Burpees have a reputation. And honestly, most of it is earned. They’re hard, they’re awkward, and approximately zero people have ever finished a set and thought yeah, I’d like to do that again right now. But here’s the thing nobody tells beginners: most of the misery isn’t from the exercise itself β it’s from doing it wrong. Bad wrist position, skipping the hip hinge, rushing through every rep like the floor is on fire. That’s what actually makes burpees brutal. Do them correctly, and they’re still hard. But survivable-hard. Worth-it hard.
Last updated: June 2026 β Alex Turner, NASM-CPT
Why burpees feel terrible β and why that’s actually not a bug
Verified bestsellers Β· Real customer reviews
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that burpees activate more muscle groups simultaneously than almost any other bodyweight exercise β including squats, push-ups, and jumping jacks combined. We’re talking quads, glutes, chest, shoulders, core, and cardiovascular system all working at once. That’s why they feel so hard. You’re not weak. You’re just asking your body to do a lot of things at the same time, which it’s genuinely not used to.
The American College of Sports Medicine classifies burpees as a high-intensity compound movement β the kind that spikes heart rate fast enough to produce meaningful cardiovascular adaptation in short sessions. That’s a fancy way of saying: you don’t need to do many of them for them to count. Which is genuinely good news for anyone who just read that and felt slightly relieved.
“You don’t need to do 20 burpees. You need to do 5 burpees correctly. That’s a completely different workout.”
How to do burpees properly β the actual breakdown
Here’s where most guides fail you. They show you a photo of someone mid-air and say something like “lower into a push-up position.” Cool. What does that mean exactly? How do your hands land? Where does your weight go? What’s your back doing?
Let’s go through it phase by phase.
How to start doing burpees β the 4-week beginner plan
This is gonna feel terrible for about three weeks and then suddenly it won’t. I’m not saying that to be dramatic. It’s just the honest timeline.
Week 1 β Step-Back Burpee, No Push-Up, No Jump
3 sets of 5 reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets. Do this 3 days this week.
Focus entirely on hand placement and plank position. Time each rep β aim for 4 seconds down, pause 1 second in plank, 4 seconds back up. Yes, that slow.
Week 2 β Step-Back Burpee, Add Standing Jump
3 sets of 6 reps. Rest 60 seconds. 3 days this week.
Now you’re adding the jump at the top. Still stepping back, not jumping. Your heart rate will spike faster than you expect. That’s good.
Week 3 β Jump-Back Burpee, No Push-Up
3 sets of 6 reps. Rest 75 seconds. 3 days this week.
Here’s where it gets real. Jumping both feet back simultaneously loads your shoulders and wrists more. If anything hurts in your wrists, go back to stepping. Not a failure. Smart.
Week 4 β Full Burpee with Push-Up
3 sets of 8 reps. Rest 90 seconds. 3-4 days this week.
This is the complete movement. If your push-up in a plank position isn’t solid yet, keep skipping it. A wobbly chest-to-floor flop doesn’t count and will eventually hurt something.
What to expect:
- Week 1: Your wrists will be annoyed. Your lower back will feel everything. This is normal.
- Week 2: The step-back version starts to feel almost easy. That’s your cue to progress.
- Week 3: The first full-jump reps will feel clumsy. Give it 4-5 sessions before judging.
- Week 4: You will absolutely catch yourself counting reps out loud like a weirdo. We all do.
The burpee variations β which one actually makes sense for you right now
How to do burpees at home β what you actually need
Nothing. That’s the answer. You need floor space roughly the size of a yoga mat. That’s it.
If you’re on hardwood or tile, your wrists will feel every rep amplified. A yoga mat makes a real difference β not a luxury, just padding between your hands and the floor. And if you want to build on the core strength that makes burpees easier over time, I’ve been recommending the Abdominal Wheel Exercise Device from Aura Heaven to clients who want to specifically strengthen their plank position between burpee sessions. Ab wheel rollouts build the exact core tension you need to keep your hips from sagging in the plank phase β which, as I mentioned, is where most beginners fall apart.
One thing worth knowing if your hips are tight: the squat-to-plank transition in a burpee puts a real demand on hip flexor mobility. If you feel stiff through that movement, check out 9 Yoga Tips That Actually Fix Hip Pain and Tight Hip Flexors (Not Just Mask Them) β it’s not just about yoga, it’s about getting your hips to actually move the way they’re supposed to during compound movements like this one.
What happens in your body during a burpee (the part that actually makes you want to keep going)
Here’s something nobody explains. A burpee elevates your heart rate so fast because it combines three distinct cardiovascular demands in one movement: a strength demand (plank and push-up), a power demand (the jump), and a postural reset (standing back up from the floor). Each phase recruits different muscle groups, which means your heart keeps having to redirect blood flow rapidly. That’s the physiological reason burpees feel harder than other exercises at the same intensity β your cardiovascular system is essentially context-switching every 3 seconds.
The ACSM notes that exercises requiring full-body coordination and repeated transitions between horizontal and vertical positions are among the most metabolically taxing bodyweight movements available. Which is a clinical way of saying: you earn every calorie you see on that tracker.
And because burpees are so metabolically demanding, your nutrition actually matters more on days you include them. If you’re finding your energy crashes mid-workout or your cravings spike afterwards, that’s a real signal worth paying attention to β not just willpower stuff. There’s a solid framework for managing that in How to Stop Food Cravings and Lose Weight Without Willpower (A Step-by-Step Guide That Actually Works).
- ✓ Start with the step-back version β 3 sets of 5 reps β before touching the full burpee
- ✓ Plank position is the make-or-break phase. If your hips sag, slow down first, progress later
- ✓ Most beginners see meaningful cardiovascular improvement within 3-4 weeks of 3x weekly sessions
- ✓ Skip the push-up for your first 2 weeks β add it when your plank holds solid for 20 seconds
- NOWDo 3 step-back burpees right now, using the 6-step breakdown above. Just 3. Time yourself β they should take about 12-15 seconds each if you’re going at the right speed
- THIS WEEKComplete the Week 1 plan β 3 sets of 5 step-back burpees, 3 separate days, 60 seconds rest between sets
- 30 DAYSBy day 30 you should be completing 3 sets of 8 full burpees with a jump, resting 90 seconds β and your resting heart rate should already be measurably lower than when you started
Questions I get all the time
How many burpees should a beginner do per day?
Start at 3 sets of 5 reps β that’s 15 total. Rest 60 seconds between sets. Do this 3 days a week, not daily. Your muscles and connective tissue (especially wrists) need recovery time, particularly in the first 2-3 weeks when you’re adapting to the movement pattern. Daily burpees before your body is adapted is a fast track to overuse irritation in the wrists or lower back.
Why do my wrists hurt doing burpees?
Usually one of two things: hands landing too narrow, or wrists angling inward instead of staying stacked under the shoulder. Spread your fingers wide, point them slightly outward (not perfectly forward), and check that your wrist is directly under your shoulder when you’re in the plank. If pain persists after correcting form, try the box burpee variation β hands on a chair or bench β until wrist strength builds. And honestly, if it’s sharp pain rather than general soreness, stop and see someone before it becomes a real issue.
Is it OK to do burpees if I’m really out of shape?
Yes. With the step-back modification, almost anyone can start burpees. The ACSM recommends beginning any new high-intensity exercise at modified intensity β which is exactly what the step-back version does. If you have any cardiac conditions, joint injuries, or recent surgeries, check with your doctor first. Otherwise, start modified, go slow, and progress week by week.
Do burpees actually burn fat?
Enjoying this guide?
Share it with someone who needs it π
