Are Burpees Good For Weight Loss? Benefits & Exercise Routines

Key Takeaways

• Burpees give you a full-body workout that works multiple muscle groups, making them great for weight loss.
• You can burn up to 10 calories per minute doing burpees, depending on how hard you work and your body weight.
• Burpees boost your metabolism, which means you continue burning calories even after your workout.
• You can easily add burpees to your routine and adjust how intense they are based on your fitness level.
• Combining burpees with SOLE fitness equipment creates a comprehensive workout that maximizes results through extended cardio sessions, active recovery, and cross-training.

Burpees for Weight Loss

What Are Burpees?

Burpees are a full-body exercise that combines strength training and cardio. You do several movements one after another: a squat, a push-up, and a jump. This works your legs, core, chest, and arms all in one move.

The U.S. military first used burpees as a fitness test, but now they're common in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and circuit workouts. They're simple to do and very effective, which makes them perfect for anyone who wants to get fitter.

How Burpees Contribute to Weight Loss

Burpees help you lose weight because they work many muscle groups at once. When you work more muscles, you burn more calories during your workout. The high-intensity nature of burpees raises your heart rate, which boosts your metabolism and helps burn fat.

Plus, the "afterburn effect" (also called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC) means your body keeps burning calories even after you finish exercising. This means you burn fat during your workout and also while you rest.

Immediate Benefits of Burpees

One of the first benefits you'll notice from burpees is better heart health. As you do burpees, your heart rate goes up, which makes your heart and lungs stronger over time. This leads to better endurance and overall health.

Burpees also help build muscle strength. Each part of a burpee works different muscle groups. You'll notice your legs, core, and upper body getting stronger as you keep doing burpees.

Finally, they’re convenient. You don't need any equipment, and you can do them anywhere—at home, in a park, or at the gym. This makes it easy to fit them into your daily routine for a quick, effective workout.

Key Benefits of Burpees

Full Body Workout Benefits

Burpees work every major muscle group in your body, to give you a complete workout in a short time. This full-body workout helps you lose weight, tones your muscles, and builds strength.

When you do a burpee, your legs, core, chest, and arms all work together to complete the movement. This joint effort strengthens your muscles and improves your balance and coordination.

Burns Calories Effectively

One of the best things about burpees is how well they burn calories. Depending on your weight and how hard you work, you can burn up to 10 calories per minute doing burpees. This makes them a great choice if you want to lose weight quickly.

Because burpees are a high-intensity workout, they raise your heart rate significantly. This boosts your metabolism, which means you burn more calories during and after your workout.

Improves Cardiovascular Fitness

Routinely doing burpees can lead to significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness. They can strengthen your heart muscle, improve circulation, and enhance your overall endurance.

As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you'll find that everyday activities become easier, and you'll have more energy throughout the day. 

How to Perform Burpees Properly

Step-by-Step Guide

Doing burpees correctly is crucial to get the most benefits from them and avoid injury. (Image courtesy of 100lbs Later)

Here's a simple 6-step guide on how to do them:

1. Start Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.
2. Squat: Lower into a squat position, placing your hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Plank: Kick your feet back to get into a plank position. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
4. Push-Up: Do a push-up by lowering your chest to the ground and then pushing back up.
5. Return to Squat: Jump your feet back to the squat position.
6. Jump: Jump into the air, reaching your arms overhead.

Repeat these steps for as many repetitions as you want. Start slowly to make sure you have good form, then gradually speed up.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While burpees are simple, you need to do them with good form to make them safe and effective. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for:

• Skipping the Push-Up: Some people rush through burpees and skip the push-up part. This makes the exercise less effective and limits how much you work your upper body.
• Poor Plank Form: When in the plank position, make sure your body forms a straight line. Don't let your hips sag or arch your back, as this can strain your lower back.
• Landing Hard: When you jump, land softly with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact. Hard landings can stress your joints.

Burpee Exercise Routines

Basic Burpee Routine

If you're new to burpees, start with a basic routine to build your foundation. Here's a simple routine to follow:

• Warm-Up: Spend 5–10 minutes warming up with light cardio and flexible stretches.
• Set 1: Do 5–10 burpees, focusing on form and control.
• Rest: Take a 1-minute break to catch your breath.
• Set 2: Do another 5–10 burpees, keeping good form.
• Cool Down: Finish with 5 minutes of stretching to relax your muscles.

As you get more comfortable, gradually increase the number of burpees per set and reduce your rest time.

Advanced Burpee Variations

Once you're comfortable with the basic burpee, you can try some more advanced variations to challenge yourself more. Here are a few options:

• Burpee Box Jump: After completing the burpee, jump onto a sturdy box or platform.
• Burpee Tuck Jump: Instead of a regular jump, do a tuck jump by bringing your knees to your chest.
• One-Legged Burpee: Do the burpee on one leg, alternating legs for each repetition.

Adding Burpees to HIIT Workouts

Burpees fit perfectly into HIIT because they're so intense. A typical HIIT session with burpees might look like this:

1. Warm-Up: 5 minutes of light jogging or jumping jacks.
2. Interval 1: 30 seconds of burpees, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
3. Interval 2: 30 seconds of high knees, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
4. Repeat: Alternate between burpees and high knees for 10–15 minutes.

Circuit Training with Burpees

Circuit training combines strength and cardio exercises for a comprehensive workout. Include burpees in your circuit by pairing them with other exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups. This approach increases your heart rate and engages multiple muscle groups.

Here's an example circuit:

• Station 1: 10 burpees
• Station 2: 15 squats
• Station 3: 20 sit-ups
• Station 4: 30-second plank
• Rest: 1-minute break between circuits

Complete 3–4 circuits for a complete, full-body workout.

Maximizing Effectiveness

Tips for Beginners

If you're new to burpees, start slow and focus on form over speed. 

Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Focus on Form: Make sure you do each movement correctly to prevent injury.
• Set Realistic Goals: Start with a manageable number of repetitions and gradually increase as you improve.
• Stay Consistent: Practice regularly to build strength and endurance over time.

Progress Tracking

Tracking your progress is essential for staying motivated and reaching your fitness goals. Keep a journal or use a fitness app to record your workouts, including how many burpees you complete and any improvements in form or speed.

Combining with Nutrition

Exercise alone isn't enough if you want to lose weight—nutrition plays a critical role in achieving your goals. To maximize the benefits of burpees, focus on a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These foods give you the energy you need to perform at your best and help your muscles recover.

Consider keeping a food diary to track what you eat and make sure you're fueling your body properly. 

Supercharge Your Burpee Workout with SOLE Fitness Equipment

While burpees are an excellent bodyweight exercise that requires no equipment, incorporating SOLE fitness machines into your training regimen can significantly enhance your weight loss results and fitness. 

SOLE's premium cardio equipment perfectly complements high-intensity exercises like burpees for a comprehensive workout.

SOLE fitness equipment offers several advantages when combined with burpee workouts:

• Enhanced Recovery: SOLE treadmills with Cushion Flex Whisper Deck technology reduce impact by up to 40%, which makes them ideal for active recovery between burpee sessions
• Cross-Training Benefits: Alternating between burpees and workouts on SOLE ellipticals creates muscle confusion that prevents plateaus and accelerates weight loss results
• Extended Endurance Training: SOLE bikes allow you to extend your cardio sessions and burn more calories
• Targeted Muscle Development: While burpees work the full body, SOLE strength equipment is perfect for focusing on specific muscle groups 
• Workout Variety: Access to hundreds of free, instructor-led workouts through the SOLE+ App keeps your fitness routine fresh and engaging

SOLE's commercial-grade construction ensures your equipment will withstand years of intense training alongside your burpee routines. 

We also offer a lifetime warranty on frames and comprehensive coverage on parts to give peace of mind when working on your weight loss goals.

Ready to level up your burpee workouts? Check out our SOLE fitness equipment today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many burpees should I do daily for weight loss?

The number of burpees you should do depends on your fitness level and goals. Beginners can start with 5–10 burpees per set, aiming for 2–3 sets. As you build strength and endurance, increase the number of burpees and sets to challenge yourself more.

For effective weight loss, aim to add burpees to your routine at least 3–4 times a week. Combine them with other exercises and a healthy diet for the best results.

Can burpees replace other cardio exercises?

Burpees are an excellent cardio exercise that can raise your heart rate and burn calories efficiently. While they can replace some cardio workouts, it's best to include a variety of exercises in your routine to target different muscle groups.

Consider adding other cardio activities like running, cycling, or swimming alongside burpees for a well-rounded fitness routine that improves your heart health and endurance.

How do burpees benefit my core?

Burpees work your core muscles throughout the entire movement. The planks and push-ups stabilize your core, which helps strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles.

Can I adjust my burpee routine if I’m a beginner?

Yes—wait to add push-ups or jumps to your routine until you build strength and confidence. You can also exercise at a slower pace to focus on form and control.

Why should I combine burpees with SOLE fitness equipment?

Combining burpees with SOLE fitness equipment creates a powerful weight loss strategy that burns calories and prevents exercise plateaus. While burpees give you a short, high-intensity work, SOLE equipment delivers the extended cardio sessions you need. This creates the perfect metabolic one-two punch. 

SOLE equipment also helps you maintain proper form even when you're tired, lowering the risk of injury without sacrificing workout quality. Best of all, this combination leads to fitness habits that last. Many people give up on burpee-only workouts because they get burned out, but mixing in SOLE machines keeps your routine interesting and fresh so you can see real, lasting results.