Why Burpees Should Be Part of Your Workout Routine

Ah, the burpees—the exercise that often sends shivers down our spines. It’s the move we love to groan about and try to avoid at all costs. But have you ever stopped to think about where the burpee originated and why this challenging exercise has become a staple for fitness enthusiasts everywhere? Let’s dive into the story behind the burpee and why it’s so effective.

A Brief History of the Burpee

The burpee was created in 1939 by Royal H. Burpee, a physiologist based in New York City. Initially, the burpee was not the intense exercise we know today but rather a simple fitness test. The original version of the burpee was much milder and was designed to assess a person’s cardiovascular fitness.

Burpee’s original goal wasn’t to create a grueling exercise but rather a way to evaluate physical fitness. The test involved performing just four burpees in a row. By measuring heart rate before and after the movement, Burpee aimed to gauge the efficiency of the participant’s heart in pumping blood, thus determining their overall fitness level.

How the Burpee Evolved

Over time, the burpee underwent several changes, becoming the more strenuous movement we associate with fitness training today. Here’s how the exercise evolved:

• Original Burpee: The exercise began with a squat down, placing both hands on the floor in front of you. From there, jump the feet back to a plank position, then back forward, and finally stand up. The test was limited to four reps, with heart rate being measured before and after to assess cardiovascular fitness.
• Modern Burpee: Start by bending or squatting down and placing your hands on the floor just outside your feet. Then, jump both feet back into a plank position and perform a push-up with your chest touching the floor. Push yourself back into plank, jump your feet forward to your hands, and explosively jump into the air, reaching your arms overhead. Repeat the movement for as many reps as your trainer instructs.

Why Burpees Are a Powerful Exercise

When you perform a modern burpee, you’re engaging in a dynamic, high-intensity movement that involves six distinct positions. As you move through each phase of the burpee, you’re not only building strength but also burning calories and improving your endurance.

Burpees work almost every part of your body: your lungs, legs, arms, and most notably, they help you burn fat. They are incredibly effective at improving agility, coordination, and stamina. It’s no surprise that burpees have become a favorite exercise for personal trainers, including those in San Diego, who rely on them for their ability to deliver fast results in a short amount of time.

So the next time your trainer instructs you to complete a set of 20, 30, or even 100 burpees, remember to embrace the challenge. Think of Royal H. Burpee and be grateful for the incredible benefits this exercise brings to your body—because in the world of fitness, few exercises are as efficient as the burpee.