The goal with Burpee is simple—make every repetition look repeatable from the same stable start. The exercise mainly trains full body, while core, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and shoulders help support and control the movement. You will use your bodyweight while working from a multi-position standing-to-floor sequence.
What makes a good Burpee repetition?
Treat the movement as one connected sequence and earn speed only after the positions are reliable. The movement is approachable once the setup is familiar, but balance, load control, or multi-joint coordination make clean repetitions more demanding.
Muscles worked
Primary
Full body
These muscles should carry most of the intended work when the setup and movement path stay consistent.
Supporting
Core, Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Shoulders
These muscles assist the movement or help keep the rest of your position steady.
Set up before you move
Start from a multi-position standing-to-floor sequence. Use the prescribed grip: bodyweight or no external grip. No external equipment is required.
Step-by-step tutorial
How to do Burpee
- 1
Stand and brace
Stand with feet about hip-width apart, brace the trunk, and clear enough floor space for a full plank.
Breathing: Breathe steadily; do not hold your breath.
- 2
Plant hands and reach plank
Squat down, plant both hands under the shoulders, and step or jump the feet back to a straight-body plank without letting the hips sag.
Breathing: Inhale through the controlled return.
- 3
Return the feet
Keep the hands planted and step or jump both feet forward outside or just behind the hands, landing with the whole foot controlled.
Breathing: Exhale through the effort.
- 4
Stand or jump
Drive through the feet to stand; if using the jump variation, leave the floor softly and land with knees tracking over the toes.
Breathing: Exhale through the effort.
- 5
Reset
Regain a tall balanced stance before beginning the next repetition.
Breathing: Breathe steadily; do not hold your breath.
Common mistakes to avoid
Starting before the setup is stable
Do not rush the first position. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, brace the trunk, and clear enough floor space for a full plank. Make that setup feel repeatable before adding speed or resistance.
Letting the working position drift
Keep your multi-position standing-to-floor sequence setup consistent through the rep and maintain the bodyweight or no external grip. If another part of the body has to swing or twist, reduce the load or range.
Rushing the return
The return is part of the exercise, not a pause between efforts. Squat down, plant both hands under the shoulders, and step or jump the feet back to a straight-body plank without letting the hips sag.
Forcing a range you cannot control
Use the Burpee setup, maintain controlled joint alignment, and stop if the movement causes pain.
Sets, reps, and rest
A practical starting point is 3–4 sets of 6–10 controlled repetitions. Rest 90–180 seconds between challenging sets. Choose a load that leaves one or two technically clean repetitions in reserve while you learn the movement.
Treat this as a starting framework. Your load and volume should match your current technique, recovery, and training plan.
Burpee questions
Is Burpee suitable for beginners?
Burpee is classified as an intermediate-level movement in this guide. The movement is approachable once the setup is familiar, but balance, load control, or multi-joint coordination make clean repetitions more demanding.
What muscles does Burpee work?
Burpee primarily works full body, with core, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and shoulders assisting or stabilizing the movement.
What equipment do I need for Burpee?
Burpee is a bodyweight exercise and does not require external equipment.
