May 22, 2020Breaking down the burpee for better results
At-home workouts have become a thing of the norm in recent months and that likely means less equipment, smaller spaces, and a less-than-ideal setup.
The potential lack of strength-training tools leads to more bodyweight routines like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that incorporates a variety of aerobic exercises.
One of the more popular movements is the burpee — a conditioning exercise in which a person squats then completes a push-up before returning to the squat position and jumping into the air with arms extended overhead.
Though popularized, the burpee has been seen as a polarizing exercise among athletic trainers. In a recent Men’s Health article, Charlee Atkins, C.S.C.S., said the burpee doesn’t translate well to everyday use, and that she doesn’t include it in any of her routines.
“Instead of including burpees in my routines, I’ll instead put together HIIT sessions of the exercises. I call it the ‘Burpee Deconstructed’,” Atkins told Men’s Health.
By breaking down the burpee into its three separate exercises it allows the athlete to master the basic movements — jump squats, push-ups, and planks.
» ALSO SEE: 8 dynamic plyometric moves to add to your workout
“These foundational exercises, and the effect that they have on the active joints/muscle groups, are used more widely in life (and sport) than the combination of all of them together,” Atkins wrote on her Instagram account.
She recommends performing the three exercises for 45 seconds each with a 15-second rest in between for anywhere between three and five sets.
To read the full story on Charlee Atkins’ deconstructed burpee on MensHealth.com, click here.
