A burpee links a squat, a plank, a push-up and a jump into one continuous movement. You squat down and put your hands on the floor, jump your feet back into a high plank, do a push-up, jump your feet forward again and jump up with your arms overhead. It works most of the big muscles of the body and lifts your heart rate quickly, so it is one of the most demanding exercises in a home program.

How to do the burpees

Stand up straight with your feet about hip width apart.
Bend your knees and hips into a squat and place your hands flat on the floor just in front of your feet.
With your weight on your hands, jump both feet back so you land in a high plank: arms straight, hands under your shoulders, body in a line from head to heels.
Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor in a push-up, then push back up to the plank.
Jump your feet forward again so they land close to your hands, back in the squat.
Push through your legs and jump up, reaching both arms straight overhead. Land softly with your knees bent, then go into the next repetition. Keep breathing steadily.

What you should feel

Work through your thighs, buttocks, shoulders, arms and stomach. Your heart rate and breathing climb quickly, and that is expected.

Common mistakes

Letting the hips sag in the plank, which arches the lower back.
Landing heavily, or with the knees caving inward.
Rounding the back to reach the floor instead of bending the knees and hips.
Going faster than you can control, so each repetition gets sloppier.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 10 repetitions, or short rounds of 20 to 30 seconds, with plenty of rest in between. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.
Dizziness or feeling faint, especially as you stand up.
Sharp pain in a wrist, shoulder, knee or the lower back.
Leaking urine, or a heavy, dragging feeling low in the pelvis.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.

From the clinic

The video shows the full version, with a push-up in the plank and a jump at the top. For an easier version, leave out the push-up and stand up without the jump. For less impact again, step your feet back and forward one at a time instead of jumping, or put your hands on a sturdy bench. A steady plank and a good bodyweight squat make burpees much easier to learn.

Burpees take your head from high to low and back again, fast. With high blood pressure, a heart condition or a tendency to dizziness, check with your doctor first and keep the pace slow. Ask your physio before trying them if you have sore wrists, leaking or heaviness from the pelvic floor, osteoporosis, a pregnancy or recent surgery. If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try burpees. Many surgeons advise against jumping and hopping after a joint replacement for good, not just for the first months, because each landing sends high impact through the new joint.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Burpees