The Burpee, bastardo and complexes

  Origin

The exercise may have been originated by a man named Lieutenant Thomas Burpee (1757-1839). He was an officer in the New Hampshire Militia during the Revolutionary War and was described as “having the innate Burpee fondness for martial exercises” in A History of the Town of New London, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Lt. Burpee may have used the combination of pushups and squat thrusts as a means of drilling, conditioning, and disciplining the troops under his command. In addition, the exercise may have also been used by the troops as a way to stay warm during the winters in wartime New England.

The jump burpee, the bastardo, the 8 count are all variations of the standard burpee and the stalwart of the British Military and martial artists.

Why is this exercise such a favourite, simple it is an all over body exercise that targets the aerobic system, endurance and strength and conditioning exercise.

It is performed in four steps: The standard burpee is as below

• Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.
• Kick your feet back,
• Immediately return your feet to the squat position,
• Stand up from the squat position. (position of attention)

 Variants

•  
  • Bastardo- athlete completes a press up in between
  • Long-jump burpee: the athlete jumps forward, not upward.
  • Tuck jump burpee: the athlete pulls his knees to his chest while jumping.
  • Jump-over burpee: the athlete jumps over an obstacle between burpees.
  • One-armed bastardo: the athlete uses only one arm for the whole exercise including the pushup.
  • Kettlebell burpee: the athlete holds a pair of dumbbells while performing the exercise.
  • Parkour burpee: following one burpee on the ground, the athlete jumps upon a table and performs the second burpee on the table, then jumps back to the initial position
  • Hindu push up burpee: instead of a regular push up, do a hindu push up
  • Bouncing Burpee- with the legs extended the athlete bounces both legs to the right, centre,left centre then back to the start position.
• Other variants
• Wall burpees / incline burpees / air burpees: the athlete kicks his feet up against a wall / up on a table / up in the air, instead of back.
• The 8 count body builder is another variant of the burpee. Counts 1-8 are as follows: (1) put your hands down, (2) push out your feet, (3) and (4) do a jumping jack on the ground, (5) and (6) perform a pushup, (7) bring your feet back forward, (8) jump in the air.

COMPLEXES

We need to look at the exercise individually (the burpee) and progress this move rather than regress it.

Complexes come in various forms but progress the exercise to another level. These complex moves can be placed in any type of training, exercise or use any equipment, complexes should come in the forms of two moves as a minimum requisite and cover different types of exercise demands

Variations include

1. Strength to speed
2. Plyometric to strength
3. Endurance to plyometric
4. Plyometric to speed
5. Dynamic to strength

 Examples of exercises that compliment progression rather than regression are

1. Turkish get up to Tuck jump Burpee
2. Squat to concertina press up
3. Squat thrust to incline press up
4. Press up to sit (through sagital plane)
5. Doris burpee to pull up

Give the complexes ago and see how quickly you progress in all over body functionality

I need your opinion leave a comment with your favourite burpee or complex!

Five Top Bodyweight exercises

The ultimate in workouts has to be your own body weight; you can go to any gym and see everyone doing resistance workouts, dumbbells, barbells, Power plates and studio classes.

Occasionally you see the odd person doing standard press ups at the end of a chest workout or a few variations on there abdominals.

You never really see anyone doing a complete bodyweight no holds barred workout, why is bodyweight training so good

Benefits of bodyweight training:

1. 1.       It’s free
2. 2.       Variations are endless
3. 3.       Minimum amount of space required
4. 4.       Can  be conducted anywhere
5. 5.       Strength is relative
6. 6.       Body worked functionally
7. 7.       Speed, plyometrics, strength, endurance, stamina, flexibility, movement, are all incorporated

 

Top five exercises include

 

PRESS UPS

This is the original bodyweight move and is a great exercise for hitting the chest, shoulders, back and arms, there are many variations and by adding a bit of elevation the range of movement and motion can be increased.

Variations include

1. 1.       Military Press Up
2. 2.       Toblerone’s
3. 3.       Marine press up
4. 4.       Bouncing bomb
5. 5.       Exploding bomb
6. 6.       Bronson press up

 

BURPEES

This has to be the bad boy of the all over bodyweight exercise; this is a favourite with the British Military and martial artists. Once the subject of unfounded bad press most people ignored this exercise but having never left the top five it has made a dramatic come back.

Variations include

1. Stand Up burpee
2. Jump Burpee
3. Bastardo
4. Rolling squat burpee
5. Bouncing burpee
6. Half burpee

 

SQUATS

Squats are a great exercise, many people owing to western culture only squat at right ankles, ignoring the Posterior kinetic chain and the elastic energy of the hamstrings and glutes when firing correctly. The squat is also a great indicator regarding hip and ankle mobility or lack of.

Variations include

1. 1.       Jump Squats
2. 2.       Gun Drills
3. 3.       Squat Thrusts
4. 4.       Knuckle squats
5. 5.       Split Squats
6. 6.       Pistol Squats

PULL UPS

Versatile and a mass builder for the back and arms, different variations will allow you to progress quickly, often seen as a test of strength most people find them difficult.

Variations include

1. 1.       Chin up
2. 2.       Side to side
3. 3.       Around the world
4. 4.       One handed
5. 5.       L  sit
6. 6.       Parallel

Add a rope, towel, suspension system for variety

ABDOMINALS

The holy grail of exercises, in that we want them, but can’t seem to find them. Fear not the six pack is there but don’t fall into the “I must do 200 crunches everyday” as the abdominals need to rest like every other muscle group.

Variations include

1. 1.       Ab Roll outs
2. 2.       Super crunches
3. 3.       Double V sits
4. 4.       Jesus Curls
5. 5.       Side plank/oblique twists
6. Bicycle crunches

I need your opinion!  Leave a comment with your favorite bodyweight exercises!

Check Out our book The Ton Up workout system the ultimate in bodyweight workouts www.tod-coaching.co.uk

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