Standard Burpee: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Standard Burpee is a full-body conditioning exercise performed by squatting down, kicking back to a plank, completing a push-up, jumping the feet back in and jumping up, all at a controlled, sustainable pace. Owning this pattern cleanly at a manageable speed is what makes it possible to keep the same technique later once the pace picks up.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required.
Why It Matters
Because the sequence cycles through a squat, a plank, a push-up and a jump without stopping, it asks the whole body to sustain output across several different positions in a row rather than repeating one movement. It works well as the technique foundation a faster, combat-tempo version can later be built on top of.
When to Do It
Place this in the conditioning portion of a session, once the body is warmed up and ready for full-body output. It also works well as a standalone conditioning drill on its own, with no combat-specific context required. Anyone with a diagnosed wrist, shoulder or knee condition should get clearance from a doctor or physical therapist before repeated push-ups and jumps.
Getting Ready
Standing tall and running through one slow rep, pausing briefly at each position, is a reasonable way to check the pattern before starting the set. Landing softly on the first jump is worth paying attention to before building up momentum.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Squat down and place the hands on the floor.
- Kick the feet back into a plank position.
- Complete a push-up.
- Jump the feet back in toward the hands.
- Jump up explosively, then repeat.
How Many, How Often
| Level | Reps |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 8-10 |
| Intermediate | 12-15 |
| Advanced | 15-20 |
Keeping the push-up and the jump clean through every rep matters more here than finishing the set quickly. A pace that lets form break down defeats the entire purpose of building the technique this drill is meant to prepare.
Modifications and Variations
Harder: Combat Burpee. Performs the same sequence at combat-sport tempo instead of a controlled pace, asking the technique built here to hold up under fatigue.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the push-up degrade under fatigue. A push-up that gets shallower or sloppier as the set continues stops training strength and just adds empty reps. Keeping full range of motion, even if it means slowing down, matters more than the rep count.
Rushing straight to the combat-tempo version. Moving to a faster pace before this controlled version feels completely owned skips the technique foundation this drill exists to build. Earning a clean pattern here first is what makes the faster version worth doing.
Landing stiff-legged on the jump. Landing with locked knees sends the impact straight up through the joints instead of absorbing it. A soft landing with slightly bent knees protects the knees and keeps the next rep moving smoothly.
After Your Set
A brief child’s pose and a gentle standing quad stretch are a reasonable way to close out a set that just cycled the whole body through several positions in a row.
Going Deeper
The marker of progress here isn’t how many reps get completed, it’s whether the push-up and the jump both stay clean and full-range all the way to the last rep. Once that holds true across a full set, the combat-tempo version becomes a reasonable next step. Chasing more reps while the push-up gets shallower usually just means the technique has already broken down several reps before the set ends.
How to Know You’re Improving
- The push-up stays full-range through every rep, with no shallowing under fatigue.
- Landings stay soft, with the knees absorbing the impact.
- The whole sequence flows as one continuous motion.
- Breathing settles into a manageable rhythm within the first few reps.
- The combat-tempo version starts to feel like a reasonable next step.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, opening the hips to stand and then jump at the end of each rep)
- Rectus Femoris (a muscle at the front of the thigh, bending to absorb the squat and straightening to leave the floor)
- Pectoralis Major (the chest muscle, pressing the body back up out of the push-up)
- Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, straightening the elbows to finish each push-up)
- Anterior Deltoid (the front of the shoulder cap, holding the shoulders over the hands in the plank)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, kicking the feet back out to the plank position)
- Rectus Abdominis (the abdominal muscles running down the front of the stomach, stopping the hips dropping as the feet shoot back)
FAQ
Is this the same as a regular burpee? The sequence is the same as in Burpees. Here it is done at a deliberately controlled pace, as the technique base for the combat-tempo version that follows.
Why practice this slower version before the combat-tempo one? The controlled pace exists so the push-up, the jump and the transitions between positions can all be learned cleanly, without fatigue forcing shortcuts. That clean pattern is what the faster version depends on.
Is heavy breathing during a set normal? Yes, cycling through a squat, plank, push-up and jump repeatedly is demanding full-body conditioning work, and heavy breathing is expected. A sharp pain in the wrists, shoulders or knees is different, worth stopping for and mentioning to a doctor or physical therapist.
Do the push-up and the jump both need to be full range? Yes. A shortened push-up or a jump that barely leaves the ground both remove most of what this exercise is meant to train, even though the rep still counts.
How fast should the pace be? Slow enough that every position is reached in full: a deep squat, a flat plank, a complete push-up and a clear jump. If any of those gets cut short, the pace is too fast for this version.
What should the plank look like when the feet kick back? A straight line from shoulders to heels, with the abdominal muscles braced before the feet land. Hips that drop as the feet shoot back put the load on the lower back, which is the fault to watch for as the set goes on.
Why is the burpee used in combat sports training? Getting down to the floor and back up to standing, over and over, is a large part of wrestling and other grappling. The burpee rehearses that change of level under fatigue, and the controlled version makes sure the pattern is sound before speed is added.
When is it time to try the combat-tempo version? Once this controlled pace feels completely clean for a full set, with no breakdown in the push-up or the jump, moving to combat tempo is a reasonable next step.
Related to Combat Burpee, the harder combat-tempo version.