How to Do Burpees Correctly – Perfect Form Guide for Beginners
A correct burpee is one continuous sequence: squat down with control, hands to the floor, feet back to a straight-line plank, an optional push-up, feet forward under the body, then an explosive jump and a soft landing. The video breaks that sequence down step by step and shows the four form errors that turn burpees from a full-body conditioning exercise into unnecessary joint stress.
What the video covers
| Phase | Cue from the video |
|---|---|
| Stand | Feet about shoulder-width, chest up, core tight, arms relaxed |
| Squat down | Bend knees and hips; hands to the floor just in front of the feet — lower with the legs, do not fold from the back |
| Plank | Step or jump the feet back; one straight line from head to heels, glutes engaged, hips not sagging |
| Push-up (optional) | Chest toward the floor with elbows at roughly 45 degrees, then press back up under control |
| Return | Feet back toward the hands, landing flat-footed rather than on the toes; chest up before the jump |
| Jump | Explode straight up, arms overhead, land softly with knees slightly bent, then reset |
What are the most common burpee mistakes?
- Hips dropping in the plank — squeeze the abs and glutes before the feet go back.
- Landing hard — absorb the landing through the legs instead of driving the knees and ankles into the floor.
- Rounding the back when the hands go down — bend the knees and lower with control.
- Rushing reps — the video is explicit that fast reps only count if the technique holds.
How should beginners scale the burpee?
The video prescribes the step-back burpee as the entry point: place the hands down, step one foot back at a time, step forward, then stand. The push-up and the jump can both be removed until form is reliable. Progressions given for advanced trainees are adding the push-up, jumping higher, increasing pace, and interval work such as 20 seconds on and 40 seconds off. The recommended breathing pattern is inhale on the way down and into the plank, exhale on the push and the jump.
Read the research behind it
Burpees are a conditioning tool rather than a strength-building one. For how bodyweight training compares with weights for building and keeping muscle, see our guide to bodyweight training after 40. The plank position the burpee depends on is the same one covered in our lower back exercise guide, which explains why core bracing protects the lumbar spine under load.
Get every new breakdown
New research-backed workouts on YouTube every week — no gym required.
