Burpees Don’t Have to Suck: Stop Chasing Reps and Start Training Smarter

Let’s be honest: burpees get a bad rap because they’ve earned it.

Not because they’re inherently bad, but because of what we’ve done to them. Somewhere along the way, they turned into a badge of suffering. A shortcut to exhaustion. They’re not bad in theory. But in practice? They’ve become the drill sergeant of bodyweight training.

Loud. Demanding. Zero benefits. Just an easy way for personal trainers to rack up reps and make you feel like you’ve done something.

Strip away the hype and what you usually see is a mess.  Ugly jumps and a collapsed push-up that’s more of a chest flop. And worst of all? No intention. Just motion for the sake of expending energy. All in the name of “burning calories” or “getting tired.”

As someone who’s spent decades helping people move better—on the mats, in the clinic, and in real life—I’m here to say: we can do better.

Because when movement feels good, you’ll keep doing it. And when you keep doing it, you’ll keep getting better.

🎥 Watch: How to Make Burpees Suck Less (Seriously)

Want to see what we’re talking about in action? In this video, we show how most people butcher burpees—and how you can make sure to turn them into something that actually builds strength, coordination, and control.

The Core of a Better Burpee: Squat + Plank

At its most basic, a burpee is just a squat and a plank—two foundational positions that show up in every kind of training, from calisthenics to martial arts to physical therapy, and every P.E. class.

But what happens when you treat that combo like a skill and not a punishment?

You get something that builds:

• Strength and stability
• Full-body coordination
• Practical athleticism

That’s a lot more valuable than just making yourself tired. Don’t grind through ten sloppy reps. Focus on one perfect rep.

A full, grounded squat → A smooth transition into a strong plank → Lather, rinse, repeat.

Do one perfect rep as pretty as you can, and then repeat it.

We aren’t trying to turn burpees into yoga! What we do want is a version that actually improves how you move—so you’re stronger on the trail, more stable carrying stuff around, or just feel better chasing your kids across the yard.

Skip the Flop, Keep the Strength

Now let’s talk about the extras—specifically the push-up and the jump.

There’s this weird assumption that a “real” burpee has to include both. But honestly? That’s arbitrary.

If you can’t do a proper push-up with control and alignment, throwing it into a fast burpee just reinforces bad habits. Same goes for the jump—most people land poorly, jarring their joints and aggravating old issues or creating new ones.

So don’t force it. Start with what you can do well.

Practice Tip: Build a Better Burpee in 3 Steps

• Start with a bodyweight squat. Deep, stable, heels down.
• Step back into a plank—no sagging hips, no shrugging shoulders.
• Step forward. Stand tall. No need to jump.

Work on just 3–5 reps like this and see how it feels. Focus on feeling each position—not rushing through. Build the base and let the extras come naturally. If and when you can add the jump or the push-up with quality? Great! You should do it! But don’t let them define the movement.

Quick Answers

• Do I have to jump? Nope. Only if you can do it well and land safely.
• Is it still a burpee without a push-up? Yes. Plank + squat = solid foundation.
• Can I do this every day? Start slow. 3–5 quality reps, a few times a week, goes a long way.

Make the Burpee Your Own

When you stop thinking of the burpee as a fixed exercise and start thinking of it as a movement combination, everything changes.

Suddenly, you’ve got options.

One of my favorites is what we call a “roller burpee,” where you flow into a roll and back into the squat. It’s not just more fun—it’s more athletic.

 

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That squat-plank-squat sequence becomes a template for exploration. You can add in:

• Rolls
• Crawls
• Side sits
• Single-leg transitions
• Flowing sequences

Because the truth is, the burpee doesn’t have to be rigid. You don’t need more punishment. You need better practice!

Personalize It Like a Pro and Turn Weaknesses Into Wins

Burpees don’t have to be one-size-fits-all. In fact, they shouldn’t be. Use the squat-plank base as a starting point. Then plug in what you need. Want more hip strength? Add a lateral step. Working on shoulder control? Mix in a slow eccentric to the plank.

And again we’re not saying to just do it our way—we’d like you to learn to trust yourself!

One of the best parts about this personalized approach? It helps reveal—and improve—your weaknesses. If you can’t get into a full squat right now? That’s your work for a while! Struggling to maintain a stable plank? Now you’ve got a reason to build that foundation.

Instead of masking your weak spots with momentum, you’re acknowledging them and getting to work. And that’s how you get stronger, more mobile, and more resilient in real life—not just in the gym.

Train to Move Better, Not to Get Tired

This whole mindset shift? It’s more than simply thinking you need to work on your form. You aren’t looking to just get better with the exercise, you’re doing this to get better at life.

When you move with intention, when you explore variations, when you get curious—you stop treating exercise like punishment.

Instead exercise becomes like practicing to get a little bit better everyday.

Start where you are. Do one beautiful rep. And let that be enough today. Repeat that tomorrow. That’s how you build something real. That’s where the real gains are. Not just physically, but mentally.

You stop chasing exhaustion. You start building capability.

And that’s what we’re after.

🆕 Triple Shot: Complete Conditioning for Health & Performance