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Burpee Tag

4 minute read

Quick Intro

Burpee Tag adds a game of tag to one of the hardest bodyweight exercises. Two people face each other a couple of metres apart and do burpees, each at their own pace. After landing from the jump at the end of a burpee, while standing, you may step in and tag your partner’s raised arm or shoulder with an open hand, then go back down into the next burpee. Whoever reaches the agreed tag count first wins.

The burpee itself is covered at Burpees. This guide covers the tag rules and, above all, the rule that keeps the game safe: no tag ever lands while someone is in the air.

What You’ll Need

  • A clear, non-slip floor.
  • About two metres between you, with space around both of you.

How to Play

  1. Agree the target number of tags, such as five, and whether your burpees include a push-up.
  2. Stand facing each other, roughly two metres apart.
  3. On “go”, both start doing burpees at your own pace.
  4. Each time you land from the jump and are standing steady, you may take a step toward your partner and try an open-hand tag on their raised arm or shoulder.
  5. Step back to your spot and drop into the next burpee.
  6. First to the target wins the round.

What Counts

A tag counts when:

  • you have landed from your jump and are standing on both feet;
  • it is an open-handed touch on the raised arm or the shoulder;
  • your partner is not in the air at that moment.

A burpee counts when it goes all the way down to the floor and finishes with the jump. Skipping the jump or the floor to get upright sooner does not count, and any tag made from a half burpee does not score.

The No-Air Rule

A tag on someone mid-jump can knock them off balance as they land, which is how ankles and knees get hurt. So the rule is simple: only tag a partner who is on the floor, and only tag once you have landed yourself. If your partner is in the air, wait. This is also why the tag comes after the jump and not during it.

Making It Fair

A less conditioned partner can do step-back burpees, stepping the feet back to the plank and forward again instead of jumping them, while the other does the full version. It keeps them in the game without wearing them out in the first minute. Agree it before starting. Other ways to even out a contest are in Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

Burpees are tiring on their own, and the tag adds a distraction on top. The real risk is a tired landing.

  • Stop the round if landings get sloppy. Heavy, unbalanced landings are the sign to end it.
  • Never chase a tag into a bad landing. Land first, then think about tagging.
  • Use a non-slip floor with nothing nearby to trip on.
  • Agree to contact on the arm and shoulder before you start.

Common Mistakes

  • Rushing the burpee to get upright. Half burpees get more chances to tag but break the game. Each one goes all the way down and finishes with the jump.
  • Lunging for a tag. A big lunge forward pulls you off balance and leaves you slow getting back down. One step in, one step back.
  • Starting too fast. Burpees fade quickly. A steady pace lasts the round.

Fitting It Into a Session

Burpee Tag is a hard conditioning game. It fits in the second half of a session after a warm-up, or as a short finisher. One or two rounds is usually enough.

FAQ

Can I tag while my partner is on the floor?

The game says the tag lands on the raised arm or shoulder of a standing partner. If they are down in the plank, wait until they are up.

Do the burpees need a push-up?

Agree before you start. Either works, as long as both of you use the same version.

How far apart should we start?

About two metres, so a single step brings you within reach of a tag.

What if neither of us lands a tag?

Stand a little closer, so a single step reaches. If the tags still miss, slow the burpees down; most missed tags come from trying to tag while still wobbling from the landing.

Related to Burpees, Squat Tag and Clap Burpee Chain.