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The HIT MethodAn independent guide to high-intensity training

Burpee: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Easier Options

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The burpee is an intermediate, high-impact exercise that targets multiple major muscle groups without requiring any equipment. By combining a squat, plank, and jump into one fluid movement, it demands significant effort from your quadriceps, gluteus maximus, pectoralis major, and triceps.

As you move through the exercise, your deltoids, core, and calves act as supporting muscles to stabilize your body. This full-body recruitment makes the burpee a staple for high-intensity interval training, challenging your cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength simultaneously.

Exercise data

Impact
High
Level
Intermediate
Equipment
None
Main muscles
quadriceps, gluteus maximus, pectoralis major, triceps
Also working
deltoids, core, calves
Movement
Squat down, step or jump to a plank, return and jump up
Low-impact swap
step-back burpee without the jump

How to do a burpee

Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms resting at your sides. Keep your chest up and your core engaged.

  1. Squat down by pushing your hips back and bending your knees until you can place your hands flat on the floor in front of you.
  2. Jump or step your feet back to land in a solid push-up plank position.
  3. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels while your core remains tight.
  4. Jump or step your feet back up toward your hands to return to the low squat position.
  5. Drive through your feet to stand up and jump explosively into the air, reaching your hands overhead.

Form cues

  • Land softly on the balls of your feet.
  • Keep your back flat during the plank phase.
  • Brace your core to protect your lower back.
  • Breathe steadily throughout the entire movement.

Common mistakes

  • Sagging hips. Do not let your lower back dip when you jump back into the plank. Squeeze your gluteus maximus and core to maintain a straight line.
  • Landing flat-footed. Avoid landing heavily on your heels after the jump. Absorb the impact by landing softly on the balls of your feet with slightly bent knees.
  • Skipping the squat. Bending at the waist instead of squatting places unnecessary strain on your lower back. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower your hands to the floor.
  • Holding your breath. It is common to hold your breath during intense movements. Focus on exhaling as you jump up and inhaling as you lower into the squat.

Easier and harder versions

Easier

  • step-back burpee without the jump
  • Perform the movement at a slower pace to focus on form.

Harder

  • Increase the speed of the movement while maintaining proper form.
  • Perform the exercise for a longer duration.

Using it in intervals

Incorporate the burpee into your high-intensity intervals by focusing on a steady, sustainable pace rather than rushing. Because it taxes the whole body, fatigue sets in quickly, which can compromise your technique. Prioritize strict form over the number of repetitions completed. If your hips start to drop during the plank or your landings become heavy, slow down your pace or switch to the step-back variation to finish the interval safely.

Formats that suit this move: Tabata Workout, 30/30 Intervals.

Impact note. This move involves jumping. If impact bothers your knees, ankles, back or pelvic floor, use the low-impact swap: step-back burpee without the jump.

Similar moves

Curious about energy use? See calories burned: burpees.

When to stop and see a doctor

  • Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back during the plank phase.
  • Sudden joint pain in your knees or ankles upon landing.
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness that does not subside with rest.
  • A pinching sensation in your shoulders when placing your hands on the floor.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, joint problems, are pregnant or have been inactive for a long time, talk to your doctor before starting vigorous exercise.

How this page was made. Exercise data (impact, level, equipment, muscles) was compiled by our editors as a general anatomy and coaching guide. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Training Desk; see how we write. Last checked October 2026.