5 benefits of burpees for weight loss and how to do it

If you have one goal in mind—weight loss—and you are really focused on it, then all you need is one exercise to help you achieve your dream. Yep, you guessed it—burpees! This full-body exercise, combining a jump, squat, plank, and push-up, targets every single muscle in your body. Not only is it fantastic for burning calories, but it also works wonders for strengthening and toning muscles. Burpees fire up your body, helping you shed excess weight while improving overall fitness. So, what are you waiting for? Try burpees for weight loss and see quick changes!

What are burpees?

Burpees are a full-body callisthenics exercise (one that uses your body for resistance) that combines a squat, plank, push-up, and jump. It basically focuses on your upper and lower body strength and endurance. It also helps strengthen your legs, hips, buttocks, tummy, arms, chest, and shoulders. They are usually a part of a high-intensity training (HIIT) regimen and can help burn body fat and calories. This is why is is beneficial to do burpees for weight loss.

Benefits of burpees for weight loss

If you want to lose those extra kilos, know these 5 benefits of doing burpees for weight loss:

1. Complete workout

Burpees are a powerful exercise for weight loss. It engages multiple muscle groups, making it a full-body exercise. They target your legs, core, chest, arms, and shoulders. The combination of squats, push-ups, and jumps ensures that all major muscle groups are activated.

2. Boosts metabolism

Burpees are a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which has been shown to boost metabolism. The rapid movement and intensity of the exercise cause your body to burn more calories, even after you have finished your workout. This post-workout calorie burn, also known as the afterburn effect, helps with fat loss and can significantly boost metabolism.

3. Improves cardio fitness

Beyond burning calories, burpees significantly improve cardiovascular fitness. As noted by the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, burpees elevate your heart rate rapidly, helping to enhance overall heart health and stamina. The combination of strength, speed, and endurance required in a burpee increases your heart rate, which in turn can accelerate weight loss.

4. Burns calories

Due to their intensity, burpees are one of the best exercises to burn calories. As per research in the Journal of Obesity, HIIT exercises like burpees can promote fat loss and support weight loss by boosting calorie burn. When you perform burpees, your body uses a lot of energy, helping to burn fat and lose weight, especially around the stomach and abdominal areas. This is one of the most important benefits of burpees for weight loss.

5. Builds strength

The exercise engages multiple muscle groups, including the legs, core, chest, and arms, making it a full-body workout. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, performing burpees regularly can improve endurance and build muscle strength. This strengthens the core, helping with belly fat loss and balance.

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To gain these benefits of burpees for weight loss, you must perform them in the right way.

How to do burpees?

Follow these 8 steps to perform burpees for weight loss:

Step 1: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and your arms at your sides.
Step 2: Bend your knees and squat down, placing your hands on the floor in front of you. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
Step 3: Jump your feet back so that you are in a plank position, ensuring your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Keep your head straight and your eye looking slightly ahead.
Step 4: Perform a push-up by lowering your chest to the ground and bending your arms, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Step 5: Once you are close to the ground, push yourself back up into the plank position.
Step 6: Now jump your feet forward, returning to the squat position.
Step 7: Stand up straight, jumping as high as you can while reaching your arms overhead. It should be an explosive jump.
Step 8: Land softly and immediately go into the next repetition—squat position to start the next repetition.

Common mistakes to avoid while doing burpees

There are multiple benefits of burpees for weight loss but you may not see results if you are making these mistakes:

• Skipping warm-up: Failing to follow warm up exercises before doing burpees can lead to muscle strain or injury, as your body is not prepared for intense movement.
• Not holding core tight: Not engaging your core during burpees reduces stability and can strain your lower back, increasing the risk of injury.
• Not dropping on the floor: Skipping the full push-up or not going low enough when dropping to the floor means you are doing a half burpee. So, it will not give your desired weight loss benefits.

Now you know the benefits of burpees for weight loss and how to perform it. Make sure you follow all the steps for quick results.