Burpees (Level 3)
The level-3 burpee is the complete package: squat, jump to plank, strict push-up with chest to the floor, jump the feet in, and finish with an explosive leap. Every rep is six movements welded together — the highest-cost, highest-return conditioning rep in the bodyweight library. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 5 × 3–6 max-effort reps | 2 min |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 9–12 | 90 s |
| Endurance | 3 × 18–27, or 20 s work / 40 s rest | 40–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Advanced
Advanced — a strict push-up base and soft, reliable landings are non-negotiable entry tickets.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Jump the feet back to a plank that lands already braced.
- Lower the chest all the way to the floor with elbows at 45 degrees.
- Press to a full plank lockout before the feet move an inch.
- Jump the feet in wide, outside the hands, so the chest can rise fast.
- Explode into the jump, hips fully extending, and land soft into the next rep.
Breathing: Inhale down through the plank and push-up descent, exhale hard on the press and the leap.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
Why are full burpees so exhausting?
Because every rep moves your entire bodyweight through a squat, a plank, a press, and a jump with no pause between them — recruiting the legs, chest, and trunk in rapid rotation. The horizontal-to-vertical position changes also make your cardiovascular system work harder to keep blood pressure matched to posture. That combination has no hiding place.
Do I need to be able to do push-ups first?
Yes — a minimum of 10 strict floor push-ups when fresh, because inside a burpee set you will be doing them tired. Without that base, the push-up phase degrades into the chest-flop that strains the lower back. Build push-up capacity separately while using the intermediate burpee for conditioning; combine them when both are solid.
How do burpees compare to running for conditioning?
They train different qualities. Running builds sustained aerobic capacity with rhythmic, cyclical loading; burpee sets are closer to interval work — repeated spikes of near-maximal effort that also tax the upper body and trunk. Neither replaces the other, and many programs use burpees on days when weather, time, or space rule running out.
Related exercises
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