Johnson Fitness & Wellness

Embrace the Burpee!

Whether you love them or hate them, burpees will add a challenge to any fitness routine!  Interestingly enough, burpees have been around since the late 1930’s when Royal H. Burpee (no kidding!) invented the first version as part of a fitness test.
The original version was what we would consider a “basic” burpee today….

Mr. Burpee had his clients perform only 4 reps and measured their heart rate before and after.
Since then, burpees have obviously become more challenging and have become a great total body exercise that can work the legs, the upper body, the cardio system, all while torching some calories!
A more modern version of the burpee might look something like this…

There are also many other versions that can incorporate a step or a bench to jump onto or over, substituting the push up for a t-plank, performing a high knee running motion at the top, etc.
Burpees are great for overall conditioning, agility, strength, coordination and burning fat!
So the next time your coach or trainer tells you to do 10, 20, or 30 burpees, make Mr. Burpee proud and give them your all!