Do burpees deserve their rep as one of the most effective full body exercises? Turns out, they do!

While burpees aren't the most popular exercise, they're almost unbeatable in terms of working most major muscle groups, improving your cardiovascular fitness and testing your balance and coordination.

To get the most out of your burpees you'll need to keep your form clean, and the easiest way to do that is to break the exercise into steps. Here's how to perform the perfect burpee:

The Steps

The easiest way to do burpees is to break them down into 3 steps: Squat Jumps, Plank Frog Jumps and Push-Ups.

If you can perform each of these exercises individually, all you need to do is put them together and you’ll have a burpee! Let's break it down:

Step One: Squat Jumps

If you're a beginner, learn your basic squat technique first with this simple guide.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your core engaged.
2. Bend your knees and keep your back straight and sink into a squat.
3. Jump up explosively from your squat, and then land as gently as possible on the ground.

Practicing squat jumps helps you build the endurance required to perform a burpee. Plus, the movement required is one third of the full action of a burpee!

Step Two: Plank Frog Jumps

1. Make sure your plank form is strong with this guide before moving onto more difficult variations.
2. Start in plank with your hands on the ground just over shoulder width apart.
3. Jump your feet forward, keeping your hands on the ground and bringing your legs into a squat position.
4. Jump your feet back to their original position - and repeat!

Pro Tip: Perfecting Plank Frog Jumps will improve your ability to perform groundwork portion of burpees, training your feet to move in and out with agility.

Step Three: Push-Ups

1. Get onto all fours, and then full extend your arms and legs, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders.
2. Keep your back straight and engage your abs to support your mid-section.
3. Tuck your chin in and lower your body to the ground, before raising it back up with control.
4. Keep your back straight throughout the whole movement and be careful not to strain your neck.

For more tips on push-ups, don't miss Seven's dedicated guide to push-ups, with effective variations for beginners.

When you're ready to put these three steps together, you have your burpee!

Did you know we have a workout made entirely of burpees? It's not for the faint hearted 🔥 Find it in the 'Be Challenged' category in Seven!
 

Find demonstrations of all the mentioned exercises in Seven