Let’s face it, no one likes burpees. If you do…. You’re a weirdo.
The reality is that the burpee is actually a really fantastic functional movement because it helps you get up from the floor as quickly as possible. Getting up from the floor is one of two key indicators of your mobility as you age. Want to know the second indicator? The ability to wipe your bottom after you go to the bathroom (but that’s another post/email).
Burpees are also really a great way to add intensity during your workouts and it also requires zero equipment. If you’ve attended a bootcamp, HIIT, or other workouts, you’ve probably been exposed to them and groaned. However, as miserable as they are on your metabolic system, they don’t have to be a strain on your joints causing you pain. Here are the top 5 action steps to a pain free burpee:
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Get to the floor as fast as possible…. But don’t face-plant. This will make the descent a lot easier, as you don’t have to rely on your upper body strength (or lack thereof) to slow you down.
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Keep your elbows against your ribs. This is something that you can also apply to your pushups and your rotator cuffs will thank you for it.
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Squeeze your butt when you press your chest up from the floor. This will wind up your abs and take the pressure off of your low back when you are in a modified upward facing dog position (speaking of this pose, we have yoga on Sundays)
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When you jump your feet forward, have your feet land outside your hands and be on your heels. Avoid the ‘pooping dog’ position (landing on toes). This will make it easier on your knees, quads, and balls of your feet. Also, try to keep your hips relatively low to make this even easier to do.
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Even though speed will allow you to do more reps, quality is very important. If you are fried, save yourself the orthopedic pain and just move a little slower. Make sure your burpees are consistent when it comes to quality.
Although burpees can be miserable, they can be helpful with tying different exercises together in a HIIT workout. Try these steps the next time you see burpees in your plan. You’ll be surprised about how much better you feel.
If you are coming off some old injuries and would like to get back into a workout routine to get back into shape, book a no sweat intro with one of our success team members today. Not only will we discuss your goals, but also find your biggest challenges so we can come up with a plan of action for you. Click on this link to find a time that works for you.
Ashley
