Burpees are a great exercise that does not require much space or any equipment. They are a great way to burn off lots of fat in a short period of time, and they can replace your regular, steady state boring cardio.

However, is it a good exercise to help you build lean muscle mass?

On one hand, it may seem that this is a great exercise to pack on muscle mass. It recruits a lot of muscle mass. You’re training your legs, shoulders, triceps, and chest all within one movement.

But in reality, Burpees are not the best choice of your goal is to pack on lots of muscle mass with bodyweight training alone. Sure, burpees, in fact any bodyweight exercise, will help you pack on a little muscle mass.

But if your goal is to pack on 20 lbs of solid muscle, then its best to stay away from Burpees (except for cardio or endurance training). Here’s why:

Why training for muscle mass, you don’t want to choose OK exercises. You want to choose the BEST exercises. The BEST exercise is an exercise that does good job of targeting the chosen muscle group.

Even though with burpee, you’re engaging a lot of muscle mass, you’re still really training your heart. Once your body gets used to the movement, it’s actually very easy to perform a burpee.

Your body gets used to the movement. It starts to figure out ways of performing the movement more efficiently. You start to “cheat” such as holding your elbows closer to your body when performing the pushup portion of the movement or not squatting completely towards the ground when performing the squat portion of the movement.

The burpee is supposed to be done fast. If someone were to do a fast pushup – one that involves the tragic use of momentum that you would not use in a regular pushup – that individual will be doing nothing more than breaking records and training their heart.

This is the reason why “whole-body” movements aren’t necessarily useful for mass gaining. Movements can be categorized in a number of ways:

• Isolation – Targets a particular muscle group along with a few stabilizer muscles. Examples – Close Grip Chinups, Tricep Blasters
• Compound – Targets more than one muscle group along with a few stabilizer muscles. Involves movement in one singular plane. Example – Pushups, Pullups
• Whole-Body – Targets more than one muscle group along with many other stabilizer muscles. Involves movement more than one plane. Example – Burpees, Kipping Pullups
• Hybrid – Combination of two or more movements to form a new movement which targets more than one muscle group along with many other stabilizer muscles. Involves movement in more than one plane. Examples – Burpees + Pullups, Pushups + Roll Forward + Jump

So here’s the biggest mistake people make with bodyweight training – they use primarily compound and isolation movements when trying to burn fat. But then, as they get stronger and learn new movements, they believe that there new whole-body and hybrid movements will help them gain lean muscle mass.

The truth is that if you want to build lean muscle mass with bodyweight exercises, then do what the bodybuilders do – stick to isolation and compound movements.

Now, in reality there is no such thing as a true isolation movement with bodyweight training. But you can get pretty close. Mike Thiga, in his brand new eBook “The Muscle Experiment” shows you exactly which movements to include in your mass building bodyweight plan.

Click here to learn more about the Muscle Experiment

There are two mistakes women make when it comes working out for fat loss:

1. No Variety
2. Low Intensity

Human beings are creatures of habit. So, if we find something that works for us, we stick to it. It might work for the first 2 weeks. And it might even work for the next 2 weeks.

But it’s not going to work for the next 2 months, and especially not for the next 2 years. This is why Craig Ballantyne, creator of world famous Turbulence Training workouts recommends that you stick to a routine for no more than 4 weeks.

The “Turbulence” aspect of Craig Ballantyne’s workouts is all about doing something more, something new, to keep your body guessing. Every time you do something more intense, your body needs to work that much harder to recover and replenish your muscles.

Your metabolic rate will be on fire after an intense Turbulence Training workout. If you stick to the same routine over and over again, even if it is the same Turbulence Training routine, your body will get used to the routine.

And hence, it’ll get better at recovering, at lifting the same weights, repetitions, sets, and exercises in the same order over and over again. This is why CraigBallantyne comes out with a new workout each month.

And with each Turbulence Training workout, Craig includes an intense interval cardio workout. Research shows that interval cardio works better at raising your metabolism than steady state, interval cardio.

Raising your metabolic rate is absolutely vital for fat loss. Your metabolism is a measure of how fast your body burns calories. Increase your demand your caloric demand with intense exercise, and it’ll be that much easier for you to drop the fat.

Right now, stop all our nonsense machine and bodybuilding type workouts. Check out these two sample workouts for women, courtesy of CraigBallantyne:

Perform 2 rounds of:

• Bodyweight Squats, 8 reps
• Pushups, 8 reps
• Bodyweight Row, 8 reps

Perform each exercise back to back with little to no rest in between each set. Go through the circuit two times. Then rest 1 minute, and move onto the first superset of the workout.

A superset is where you perform two exercises back to back with little to no rest in between each set. For the following superset, perform the two movements back to back without rest, then rest 1 minute and perform the superset 2 more times for a total of 3 sets per exercise.

• DB Squat, 8 reps
• DB Press, 8 reps
• Rest 1 minute

Perform 3 rounds

• Split Squat, 8 reps
• DB Row, 8 reps
• Rest 1 minute

Perform 3 rounds

Now, move onto interval training. Choose any form of cardio. My favorites are shadowboxing, jump roping, and sledgehammer swings. But you can do running or cycling.

Do 60 seconds of super high intensity cardio, followed by 60-90 seconds of, slow, recovery cardio. Perform this sequence for 6 total rounds, thencool down for 5 minutes.

Sample Workout #2 (Advanced)

If the first workout was too easy for you, then try this next workout. Although most Turbulence Training workouts or organized as supersets, he also has some other great workouts that are focused around circuits.

The following is the March Madness Power Circuit Workout A:

3 rounds of:

• Jump and Stick, 6 reps
• Chin-up, 2 less than Max Reps (For example, if your max reps is 10, perform 8 reps)
• Lunge Jump, 8 rep Per Side
• Spiderman Pushups, 8 reps per side
• 1 Leg Stability Ball Leg Curl, 8 reps per side
• Inverted Row, 2 less than Max Reps
• Burpees, 6 reps
• Rest 1 minute

Then do:

3 rounds of:

• Plank – 45 Seconds
• Stability Ball Jackknife, 15 reps
• Side Plank, 30 seconds per side
• X-Body Stability Ball Mountain Climber (feet on ball) 8 reps per side
• Rest 1 minute

Then do:

• As many bodyweight squats in 5 minutes

If workout #1 was too easy for you, and if workout #2 was too difficult for you, then perhaps you need something in the middle. I suggest you check out all of the Turbulence Training Workouts for Women to choose the right workout for you.

Craig Ballantyne has developed hundreds of fitness programs that revolve around the basic concepts of Turbulence Training.

To get an overall introduction to Turbulence Training, you should grab the original Turbulence Training manual. The manual includes everything you need to get started on your fat loss journey. There are workouts for beginners, intermediate, and advanced trainees. If you go through each program separately, in a few months you’d have literally transformed your health and physique. Click here for more information.

For individuals who have had some experience with exercise or even Turbulence Training, then Craig has numerous other workouts specifically designed for women, muscle mass, bodyweight only, abs training, and more.

You need to make the decision today: Are you going to continue to follow pointless, boring workouts and never get any impressive results, or you going to take a chance and try some trully unique ideas using Craig Ballantyne’s workouts? Start today with either one of the Turbulence Training workouts:

• Click here for Turbulence Training Original workout Review
• Click here for Turbulence Training ab Workouts
• Click here for Turbulence Training for Muscle Mass
• Click here for Turbulence Training Bodyweight Only Workouts
• Click here for Turbulence Training for Women

The advanced trainee needs to be constantly challenged in order to see results. When I feel bored with my training and nothing seems to get me excited – not interval training, not bodyweight cardio – then I break out the secret weapon.

This method of training is not my own. It’s developed by Kettlebell Coach Mike Mahler, and it’s rightly called “Mental Toughness Training.” Here’s how to design a Mental Toughness workout:

• Start off with a full body exercise that effectively fatigues the body. Examples include Kettlebell Snatches, Burpees, etc.
• Do a tough “grinding” movement afterwards. Examples include Turkish Get Ups, and Bent Press.
• However, don’t do complicated movements such as the Turkish Get Up and Bent Press unless you’re good at mental toughness training. Other alternatives to grinding movements include heavy squats and presses.
• Start off with 2-3 mental toughness workouts per week.
• Start off with light loads, and gradually increase both the frequency of your workouts, and the load that you use.

Using these guidelines, lets create some Mental Toughness Workouts. For the following workouts, I’ve used Kettlebells as a way to fatigue the body:

Workout #1:

• 50 Burpees
• 5×10 KB Push Press
• Superset:
  • 3×20 Squat Jumps
  • 3X10 Barbell Cleans

Workout #2:

• 25 KB Clean and Press
• Superset
  • 3×10 Barbell Front Squat
  • 3×5 Barbell Military Press
• Superset
  • 5×5 Weighted Chinups
  • 5×10 Weighted Pushups

Workout #3

• 25 KB Snatch
• Superset
  • 5×5 Barbell Clean and Press
  • 5×5 KB Turkish Get Up
• 5×10 KB Front Squat

The dumbbell swing is steadily becoming a regular movement in most high intensity fitness programs. If you do not know how to perform this simple exercise, then here’s a few steps to get you started:

Grab a dumbbell with one hand and squat down with a wide stance. The dumbbell should hang between your legs. Make sure to keep your chest out, head up, back straight, and abs tight.

Swing the dumbbell back through your legs and reverse the direction forcefully by extending the knees and thrusting with your hips to swing the dumbbell outwards.

Make sure to keep your arms straight and neutral throughout the movement. This means that you do not use the strength of your arms to swing the dumbbell.

The power is generated with your hips. When the dumbbell reaches should height, guide the dumbbell back towards your legs. Use that momentum to move into the next repetition.

Remember that you are not bending over when you go back down. Bend your knees and squat, at least half way, through each motion. This is how you will generate enough momentum to bring the dumbbell back up to shoulder level.

Watch your breathing. Once you complete a set with one hand, repeat with the other hand.

Sample Workouts

Here’s a few sample workouts you can do with the dumbbell swing:

Beginner Workout

• Perform the repetitions in a pyramid format. Perform 1 repetition, followed by 30 seconds rest. Perform 2 repetitions, followed by 30 seconds rest, all the way up to 5 repetitions.
• As you get stronger, you can either add weight, reduce the rest between each set, or perform more repetitions overall.

Intermediate Workout

• Dumbbell Swings, 10 repetitions
• Pushups, 10 repetitions
• Combination Crunch, 10 repetitions
• Rest 60 Seconds

Perform this workout as a circuit, resting very little between each exercise. You can rest 60 seconds at the end of the circuit. Start off with 2 rounds of the circuit.

Build yourself up to 5 rounds.

Advanced Workout

• Dumbbell Swings, 5 repetitions
• Pike Pushups, 5 repetitions,
• Burpees, 5 repetitions
• Rest 60 seconds

Perform this workout as a circuit. You will need to use heavier weights than usual. Start off with 2 rounds of the circuit and build yourself up to 5 rounds.

For more high intensity exercises and workouts you can do with dumbbells and your bodyweight, check out Gladiator Body Workout. Click here for more information.

Burpees are one of my favorite bodyweight exercises. There is no other bodweight exercise that can accomplish so much in such a short period of time like burpees. I’ve written about burpees many times before. In fact, I’ve even created some great workouts with burpees.

I thought I’d list all the workouts featuring burpees in one single post:

#1: Metabolism Boosting Workout for Advanced Athletes

Superset One:

• Uneven Pushups 3×15 each side
• Bodyweight Squats 3×40

Superset Two:

• 1 1/2 Pullups 3×6
• One Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press 3×10 each side

Superset Three:

• Dumbbell Windmill, 3×10 each side
• Burpees, 3×20

#2: Kettlebell/ Bodyweight Combo

6 rounds for time of:

• Kettlebell Thruster, 5 reps
• Burpees, 5 reps

#3: 10 sets of Hell:

Perform 10 sets in 20 minutes of:

• 10 Dips
• 10 Burpees
• 10 Pushups
• 10 Bodyweight Squats
• 5 Chinups

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#4: Interval Training Workout

7 rounds of:

• Burpees, 30 seconds,
• Gorilla Chins, 30 seconds
• Squat Thrusts, 30 seconds
• Close-Grip Chinups, 30 seconds

This workout lasts 14 minutes. Spend 30 seconds on each exercise before moving onto the next exercise. If possible, count and record the repetitions you perform for each interval. Perform 7 total rounds.

#5: Bodyweight/Dumbbell Combo Workout

10 rounds of:

• 1 1/2 Chinups, 3 reps
• Burpees, 6 reps
• Dumbbell Snatch, 9 reps

#6: Workout from Personal Training Log

5 rounds for time of:
- 40 Crossovers
- 20 Burpees

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#7: High Intensity Density Workout

Perform max rounds in 20 minutes of:

• 10 Burpees
• 5 Chinups

#8: High Intenisty Circuit Workout

5 rounds for time of:

• Burpees, 10 reps
• Chinups, 5 reps

#9: Superset Circuits

Superset One, perform 3 rounds:

• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps

Superset Two, perform 3 rounds:

• Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
• Pullups, 5 reps

Superset Three, perform 3 rounds:

• Burpees, 10 reps
• Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#10: Staggered Cardio

3 rounds of:

• Burpees, 10 reps
• 10 Double Unders (Jump Roping)
• Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
• 20 Sledgehammer Swings, each side
• Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
• 3 Driveway Sprints
• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
• 2 Minutes Shadowboxing
• Pullups, max reps
• 10 Crossovers (Jump Roping)

#11: Timed Circuits

Within 2 minutes, perform:

• Burpees, 10 reps
• Pullups, 10 reps
• Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
• Chinups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps

With this workout, set the timer for 2 minutes, and start off with the burpees, then pullups, then spiderman pushups. Keep going through the workout until the 2 minutes are complete. Record how far you got in the circuit. For example, if on the first attempt you reached Kettlebell Thrusters for 2 reps, then record it, rest, and try to beat your score.

#12: Circuit Pyramids

Round One:

• Chinups, 5 reps
• Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
• Burpees, 5 reps

Round Two:

• Chinups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Thruster, 20 reps
• Hindu Pushups, 20 reps
• Burpees, 10 reps

Round Three:

• Chinups, 20 reps
• Kettlebell Thruster, 40 reps
• Hindu Pushups, 40 reps
• Burpees, 20 reps

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home#13: Random Rounds

In this circuit, the order of the exercises performed for each round is different.

Round one:

• Chinups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
• Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
• Pullups, Max reps

Round two:

• Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
• Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
• Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
• Chinups, 10 reps
• Pullups, Max reps

This style of training will just mix things up and keep your body guessing WITHIN the workout. What often happens is that after performing the first two rounds of a workout, your body gets used to it, and even though it’s tired you can push through a workout just by knowing what’s coming next.

• You secretly use strategy and end up pacing through a workout. This has happened to me on numerous occassions. For example, if I’m performing a set of Burpees, and I know that I have PUllups coming up next, I may coserve my energy for the Pullups, only because I’m not that great at them.

• A great way of randomizing your workouts is to have a training partner call out the next exercise for you. Let him choose whats next.

#14: Get Back into Shape

Two rounds of:

• 4 Tabata rounds of Burpees
• 2 Tabata rounds Squat Jumps
• 2 Tabata rounds Pushups
• 2 Tabata rounds Leg Pullin

#15: Sprints + Burpee Intervals

In the following workout, you may need a partner, or a really loud timer to help you with the intervals. Perform the following workout for 3 rounds:

• 30 Seconds Sprinting
• 30 Seconds Burpees
• 30 Seconds Rest

Work up to 8 rounds

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#16: The 2 minute Drill

The 2 minute drill is simply where you set the time for 2 minutes, and perform as many burpees within this time period as possible. You usually need quite some time to recover from this workout, so I’d be surprised if you can perform 3 rounds of the following workout:

• 2 minutes Burpees
• 1 minute Rest

I’d be impressed if you could do 3 rounds.

#17: Beginner Burpee Workout

3 rounds of:

• Burpees, 10 reps

• Rest 60 seconds

#18: Intermediate Burpee Workout

Perform 7 rounds of:

• 30 Seconds Burpees
• 30 Seconds Shadowboxing
• 30 Seconds Burpees
• 30 Seconds Shadowboxing
• 30 Seconds Burpees
• 15 Seconds rest

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#19: Obstable Course Workout

Round One:

• 5 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
• 5 Burpees
• 10 Resistance Band Punches each hand
• Sprint

Round Two:

• 10 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
• 10 Burpees
• 20 Resistance Band Punches each hand
• Sprint

Round Three:

• 20 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
• 20 Burpees
• 40 Resistance Band Punches each hand
• Sprint

#20: Superset/Triset Workout

Perform as Superset:

• Burpees 3×10
• Pullups 3×5

Perform as Triset:

• Kettlebell Push Press 2×10
• Kettlebell Windmill 2×10
• Sumo Deadlift High Pull 2×10

#21: Insanity Workout

Perform 3 rounds of:

• Run around the block
• 20 Pushups
• 15 Leg Pullins
• 10 Squat Jumps
• 5 Burpees

Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#22: Fitness and Work Capacity

4 rounds of:

• 400 meter Run
• 15 Burpees
• 15 Double Unders
• Hang Power Clean, 70% bodyweight 5 reps

If you’re ready to incorporate bodyweight training as part of your fitness plan, then you should check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Coach’s Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock show you how to use unique bodyweight movements to lose fat, build muscle, increase strength, improve athletic fitness, and enhance longevity.

Click here for more information.

Image by fitness 102 I love superset workouts. Some of my favorite workouts involve combining bodyweight and kettlebell workouts. It just so happens that there is a trainer who’s come out with a full workout program that uses this strategy of superseting bodyweight and kettlebell exercises to create intense fat burning workouts.

His name is Chris Lopez, and the name of his program is Kettlebell Revolution. You definitely need to check out this guy’s program. Click here for more information.

Image by fredfischborn

I have come across one of the most insane bodyweight routines ever. I’m not joking here. This isn’t some infomercial bluff. I’m serious. This bodyweight routine will make you puke!Here it is: Continue reading

Weight: 158.5

Workout:

5 rounds of:

• Crossovers, 40 reps
• Burpees, 20 reps

Time: 25:14.27

Notes: I paced myself a lot during this workout, meaning that I could have done this workout faster….or could I?

Best of the Net for Today:

• Check out “Is Salad Dressing Sabatoging your Weight Loss?” by Freddy.
• FitBuff lists 4 of the Top Resources for the Raw Foods Diet. I’ve written about the Raw Foods Diet Before. You can find the article here.
• I also talked about training frequency earlier this week. Chad Waterbury shows you how to make High Frequency Training work for you.
• Scale Junkie talks about listening to your body.
• R on why she liked Bodyweight Training

5 rounds of:

• Crossovers, 40 reps
• Burpees, 20 reps

Time: 31:00.39

Notes: This was definitely a tough workout, made even more intense by the fact that I was doing it under the sun.

Its time to give some of my blogging friends some link love. Every day, I’ll be highlighting a few posts that I found interesting and are guaranteed to help you with your training:

• R from 101 Exercises examines stretching and sleeping posture.
• Steve Maxwell introduces an amazingly intense variation of the Burpees in Refining Upon the Burpee.
• Scale Junkie talks about growing up over weight in I’m Not the Girl Anymore.
  
• Muata from Mr. Low Body Fat is starting out his new series for the really big guys out there who need to lose a ton of weight.
• Chubby Chick compares her eating habits from Then, and Now.
• Craig Ballantyne teaches you How to Do More Pullups.
• Chris from Zen to Fitness gives you a few tricks for workout motivation.

Try my workout, and check out these links. If you have a personal or fitness blog that you want me to check, then just drop the link in comments.

Image by CedarWorks

I find it ridiculous how many companies out there are trying to push you stupid training equipment, when in fact you can simply use things lying around the house to create your own training equipment.

• I’ve developed some really intense workouts using things lying around the house. I’m not a handyman, and hate the thought of actually building things. But, I recently had an issue with figuring out how to do chinups in my garage.
• There’s absolutely no way you can hang any sort of doorway pullup bar, or bolt anything to the walls (because I don’t own my garage). Theres a wooden overhead thingamagig you can hang off of, but it’s really dirty.
• You’d probably get a lot of splinters in your hand, and it might even break or wear down. The garage is old – maybe even over 50 years.

So, I decided to scour my house and garage to see what I could find. I tried out a few ideas. The first idea was hanging a piece of a water hose over the top of the wooden thing. They didn’t work because there was basically no grip.

• You’d slip after performing 2 chinups. The next idea I had was putting a belt over the top, but as I was about to do that, I realized that my Karate belts might be tougher. So I pulled out my purple belt, tied a not, swung it over the top, and walla!
• I had a chinup implement. The karate belt was perfect because it was extremely durable. I’ve used it for a few months and there is absolutely no sign of wear and tear. In addition, it solves the grip problem, since when you tie the two ends of the belt together, they create natural handles.

Check out this video to see what I’m talking about:

I hope the video motivated you to go out and find new ways of training in your own home or garage.

P.S: For more great bodyweight workouts, exercises, and tips, check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Click here for more information.