Burpees, the exercise everyone loves to hate, are hard enough in their natural state. But, with enough time and effort the challenging move can be mastered and maybe, just maybe, come to be loved. Okay, perhaps even that is a bridge too far.
However, once you've got to grips with straight burpees, it'll be time to start switching things up again - throwing in some new burpee variations to master as well.
Try these 10 best burpees exercises to get your full body gains. Either perform the moves alone or combine them with another exercise to challenge yourself with a brutal finisher, tabata session or HIIT circuit.
Go on then!
How To Do: The Basic Burpee
(a) Bend your knees and put your hands under your shoulders then jump both feet behind you, bending your elbows to get into a push-up position (oof).
(b) Quickly reverse the motion, then jump straight up and clap your hands overhead. That's one rep.
DO: Combine this move with another of the burpee exercises below to upgrade your workout.
How To Do: Burpee With Side Leg Raise
(a) Squat, hands on the floor and jump back to plank position.
(b) Jump feet back to a semi squat, raise one leg out to the side, then the other. Weird, but good.
How To Do: Weighted Burpees
(a) Place 3-6kg weights on the floor in front of your feet. Holding onto the dumbbells get into a plank position.
(b) Jump both feet towards the weights, stand up while bring the weights up above your head. Then get down onto the floor back into plank.
How To Do: Single leg burpee
(a) Begin in a full plank position with your left knee bent and foot facing the ceiling.
(b) Keeping the left leg off the ground, jump forward to stand on your right, hop once, then return to the start position.
Repeat for 40 seconds, then rest for 20.
How To Do: Side crunch burpee
(a) Squat, put hands on the floor and jump back to plank position.
(b) Bring both feet round to one side. Keep your torso straight and rotate your trunk. Return back to the middle and do the otherside.
(c) Jump back up to a half squat and then reach up high before repeating.
How To Do: Burpee spiderman
(a) Squat, put hands on the floor and jump back to plank position.
(b) Bring one knee towards your elbow for a side cruch and then return it back to the plank position. Do the same on the other leg.
(c) Jump back up to a half squat and then reach up high before repeating.
How To Do: Burpee Step-ups
(a) Bend your knees and put your hands under your shoulders then jump both feet behind you, bending your elbows to get into a push-up position (oof).
(b) Quickly reverse the motion, then step onto and off of your box. That's one rep.
How To Do: Burpee Rows
(a) Hold light dumbbells in your hands. Squat, place your hands on the floor, heels lifted. Step or thrust your legs behind you into plank position, balancing on hands and feet.
(b) Jump back up to a half squat. Row the weights (pull them up to armpit level, so your elbows raise out to the side). Jump back to plank and repeat.
How To Do: Tuck Jump Burpees
(a) Ah, the ‘b’ word. Stand, then squat with your hands on the floor in front of you. You know what comes next…
(b) Jump back into a plank. Do a push-up, then hop your feet back. Finish by jumping up in the air, tucking your knees tight into your chest. Keep going!
How To Do: Burpee Punches
(a) Squat, place your hands on the floor, heels lifted. Step or thrust your legs behind you into plank position, balancing on hands and feet.
(b) Jump back up to a half squat. Throw a punch either side. Jump back to plank and repeat.
Charlotte is a fitness and health news writer with an extensive background in sport. A part of the GB hockey system for the last nine years, all things fitness and health are right up her street. Her role as a daily news writer requires her to spend her time covering both entertaining and informative news with a focus on fitness & health, celebrity, real life and industry updates.
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