I read during the week that a Brazilian man living in Singapore set a new Guiness World Record of 951 chest to ground burpees in one hour.
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Anyone who has been subject to burpees would appreciate just what an achievement this is.
The burpee, for those who have attempted them, is the kind of exercise people love to hate.
I personally have a love-hate relationship with them. It is that mix of challenge and achievement. Constantly challenging yourself in your training is one way to see results.
The beauty of the burpee is that it is an all-body workout. It combines strength with cardiovascular fitness. It is also a good way to get the heart-rate up without needing much space.
This could have particular relevance for those who have found themselves stuck at home again in recent weeks.
There are plenty of ways to incorporate burpees into a workout. Some examples are:
- Six rounds of 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 dead lifts, 10 bent-over rows, 10 burpees;
- 10 squats, 1 burpee, 10 push-ups, 2 burpees, 10 dead lifts, 3 burpees 10 bent-over rows, 4 burpees, 10 ab crunches, 5 burpees. Repeat 4-5 times;
- 10 burpees, 85 seconds squat hold against a wall, 8 burpees, 60sec squad hold, 6 burpees, 45sec squad hold, 4 burpees, 30sec squad hold, 2 burpees, 15sec squad hold.
- 10 minutes x 1min burpees, 1 min rest.
Or, like 35-year-old Cassiano Rodrigues Laureano, set a time target and perform as many as you can. His Guinness World Record performance last month was in a fundraising effort for an ill family member.
According to www.guinnessworldrecords.com/, it was the second time the record had been broken this year. And, out of interest, the Guinness World Record for the most burpees performed in 24 hours by a male is 10,110.
I asked Nerida Bint, trainer and owner of Lissome gyms in Newcastle and Maitland, why burpees had become such a popular exercise and this is what she had to say:
Q: Why are burpees good for you?
A: Burpees are a full body burn that target and strengthen a whole bunch of muscles and that increase your cardiovascular endurance.
Q: Who can do them?
A: Everyone. If you don't have the mobility to drop to the floor, you can burpee on a box. You can even perform a modified version where you don't fully drop to the floor while you are working toward them.
Q: How to do them?
A: You drop to the floor in the push-up position and then rapidly extend the hips to jump the feet back in with a jump and clap above the head to finish.
Q: Why we love to hate them?
A: They are a full body movement, meaning they demand a lot from the muscles, head, heart and lungs. Once you change your attitude to actually loving them, you can enjoy yourself much more in the up-down rhythm while you're going at it in workouts.
So, if you're looking for a new challenge, maybe give some burpees a try. As with anything new, always get a clearance from a medical professional beforehand.
Send your health and fitness news to r.valentine@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Renee Valentine is a journalist, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.