The burpee is a full-body movement that combines strength training and cardiovascular exercise. This compound exercise engages nearly every muscle group. Beginners often seek a clear starting number to build a sustainable daily habit, but the correct volume is less about a fixed number and more about prioritizing safe technique and realistic progression. This article provides a structured approach for new exercisers to safely incorporate burpees into their routine.
Proper Burpee Form
Executing the burpee correctly is important for preventing injury and maximizing the benefits of the exercise. The movement begins from a standing position, where you squat down and place your hands on the floor just inside your feet. From here, jump or step your feet back into a plank position, ensuring your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
Maintaining core engagement is necessary to prevent the hips from sagging or the lower back from arching during the plank phase. Next, lower the chest to the floor, often incorporating a push-up or modification, before pressing back up to the plank. Quickly jump or step your feet back toward your hands, returning to the squat stance. Finally, stand or jump explosively upward, sometimes adding a hand clap overhead, and land softly with bent knees to prepare for the next repetition.
Establishing Your Starting Goal
A beginner should focus on mastering movement quality before attempting high volumes, as form tends to degrade quickly under fatigue. For most new exercisers, a practical starting goal is between 10 and 20 repetitions total per day. This range is achievable without excessive strain, allowing the body to adapt to the complex movement pattern.
Instead of performing all repetitions at once, it is more beneficial to break the total into small sets of 3 to 5 burpees. Incorporating a short rest period of 60 to 90 seconds between these sets helps maintain sharp form and prevents early exhaustion. This approach ensures that every repetition is performed with intentional, controlled movement.
Modifying the Movement for Beginners
The full burpee, which includes the jump and the chest-to-floor component, can be overly demanding on the joints and cardiovascular system for a beginner. Scaling the exercise allows you to build strength and endurance without risking premature burnout or injury. One of the simplest modifications is the “step-back burpee,” where you step one foot back at a time to reach the plank position instead of jumping both feet simultaneously.
To reduce the range of motion and impact, utilize an elevated surface like a sturdy box or bench for hand placement. This incline reduces the amount of body weight supported by the upper body and makes stepping back easier. For the push-up portion, beginners can drop their knees to the floor or eliminate the push-up entirely, focusing instead on holding a strong plank before returning to the stand. These adjusted movements still engage the major muscle groups, providing a foundation for future progression and minimizing strain.
Structuring Daily Practice and Progression
Consistency is more valuable than sporadic workouts when building a new habit. Beginners should aim to practice burpees three to five days per week, ensuring adequate rest days for muscle recovery. The focus during the initial weeks should be on maintaining the established daily repetition goal while improving the fluidity and quality of the movement.
To progress safely, increase the total volume by no more than one or two repetitions per set each week. Alternatively, keep the total repetitions the same but gradually reduce the rest time between sets, which increases the cardiovascular challenge. Always include a brief warm-up before starting, and pay close attention to signs of excessive fatigue or joint pain, which indicate a need to either slow the pace or revert to an easier modification.