One of the most important physical attributes for athletes is aerobic conditioning. However, oftentimes athletes feel that they have to engage in the typical, long slow distance running or the dreaded treadmill to develop this elusive attribute of fitness and or conditioning. Please be advised that there are numerous other ways of developing this elusive type of conditioning.
The whole body can be used to develop or increase any kind of conditioning the athlete so desires. This can be done without running or using the fancy machines seen in gyms and fitness centers. Enter the whole body. Enter the treacherous, but effective exercise known as the Burpee. This awesome exercise is used by many athletes in combative sports such as boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling, karate, kickboxing, and others too numerous to name here. It looks like an advanced version of the squat thrust. The following describes this exercise:
(1.) From a comfortable shoulder-width stance, drop down into the squat position while placing the palms on the floor just to the front and outside of the feet.
(2.) Kick the feet back vigorously, landing in a horizontal push-up position and execute the push-up.
(3.) Once back in the “up” position of the push-up, bring the feet back to the initial (position 1), in the beginning of this exercise.
(4.) From previous position (position 3), explode upwards toward the ceiling into the air with the hands toward the ceiling or down by your sides. This sequence completes one repetition of this full-body exercise.
The Burpee is an exercise that requires a small bit of coordination, but can definitely be improved with repeated practice. It has the ability to create a tremendous training effect due to using the whole body. Whole-body exercises have a tendency to raise the metabolism and create a fat-burning effect, too. It’s often avoided like the plague due to the intense aerobic effect it has on the athlete. There are so many ways to apply it. It may be executed for a number of repetitions at the end of a weight training, wrestling, kickboxing, or general calisthentics session.
The burpee is an exercise that’s used to increase aerobic and or anaerobic conditioning. It all depends on how the athlete and trainers use it. It may be executed using time as a factor, repetitions and sets, or Tabata Protocol. No matter how one uses it, effective and visible results will be obtained.
It’s important to understand the usage and or methods of this wonderful conditioning exercise. The following is a basic layout of some ideas. Please be sure to warm up thoroughly prior to this, or any other exercises.
The repetition-only method: You may introduce yourself to this exercise by executing one set of five repetitions until your conditioning improves. Strive to work up to at least ten repetitions. Once you’ve done this for two or three weeks, working every alternate day (M,W, F or T, T, S), it’s time to add another set or two. Your aerobic conditioning will improve tremendously.
The time method: Once you’ve developed a nice degree of fitness, you may strive to execute this exercise, non-stop, for up to a minute or more. This is a nice way of getting away from a boring rep and set routine.
The Tabata Protocol method: This is one of the most grueling conditioning methods known to man. Tabata Protocol involves an all-out intensity of 20 seconds of work followed immediately by 10 seconds of rest. This is done or attempted for eight grueling rounds for a total of only 4 minutes. Believe me, it’s the longest 4 minutes you’ve ever had in any exercise. These are just some examples and ways of experiencing this awesome butt-busting exercise.
If you’re ready to step into the pain zone and increase your aerobic conditioning; I give you the notorious Burpee. This will definitely be worthy in the improvement of your athletic conditioning. Now, let’s get it!!!