reach down to put your kettle bells on the ground.

Once your weights have reached the ground, extend your legs out behind you with a quick hop into a push-up position.

Push one of the kettle bells into the floor, while rowing the other kettle bell. Pull back with your shoulder on the side you are working on and flex your elbow to pull the kettle bell to your side.

Lower the kettle bell to the floor and repeat the steps with the kettle bell in your other hand.

Keeping your weights on the ground, reverse the leg drive motion to bring your feet back under you.

Stand up tall as quickly as you can without compromising form.

8. Burpee broad jump

Stand with your feet hip width apart.

Bend at your knees/waist and put your hands down in front of you.

Kick your legs out at the same time behind you.

With your body in a straight line bend at the elbows and do a push up.

Kick your feet back in, bring your arms behind you, and then jump forward as far as you can.

As you jump throw your arms forward to help propel you as far as possible.

Land on both feet and get ready for the next repetition.

9. Side to side burpee

Take a position standing with your legs slightly more apart than shoulder width and hands relaxed alongside your body.

Move from the standing position smoothly into the standard push-up position.

From that position jump both legs to the side of one hand. Then jump your legs back to get to the standard push-up position again.

Do the jump with both feet toward the other hand.

Then jump with both feet simultaneously directly toward your hands, not to the side, and jump up high and clap your hands above your head.

After the jump smoothly continue down through a squat and lean on the floor with your hands and jump with both feet back into the standard push-up position again.

Do an identical number of repetitions for leg jumps to each side.