Who actually invented the burpee?
The mere thought of burpees gets the pulse racing for many CrossFit athletes. It is one of the most challenging exercises without equipment that exists. Originally developed as a simple fitness test, it has evolved over time into a staple of CrossFit, boot camps, and HIIT workouts. It challenges the body and the mind in equal measure. But why exactly is this exercise so effective, and what variations are there? In this article, we dive into the history, the different variations of the burpee, and why it is such a great exercise.
The history of the burpee
The burpee was developed in the 1930s by Royal Huddleston Burpee, an American exercise scientist. In his doctoral thesis at Columbia University, he invented this exercise as a simple fitness test to measure physical performance quickly and reliably. As modest as he was, he named the exercise after himself.
His original version of the burpee was less intense than today's variant:
- Squat down and place hands on the floor
- Move one leg back without jumping, then the other
- Return to a squat
- Return to a standing position
During World War II, the US military adopted the burpee as a fitness test for soldiers. To measure the physical performance of recruits, they had to complete as many burpees as possible within one minute. The movement was intensified for this. Instead of moving the legs back one after the other, one jumped directly into a plank position, which made the exercise more demanding. Today, this execution is known as up-downs. Soldiers were considered fit if they could complete 40-50 repetitions without a break. The exact fitness level was determined based on the number of burpees in 20 seconds.
- 8 burpees: poor
- 10 burpees: average
- 12 burpees: good
- 13 or more: excellent
In 1946, the Army extended the duration of the exercise to one minute. A score of "poor" now applied to fewer than 27 burpees, and "excellent" to 41 burpees or more.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the burpee found its way into boot camps, military training programs, and various sports. CrossFit adapted the exercise once more and made the burpee world-famous starting in the 2000s.
- The chest must touch the floor (push-up integrated).
- After jumping up, the hands must go above the head
Why is the burpee so effective and how high is the calorie burn?
The burpee is considered one of the best exercises for strength, endurance, and explosiveness.
Full-body workout: A single burpee engages nearly all muscle groups in the body.
- Legs and glutes: The thighs and glutes are intensively trained through the squat and the jump.
- Core (abs and lower back): The plank position and the rising movement activate the entire core musculature.
- Chest, shoulders, and arms: The upper body and arms are heavily challenged, especially in the variation with a push-up.
Cardiovascular training: The burpee increases the heart rate extremely quickly. You start sweating after just a few repetitions, which makes it ideal for HIIT.
Calorie killer: Depending on intensity, up to 10 calories per minute can be burned. This is quite decent and comparable to jogging or swimming.
No equipment needed: Whether at home, in the gym, or in the park, you don't need anything for burpees except your own body. This makes them an extremely flexible exercise.
What variations of burpees are there?
Original burpee/up-downs: The basic version without a push-up. Ideal for beginners who want to get used to the movement.
CrossFit burpee: Probably the most well-known variation. After the jump, you go directly into the push-up position; the chest must touch the floor before standing back up and jumping. Additionally, the hands must be stretched above the head when jumping. CrossFit also decided that the burpee alone wasn't hard enough and combined it with pull-ups or box jumps.
Conclusion
Originally developed as a fitness test, the burpee found its way into the US Army and numerous fitness programs worldwide. It combines strength, endurance, and coordination in a single movement and is considered a versatile training tool for athletes of all performance levels. Due to its effectiveness and the ability to perform it anywhere without equipment, it is a valuable addition to any workout. Regular training with burpees improves not only endurance but also body control and mobility. Thanks to its simple but demanding nature, the burpee has firmly established itself in the fitness world.
