Burpee: how to do it, muscles worked and variations
Squat, plank and jump sequence for conditioning.
- Main muscles
- Quadriceps, Pectoralis major, Latissimus dorsi
- Secondary muscles
- Deltoid, Gluteus maximus, Triceps brachii
- Equipment
- Bodyweight, Box or step, Medicine ball
- Variations
- 5
All 5 variations
Burpee
Squat, plank and extension sequence that combines cardiovascular capacity, pushing strength and coordination.
Form. Place your hands with control, step or jump your feet back into a stable plank, return to the squat and extend your body without losing alignment.
Common mistake. Landing with a sunken lower back, dropping your chest without control, or speeding up when your technique can no longer hold.
Tuck-jump burpee
Advanced burpee that finishes by bringing the knees toward the chest during the jump; needs good impact tolerance and basic technique first.
Form. Master the standard burpee first, take off vertically with a firm trunk and land with soft knees before the next rep.
Common mistake. Trying to tuck the knees without enough height, landing with locked knees, or tiring until you lose the plank.
Burpee box jump
Burpee that ends with a jump onto a box, combining floor transitions, pushing and an elevated landing; a progression for anyone who has mastered the basic burpee.
Form. Set the box at a conservative height, move your feet back into a firm plank and jump only after you have recovered a stable landing.
Common mistake. Letting the lower back sag in the plank, using a box that is too high, standing too close to the edge, or jumping down without control.
Burpee broad jump
Burpee that ends with a jump forward, adding horizontal power and landing demand to the basic pattern.
Form. Place your hands with control, return to standing and jump forward only if you can land softly and stably.
Common mistake. Landing stiff, losing the plank on the way down, or chaining reps without recovering good posture.
Burpee with medicine ball slam
Conditioning complex that links a medicine ball slam against the floor with a burpee with the hands on the ball.
Form. Slam the ball into the floor hard, pick it up with a neutral back, place your hands on it to move your feet back and return, then stand up for the next rep.
Common mistake. Using a ball that bounces too much, rounding your back when picking it up, resting your hands on the ball without control, or losing technique by going too fast.
