I have a love-hate relationship with burpees. I feel SO good after I fit them into my workout, but I am sucking for air while I am doing a set. Later in this workout I added a push-up. Oh. My. Goodness. Grrrrr!!! That was tough (on-my-knees push-up ;) ) But there are other variations you can add too, like: mountain climbers or a clap (haha...ya, right!) or downward dog or whatever. Then I got to researching benefits of doing this grueling, yet rewarding, exercise. I chose my top 5 that apply to me: 1. They work your entire body. Unlike isolation exercises like biceps curls and triceps kickbacks, burpees are a full body exercise. That means you’ll work pretty much every muscle in your body while doing them, so you’ll actually burn more calories in less time when you do burpees. Do them quickly with intensity and you’ll get an even bigger calorie burning effect that will last all day long. (This is exactly how I feel today!) 2. You can do them anywhere. Since burpees require nothing more than your own body to do them, you can seriously do them anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling, if you don’t have access to a gym, or if you’re working out outdoors — you can still do burpees! Body weight exercises like burpees are awesome because they give you no excuse not to work out. 3. They’ll get you stronger. Burpees are the ultimate example of functional fitness, meaning theyll not only help you meet your weight loss and fitness goals, theyll also help you perform better during everyday activities like carrying groceries, lifting a suitcase over your head in an airplane or playing with your kid at the playground. With every rep, you’ll work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles. After a few sets of burpees, your legs will feel a bit like lead, your arms will shake and you’ll feel your muscles getting stronger. 4. They boost your endurance (no treadmill necessary). Want to get fit in a hurry? Whether your goal is to train for a race, try a new sport, get in shape for spring hiking season or just to look good, burpees will get you there, fast. In fact, burpees are one of the best exercises EVER to boost your conditioning and endurance for sports and other activities. Even just 10 burpees in a row will make your heart pound and your breath get quicker. Do them consistently and watch as your conditioning level skyrockets! 5. They’re a great addition to any workout. Add that extra push to help you reach your personal fitness goal(s). Now, Im curious, if you have the same relationship with burpees, what are some benefits youve experienced?
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:54:24 +0000