The Burpee exercise. Train like you going to war .
The Burpee exercise is named after its inventor - Royal H. Burpee, a doctor of physiology at Columbia University. In 1939, Dr Burpee developed a fitness test based on the exercise designed to assess the level of fitness, agility, coordination and strength of conscripts in the United States Army prior to the entry of the American force into World War II.
The 5 main benefit of this type of exercise are:
- Exercise improves both aerobic fitness and muscular strength at the same time
- Burns more calories compared to other exercises
- Improves daily functioning significantly
- Contrary to myth, anyone can carry it out
- Especially recommended for seniors
Beginner trainees
The intensity of the exercise can be reduced initially, and over time the performance can be improved. For example, you can skip the upward jump on both legs and perform the exercise by skipping leg after leg. Also, the stage in which the body is given momentum from a supine to a standing position can be replaced with a static plank posture, after which it slowly ascends back to the starting position
Exercising with low blood pressure
The rapid transitions from lying down to exercising can cause dizziness, especially for people with low blood pressure. The solution: reduce the range of motion and avoid switching from standing to complete lying down. For example, instead of reaching for lying on the floor, use an elevated surface such as an armchair or a stable chair
Exercising with joint problems or high overweight
Perform the exercise slowly and accurately, giving up jumping up from a supine position and jumping
Experienced trainees
One way to increase the level of difficulty is by adding weight. How do you do that? Just hold a pair of weights in your hands and perform the sequence of exercises with them.
Another way: Finish each exercise with a high jump. For this purpose, you can use a dedicated jump box. Each time you finish the exercise by detaching your feet from the floor toward the box, put more effort into your body. The higher the box, the higher the difficulty level.
Please note: For safety, be sure to get out of the box carefully, foot by foot, and not by jumping.
How is the exercise performed:
- Stand punctuated across the pelvis
- Go down to squat as you send your arms forward, and place your palms close to your feet as they are parallel to your shoulders
- Send both legs back in a soft jump
- Go down to bed or a supine position
- Bring your legs close to your hands in a slight jump while raising your abdominal muscles and rise back to a standing position while jumping with your arms outstretched
Emphasis to perform:
Do not forget to breathe during the exercise. Ensuring regular breathing is necessary to supply the oxygen required for energy production to perform the exercise.
Note that the descent to the squat is done by bending the knees and not from the back.
If you are doing a large number of repetitions, keep a steady pace.
In the ascending phase, ensure proper braking that is done gently with a gradual bend in the joints involved in the activity.
Finish each repetition with a clap. It has a moral effect that indicates meeting the challenge and also just for fun.
TIP: Since the range of motion in the exercise is large, to prevent injuries it is advisable to perform a set of 5-6 squats in increasing range of motion beforehand and move the hips back and forth while in the squat.
How to improve yourself:
To improve the ability to perform the exercise, one can choose between two strategies: increasing the number of repetitions or the working time, with the guiding principle being to perform the exercise continuously without interruptions.
To increase working time perform 3-4 sets of 20 seconds with a relatively short rest time, and as you progress, extend the execution time and at the same time shorten the rest time between sets.
To increase repetitions perform 3-4 sets of 3-5 repetitions with a short rest between sets and over time increase the number of repetitions in the set.
