How many burpees should I do in a workout?

It depends on fitness level, but 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps is a good start for most.

Can I do burpees every day?

It’s best to include rest days or alternate with lower-impact exercises to allow recovery.

Are burpees good for weight loss?

They can help, because they raise heart rate quickly and burn a meaningful number of calories for the time spent. Weight loss still depends on overall diet and activity, so burpees work best as one part of a regular training plan.

Do I have to do a push-up in a burpee?

No. The original burpee had neither a push-up nor a jump, and the version shown here moves from the plank straight back to the squat. Adding a Push-Up at the bottom makes the chest and triceps work harder, so treat it as a progression once the basic pattern feels smooth.

Are burpees bad for your knees?

Not for most healthy people, as long as the knees track over the toes and each landing is soft with the knees bent. If jumping aggravates your knees, step the feet back and forward and skip the jump, which keeps most of the conditioning and removes the impact.

Burpee

What Is the Burpee?

Burpee is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads and core and also engages the glutes, hamstrings, chest, shoulders and calves. It is an advanced-level movement, depending on intensity and personal capabilities. This dynamic movement combines strength, aerobic conditioning, and coordination, making it a highly effective full-body exercise.

The burpee involves a sequence of movements that includes a squat, plank, push-up (optional), and jump. This combination makes it an excellent option for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit workouts, or bodyweight training routines. Despite requiring no equipment, burpees can elevate heart rate quickly and deliver substantial conditioning benefits.

The movement is named after physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who devised a four-count squat thrust around 1939 as a quick fitness test. The U.S. military adopted it for testing recruits during World War II, and the jump and the push-up were added later. Today it is a fixture of military-style conditioning, boot-camp classes and CrossFit, where some version of the burpee appears in most Open seasons.

Because it needs only a little floor space, the burpee suits short, hard intervals. In a 12-week trial in inactive young men, two 20-second all-out bouts of burpees with a push-up, three to five times a week under supervision, raised VO2max by as much as the same protocol performed as cycling sprints.

Due to its intensity and technical demands, the burpee is best suited for individuals with a solid fitness base. It challenges not just physical strength and endurance but also coordination and mental stamina. Beginners should consider breaking down the movement into simpler parts or reducing the number of reps until they build up to full burpees, starting with a steady Plank, a controlled Bodyweight Squat and the Squat Thrust, which is the same pattern without the jump.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Gluteus Maximus: Primary
Vastus Lateralis: Primary
Vastus Medialis: Primary
External Oblique: High
Rectus Abdominis: High
Biceps Femoris: Medium
Deltoid: Medium
Gastrocnemius (Lateral Head): Medium
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): Medium
Gluteus Medius: Medium
Pectoralis Major: Medium
Rectus Abdominis (Lower): Medium
Rectus Femoris: Medium
Semimembranosus: Medium
Semitendinosus: Medium
Soleus: Medium
Erector Spinae: Low
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Low
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Low
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Low

Instructions

Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.
Lower into a squat and place your hands on the floor in front of you, shoulder-width apart.
With your weight on your hands, jump your feet back into a plank position with your arms straight.
Brace your core so your body forms a straight line from head to heels and your hips do not sag.
Jump your feet forward to return to the squat position, landing them just behind your hands.
Explosively jump straight up with arms extended overhead.
Land softly on the balls of your feet with your knees bent and immediately move into the next repetition.

Common Mistakes

Skipping the warm-up
Starting cold can increase the risk of injury and reduce performance during the exercise.
Letting the back sag in the plank
Poor core engagement during the plank phase can strain the lower back.
Landing hard on the knees
Not controlling the landing from the jump can stress the knees and joints.
Using poor push-up form
Letting the elbows flare or dropping the hips can lead to shoulder or back issues.
Crashing into the plank
Throwing the feet back before the hands are set drops the body weight onto the wrists and shoulders all at once.
Cutting the jump short
Hopping without standing tall and reaching overhead skips the hip extension that makes the top of each rep count.

Injuries

Burpee is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The rapid, high-impact nature of the movement places stress on the knees, lower back, wrists, and shoulders, and form usually breaks down late in a set as fatigue builds.

Common injuries include wrist strain from improper hand placement, lower back pain due to poor posture during the plank or jump phases, and knee discomfort from landing too hard or using incorrect squatting mechanics.

To reduce injury risk, ensure each part of the movement is performed with control and correct form. Warm up thoroughly before starting, modify the movement if needed (e.g., stepping instead of jumping), and avoid overtraining or performing burpees on a hard surface. The Squat Thrust removes the jump, and placing the hands on a bench takes load off the wrists and shoulders. Once the basic pattern is smooth, the Burpee Box Jump and Burpee Broad Jump add a harder jump.

Stop if you feel sharp pain in the wrists, knees or lower back. Build volume gradually, because a sudden jump to hundreds of burpees in one session can cause exertional rhabdomyolysis; severe muscle pain, swelling or dark urine after a hard session needs prompt medical care.

Overview

Primary Focus: Full body
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Cardio
Difficulty: Advanced

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many burpees should I do in a workout?: It depends on fitness level, but 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps is a good start for most.
Q: Can I do burpees every day?: It’s best to include rest days or alternate with lower-impact exercises to allow recovery.
Q: Are burpees good for weight loss?: They can help, because they raise heart rate quickly and burn a meaningful number of calories for the time spent. Weight loss still depends on overall diet and activity, so burpees work best as one part of a regular training plan.
Q: Do I have to do a push-up in a burpee?: No. The original burpee had neither a push-up nor a jump, and the version shown here moves from the plank straight back to the squat. Adding a Push-Up at the bottom makes the chest and triceps work harder, so treat it as a progression once the basic pattern feels smooth.
Q: Are burpees bad for your knees?: Not for most healthy people, as long as the knees track over the toes and each landing is soft with the knees bent. If jumping aggravates your knees, step the feet back and forward and skip the jump, which keeps most of the conditioning and removes the impact.