Are Burpees Upper Body Effective?

Are burpees upper body

They aren’t the easiest exercises to master. Nevertheless, they’re one of the most effective workouts you can do to build strength and burn fat. Originally designed for military fitness tests, power lifters and Spartan racers use them regularly as part of their high-intensity routines.

Despite their deceptively easy appearance, burpees work a variety of muscle groups and are highly taxing on your cardiovascular system. They’re also extremely versatile, with millions of different variations available.

The standard burpee is a four-point move, starting with a standing position. From there, you drop into a squat with your hands on the ground just in front of your feet. Then you kick your feet back behind you, maintaining a plank posture while keeping your arms extended.

Jumping into the plank positions at the end of a burpee works your hip flexors, glutes and legs. It also engages your core to keep you stable in the plank, while strengthening your shoulders and arms.

Doing a chest-to-floor burpee is another challenging variation that works your arms and shoulders, as well as your core. But this may put additional stress on your lower back, so it’s best to avoid this exercise if you have back problems.

Modify The Burpee To Reduce Impact

As with any exercise, it’s important to choose the right variant for your body and be sure to start slowly and do a few reps at first. Once you’re able to do a few burpees without pain, try adding more reps and sets as you get stronger.

If you’re a beginner, it’s a good idea to start with lighter weights and do the burpee with no jumping or pushing ups until you’re comfortable with the movement. You can then gradually add more weight as you build strength and improve your technique.

You can even make the burpee more challenging by incorporating dumbbells into the move. Holding a pair of 5-pound dumbbells in each hand while doing a burpee will force you to use more of your upper body as you perform the movement.

There are many ways to make the burpee more challenging, but here are three that I find particularly effective:

Plyo Box – A plyo box is an ideal way to ramp up the difficulty of the burpee by placing your body in a squat position. Alternatively, you can place a bench or other solid object that will support your body in the same position.

Dumbbell Push-up – Performing a push-up before springing your legs back into the plank position is another way to increase the difficulty of the burpee. This will target your shoulders, biceps and lats.

If you have shoulder or chest pain, it’s a good idea to skip the pushups and hold the plank posture for a few seconds before moving on to the jump. You can also do partial pushups instead of full ones to strengthen your chest and shoulders.

It’s important to take care with any new exercise, so be sure to consult a professional before you begin any routine. You should also be sure to give your body plenty of time to recover before resuming a workout. It’s also a good idea to avoid doing the same exercise too frequently, as this can lead to overuse injuries.