Burpees are the ultimate cardio-strength hybrid exercise, but you probably already know that.
What you might want to know is how to fast-track your progress, perform burpees more efficiently, and what different variations you can incorporate into your next CrossFit® workout.
In this article, I’ll break down eight different burpee styles that you can try out in your next WOD.
Here’s what we’re diving into:
- The Standard Burpee
- Step Down Step Up Burpees
- The Splat Burpee
- Burpee to a Target
- Burpee Over the Bar
- Bar-Facing Burpees
- Lateral Burpee Over the Box
- Burpee into Gymnastics
This is just a quick overview, so for a more in-depth guide, be sure to check out our Burpee Blueprint.
The Standard Burpee
Before we get into the more complex variations, let’s start with the foundational move: the standard burpee.
This is where you drop down, touch your chest and thighs to the ground, then jump up and clap above your head.
You can get up off the ground any way you want. However, the key to finishing the burpee is achieving full hip extension by jumping in the air, leaving the ground, and touching your hands above your head.
Rinse and repeat, and there you have the standard burpee.
Step Down Step Up Burpee
The step down step up burpee is a modification of the standard burpee.
This variation is perfect for beginners or even seasoned athletes tackling a WOD with a crazy amount of volume.
Here’s how to do it: place your hands on the ground, step one leg back at a time, lay down, then push up, bringing one leg forward at a time. Stand up and finish with a jump and clap.
You can also jump down and then step up with one leg at a time as you come back up. It’s all about pacing yourself.
The Splat Burpee
Another modification of the standard burpee is the splat burpee, also known as the sprint burpee. This is your go-to option if you want to blast through burpees at lightning speed.
To perform it, drop down fast and explode up immediately by pushing off with your chest and hips.
But, just like sprinting, you can only sustain this pace for so long before you have to slow down.
Burpee to a Target
Ready to crank up the intensity? Let’s talk about burpees to a target—a popular variation in CrossFit® competitions, including the Open.
To perform this, start with a standard burpee, but when you jump up, touch your hands to a target above your head instead of clapping.
A common example is jumping to touch a pull-up bar. The standard is usually around a 6-10 inch jump, but you can adjust the height to challenge yourself.
This variation adds a new level of difficulty by requiring you to not only jump high enough but also aim and stay balanced as you reach for that target.
Burpee Over the Bar
Next up, let’s discuss burpees over the bar—another classic that’s been a staple in CrossFit® competitions.
To do an over-the-bar burpee, you’ll need a barbell elevated off the ground by some plates.
For each rep, hit the standard chest and thighs to the ground parallel to the bar. When you get up, instead of jumping straight up, jump laterally over the bar.
Typically, the standard is to jump with both feet, unless you’re scaling the movement. The rep isn’t complete until you land on the opposite side of the bar.
With this burpee variation, there’s no hip extension requirement, so you can stay low and power through your set.
Bar-Facing Burpee
Want to make burpees over the bar even tougher? Try bar-facing burpees.
Face the bar with your chest and thighs to the ground, then get up and jump over the bar, turning to face it again before your next rep.
This variation is more demanding because it requires more movement with each rep, making it a killer for your cardio.
The trick here is to find a steady rhythm and stick with it.
Lateral Burpee Over the Box
Looking to make your burpees even more challenging? Enter the lateral burpee over the box.
This move is similar to the burpee over the bar but with a much bigger obstacle—a box.
To perform it, start either laterally to the box or facing it. When you come up, jump over the box in whichever way suits you best.
You can even turn while on the box to set up for the next burpee.
But be careful—jumping over a box is no joke. It’s easy to slip or misjudge your jump, which can result in injury.
If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can throw some dumbbells into the mix for added torture.
Burpee into Gymnastics
Finally, let’s talk about burpees with a gymnastics twist. You might not see these as often, but they’re a fantastic way to challenge yourself.
These could be burpee pull-ups, muscle-ups, toes-to-bar, or even strict pull-ups. The key is adding a burpee between each rep.
For burpee pull-ups, drop to the ground, then use your jump to start your pull-up, launching you into that first rep.
If you’re doing kipping movements like burpee bar muscle-ups or burpee ring muscle-ups, jump from your burpee into that kip, then go into your rep.
This variation is a great way to mix cardio with strength-building gymnastics.
To Summarize
And there you have it—eight variations of the classic burpee! These range from beginner-friendly to advanced, so make sure you’ve mastered the basics before attempting the more challenging variations like burpees over a box or gymnastics-infused burpees.