Is A Burpee The Most Dynamic Total Body Movement There Is With Regard to Exercise?

I incorporate a few of these into workouts periodically..

I can run however far you want me to.. same for cycling.. however, 4-5 of these and I need an oxygen mask and a medic.



if done properly, it truly activates every major muscle group within the span of about 3 seconds...

Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

^bad knees

I need to do work outs again... getting sausagey....

Not bothering to invest in weights or join a gym. Would a # reps of these, push ups crunches be "enough"? I never seem to loose weight/size with working out alone. I turn into a chubby guy who can inexplicably run 3 miles and do a bunch of pushups.

Of course my goal is to get ripped and score with babes half my age on the west side beaches this summer. (or... not have to invest in a new wardrobe.)

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

That shit don't work if you want to look better.... At least the older you get it doesn't. You need more.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

That shit don't work if you want to look better.... At least the older you get it doesn't. You need more.

You sure about that? Yeah, you’re not going to look nordy jacked but not everyone wants to look that big either. Feel like i know quite a bit of older folk that look good without the weights or sit ups but that may be a small sample size.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

That shit don't work if you want to look better.... At least the older you get it doesn't. You need more.

You sure about that? Yeah, you’re not going to look nordy jacked but not everyone wants to look that big either. Feel like i know quite a bit of older folk that look good without the weights or sit ups but that may be a small sample size.

Ok, I suppose I should say I've never made it a point to "playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball" for 30 min everyday... but I have done this shit in my basement (to varying degrees of success).

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

You sure about that? Yeah, you’re not going to look nordy jacked but not everyone wants to look that big either. Feel like i know quite a bit of older folk that look good without the weights or sit ups but that may be a small sample size.

Ok, I suppose I should say I've never made it a point to "playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball" for 30 min everyday... but I have done this shit in my basement (to varying degrees of success).

This is a good point - the ability to do it anywhere at anytime is something those things can’t really offer if someone has a bunch of shit going on/kids.

Floyd Robertson wrote:Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

it's a weird name - I don't like it.. sounds like something you'd experience at a traveling circus.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

I suppose I fall into this category..

I honestly don't think I've ever been inside a gym (a workout gym) or any workout facility.

I'd say about 90% of my exercise plan is running and cycling because I get to be outdoors and it's, relatively speaking, inexpensive. I don't really get into "stuff" - I mean, I have some money wrapped up in bikes.. but, beyond that, if you want to run, all you really need is a good pair of shoes and some running clothes that, to be honest, can be bought at Target. I don't think you need a $250 lightweight, microfiber running jacket to go run around campus for 40 minutes at 5:00 AM.

my main thing is being outside and experiencing the elements. I despise heat.. so in the summer, I typically get in more cycling because it creates more of a wind dynamic. So even on the warmest, muggiest days in July/August, I can fill up a couple of water bottles and ride along at 18-22 mph and get by.

I do enjoy hiking in the winter, too - I'll do a big loop up at Sleepy Hollow State Park - they have some nice trails up there - in the snow with either snowshoes or even just a microspike on my boots for traction.

plus, all of these things are fairly solitary in nature. I'm not a big joiner or social guy. I have a few friends, etc - but I prefer just hanging out with my wife. The idea of meeting 8-10 dudes to play basketball in a gym kind of gives me the heebie jeebies from social anxiety standpoint.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

That shit don't work if you want to look better.... At least the older you get it doesn't. You need more.

I will agree that working out, increasing your resting metabolic rate, etc is fine and dandy.. and that, in doing so, you decrease multiple risk factors related to your overall health and wellness..

but.. the older we get, the more important it is to keep an eye on what we consume. I've gotten to where I do my best to eliminate simple, added sugars. When it comes to health and wellness from a calorie intake standpoint, sugar (and all derivatives) is the devil.

In basic training (24 years ago) we had a similar exercise but when you kick out your legs you do a push-up.

Clearly superior.

Make sure when you do burpees you keep your hands and elbows in or you will strain a rotator cuff or worse.

tTito wrote:Make sure when you do burpees you keep your hands and elbows in or you will strain a rotator cuff or worse.

good tip - I'm not as young as I used to be and every now and then I feel it in my joints.

Rocinante wrote:In basic training (24 years ago) we had a similar exercise but when you kick out your legs you do a push-up.

Clearly superior.

I think those, if I'm understanding you correctly, were called "squat thrusts" back in our day.

Yeah, I had a pretty hard time making it down the stairs this morning. I did a couple of burps after a good cup of coffee.

Probably the snatch

CORNER BLITZ wrote:Probably the snatch

- you're not going to trick me into Googling that.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

it's a weird name - I don't like it.. sounds like something you'd experience at a traveling circus.

It’s a fun word. Bur... pees.

What I think of...

Probably cause of Grandma.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:What I think of...

Probably cause of Grandma.

Grandma called.. she wants you to eat more of that and do more burpees.

Floyd Robertson wrote:Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

The exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the burpee test. He earned a Ph.D. in applied physiology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1940 and created the "burpee" exercise as part of his Ph.D. thesis as a quick and simple way to assess fitness.

MSU addict wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

The exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the burpee test. He earned a Ph.D. in applied physiology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1940 and created the "burpee" exercise as part of his Ph.D. thesis as a quick and simple way to assess fitness.

BRB, I'm going to post that in the TiL thread.

Rocinante wrote:In basic training (24 years ago) we had a similar exercise but when you kick out your legs you do a push-up.  

Clearly superior.

Add in a box jump and now you're talking.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

AvgMSUJoe wrote:

That shit don't work if you want to look better.... At least the older you get it doesn't. You need more.

I will agree that working out, increasing your resting metabolic rate, etc is fine and dandy.. and that, in doing so, you decrease multiple risk factors related to your overall health and wellness..

but.. the older we get, the more important it is to keep an eye on what we consume. I've gotten to where I do my best to eliminate simple, added sugars. When it comes to health and wellness from a calorie intake standpoint, sugar (and all derivatives) is the devil.

Can't out work nutrition.

The older you get the harder it. In my 20s I could eat as much as I wanted and pound beers after work. Now I stick to a daily calorie intake or I get fat. This includes beer and alcohol. I've pretty much quit drinking beer (not the bourbon yet though). It was either beer or food and I like food.

One thing I've learned if you are trying to loss weight is don't crash your calorie intake. That will just make things worse by slowing your metabolism and conditioning your body to hoard fat. The saying now-a-days is your diet should be a permanent lifestyle change. Not some whack-a-doo cleanse to drop lbs fast. Settle in on a daily routine/diet/whatever you want to call it. Find out what your daily calorie intake is given your lifestyle. If you want to shed pounds, increase your activity.

Nordic wrote:

Rocinante wrote:In basic training (24 years ago) we had a similar exercise but when you kick out your legs you do a push-up.  

Clearly superior.

Add in a box jump and now you're talking.

The only box I want to jump is a Mio 4 or higher.

as if I could get higher than a Mio 4.

MSU addict wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:Someone introduced me to burpees a couple of months ago, trying to explain it over the phone. I quickly forgot about it and never got around to looking up videos. I also never got an explanation on why they are called burpees.

The exercise was named in the 1930s for American physiologist Royal H. Burpee, who developed the burpee test. He earned a Ph.D. in applied physiology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1940 and created the "burpee" exercise as part of his Ph.D. thesis as a quick and simple way to assess fitness.

Were you ever a mailman in Boston?

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

For me, I simply enjoy lifting. Bob likes to run. Others play hoops. It gets my endorphins going and the blood pumping. Like running, you feel good afterward. Especially when you are increasing your workload each week. And I like the gym. Honestly all you really ever need to do is 4 things to stay in shape: push-ups, pull-ups and squats and some cardio. I can do those at home. But I like going to the gym. Plenty to look at and things to keep you motivated. If I'm at the gym, I feel like I have to work. At home, I'll make excuses.

I also hit the racquetball court once or twice a week and do a 3-4 mile hike with the mutts on the weekend. Hiking is a relative term in Michigan, there is no elevation where I'm at.  I wish there was, I'd TempeTantrum that shit everyday if we had cool hiking trails near by. Doing a month long solo hike is on my bucket list. I'm too old to be join a rugby league or other team sport. And frankly, team sports don't motivate me anymore. Lifting is my sport of choice basically.

To AvgJoe's "You need more" point. You're simply not as active the older you get. I know everyone says you "you will see". You might not believe it now, but you will. So you do need to add in mundane exercises to keep in shape. I make myself run at least once a week. I fucking hate running. But I need the extra cardio. So I hit the track, treadmill, stationary bike, row machine or come up with some crossfit-box jump-burpee-power-clean-wall-ball-air-squat-thruster-superman-plank bullshit for 10 mins 3-4 times a week after a workout. Side note, I would never join a crossfit box. Not my thing.

TL:DR My name is Nordic. I like to lift, hike/walk and play racquetball.

Nordic wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Question for the gym/running/this shit types... what attracts you to this in comparison to playing tennis, riding a bike, basketball, skiing, hiking, racquetball, etc etc? I’m sure some of you do both - but with so many different options out there to get exercise, it surprises me that people choose to spend it simply running or lifting weights in a overcrowded gym.

Whatever gets you moving is cool in my book, but genuinely curious.

For me, I simply enjoy lifting. Bob likes to run. Others play hoops. It gets my endorphins going and the blood pumping. Like running, you feel good afterward. Especially when you are increasing your workload each week. And I like the gym. Honestly all you really ever need to do is 4 things to stay in shape: push-ups, pull-ups and squats and some cardio. I can do those at home. But I like going to the gym. Plenty to look at and things to keep you motivated. If I'm at the gym, I feel like I have to work. At home, I'll make excuses.

I also hit the racquetball court once or twice a week and do a 3-4 mile hike with the mutts on the weekend. Hiking is a relative term in Michigan, there is no elevation where I'm at.  I wish there was, I'd TempeTantrum that shit everyday if we had cool hiking trails near by. Doing a month long solo hike is on my bucket list. I'm too old to be join a rugby league or other team sport. And frankly, team sports don't motivate me anymore. Lifting is my sport of choice basically.

To AvgJoe's "You need more" point. You're simply not as active the older you get. I know everyone says you "you will see". You might not believe it now, but you will. So you do need to add in mundane exercises to keep in shape. I make myself run at least once a week. I fucking hate running. But I need the extra cardio. So I hit the track, treadmill, stationary bike, row machine or come up with some crossfit-box jump-burpee-power-clean-wall-ball-air-squat-thruster-superman-plank bullshit for 10 mins 3-4 times a week after a workout. Side note, I would never join a crossfit box. Not my thing.

TL:DR My name is Nordic. I like to lift, hike/walk and play racquetball.

good stuff.

The last 3-4 years I have incorporated a bit of strength training mainly in the form of push-ups. I have a couple of dumbbells so I'll also do some curls, shoulder presses, etc. as well, after a run or ride.

Makes a difference - definitely became a bit more defined (though not hypertrophic, thankfully - ain't my scene) - resistance training also boosts the resting metabolic rate possibly moreso than just aerobic training.

I lost over 30 lbs in the last 3 months without dieting, and focusing on walking a stupid number of miles.

Izzo Court wrote:I lost over 30 lbs in the last 3 months without dieting, and focusing on walking a stupid number of miles.

Wow. Very cool - congrats. That's a big deal.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Rocinante wrote:In basic training (24 years ago) we had a similar exercise but when you kick out your legs you do a push-up.

Clearly superior.

I think those, if I'm understanding you correctly, were called "squat thrusts" back in our day.

Squat thrust is the name I remember. Use to have to do 30 of them at the beginning of each phys-ed class when I was in junior high. Would probably break a wrist, just before having a heart attack, if I attempted one now

The Pantry wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote: I think those, if I'm understanding you correctly, were called "squat thrusts" back in our day.

Squat thrust is the name I remember. Use to have to do 30 of them at the beginning of each phys-ed class when I was in junior high. Would probably break a wrist, just before having a heart attack, if I attempted one now

'zactly..

Izzo Court wrote:I lost over 30 lbs in the last 3 months without dieting, and focusing on walking a stupid number of miles.

That’s awesome. Well done.

I fucking hate burpees. Probably because it works everything at once. But fuck them

Dendrobates wrote:I fucking hate burpees. Probably because it works everything at once. But fuck them

exactly.

Dendrobates wrote:I fucking hate burpees. Probably because it works everything at once. But fuck them

I worry that, with my aging sphincter, a burpee might be more of a shart.

Izzo Court wrote:I lost over 30 lbs in the last 3 months without dieting, and focusing on walking a stupid number of miles.

Nice work.

tGreenWay wrote:

Dendrobates wrote:I fucking hate burpees. Probably because it works everything at once. But fuck them

I worry that, with my aging sphincter, a burpee might be more of a shart.

That is a legitimate concern. I would suggest if you do them, do them in private at home.

I need to get back into my exercise groove. But whenever anything involves Burpees, I'm just turned off by it. I would willingly add extra time to a workout to avoid them.