Nobody loves burpees—that’s a given. But if your goal is to improve overall strength, mobility and fitness, they’re an exercise you need to include in your workouts.
That’s because burpees are one of the best bodyweight exercises around. Burpees take you quickly from standing to hitting the deck and back up again. It’s a practical skill worth mastering, but do them at pace and you’ll be out of breath in next to no time.
Fortunately, fitness expert Gustavo Vaz Tostes, also known as trainer Gus at digital fitness platform FIIT, has a couple of pointers that make this exercise infinitely more manageable, by addressing two form mistakes.
Common burpee mistakes
“The two most common mistakes I see with burpees are squatting into the movement and using a very narrow foot stance throughout,” says Vaz Tostes.
1. Squatting into the movement
“Bending at the knees and dropping into a squat with every rep will overload your leg muscles,” says Vaz Tostes. Since the large quadriceps muscles on the front of your thighs demand a huge blood supply, squatting too deep will spike your heart rate, causing fatigue to set in uncomfortably early.
Keeping your feet too close together forces your legs to work harder and puts you in a weak position. Keep your feet hip-width apart and you’ll feel stronger and sturdier. It’s like trying to do a narrow-grip press-up, “it’s infinitely more taxing than with your hands out by your sides,” says Vaz Tostes.
How to make burpees easier
Now you know what to avoid, Vaz Tostes has two tips for making every rep quicker, more efficient and less taxing on your legs. This will also reduce the strain on your lower back and the risk of injury, helping you power through more burpees.
1. Keep your feet wide apart
“Always keep your feet wide [apart] throughout the movement,” says Vaz Tostes, noting that it also means you start closer to the floor than with your feet close…
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