Should I do a full push-up in every burpee?

Yes, performing a full push-up with chest-to-floor contact ensures you develop upper body strength alongside conditioning benefits. If you cannot maintain proper push-up form for your target reps, reduce the total number of burpees or step your feet back instead of jumping.

Can I step instead of jump during burpees?

Stepping your feet back and forward instead of jumping reduces impact and intensity while still providing a training stimulus. This modification is useful when managing fatigue, learning the movement, or prioritizing volume over explosive power.

How do burpees fit into a strength training program?

Burpees work best as a conditioning tool performed after main strength work or on separate conditioning days to avoid interfering with heavy lifting performance. Use them in circuits, finishers, or dedicated conditioning sessions rather than before squats or presses.

Burpee

The burpee is a full-body bodyweight exercise that combines a squat, push-up, and jump into one continuous movement, primarily targeting the chest, quadriceps, and deltoids while providing cardiovascular conditioning. It suits lifters looking to improve work capacity, add conditioning between strength blocks, or incorporate high-intensity metabolic work without equipment.

Muscle group: Cardio
Primary muscles: chest, quadriceps, deltoids
Equipment: Bodyweight

How to do the Burpee

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of you.
Jump or step both feet back simultaneously to land in a plank position with your body in a straight line.
Perform a push-up by lowering your chest to the floor, then press back up to plank position.
Jump or step both feet forward to return to the squat position with hands still on the floor.
Explode upward into a jump, reaching your arms overhead, then land softly and immediately begin the next rep.

Form tips

Maintain a rigid plank position during the push-up phase by bracing your core and keeping hips level with shoulders and ankles.
Land each jump with soft knees and hips back to absorb force through your legs rather than your lower back.
Keep your hands planted firmly in the same spot throughout the movement to maintain consistent positioning and rhythm.

Common mistakes

Sagging hips during the plank or push-up phase reduces core engagement and places excessive stress on the lumbar spine.
Skipping full depth on the push-up turns the movement into a conditioning-only exercise and eliminates chest and triceps development.
Landing the jump with straight legs transfers impact force directly to the knees and lower back instead of dissipating it through muscular control.

Sets and reps

For conditioning, perform 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 20 reps with 60 to 90 seconds rest, or use timed intervals of 30 to 60 seconds of work.

Track the Burpee in Gym Track

Log every set in seconds, see your last session's weight and reps as you train, and get a new PR flagged automatically. Free on iPhone and Android.

Get the app

Frequently asked questions

Should I do a full push-up in every burpee?: Yes, performing a full push-up with chest-to-floor contact ensures you develop upper body strength alongside conditioning benefits. If you cannot maintain proper push-up form for your target reps, reduce the total number of burpees or step your feet back instead of jumping.
Can I step instead of jump during burpees?: Stepping your feet back and forward instead of jumping reduces impact and intensity while still providing a training stimulus. This modification is useful when managing fatigue, learning the movement, or prioritizing volume over explosive power.
How do burpees fit into a strength training program?: Burpees work best as a conditioning tool performed after main strength work or on separate conditioning days to avoid interfering with heavy lifting performance. Use them in circuits, finishers, or dedicated conditioning sessions rather than before squats or presses.

More cardio

All cardio →