Burpees need no introduction. Most people know them as the exercise where the soul leaves the body for the duration of the set. For formality’s sake—burpees are four exercises squeezed into one—plank, push-up, squat, and jump.
The full-body functional exercise is anaerobic in itself. However, when done as part of a circuit or with rest durations between sets, it works as an aerobic exercise.
At this point, burpees are a part of most high-intensity circuit training routines.
Burpees are a bodyweight, full-body exercise that can be done anywhere and require as much space as a push-up. Depending on your goal, you could vary your training intensity by rushing through the reps or going slow. Plus, did we mention burpees will smoke you in no time? Most people can only do 50 burpees before they throw in the towel.
If you’re reading this article, we assume you know burpees are good for you, but you want to get all the benefits they offer without undergoing the torture that comes with them. Burpee alternatives can be helpful for people dealing with injuries or restarting their fitness journey after an extended break.
Although this might be an unpopular opinion, burpees are not suitable for everyone. Folks on the heavier side might find it difficult to complete the push-up, squat thrust, and jump in a single exercise. Plus, burpees come with a learning curve, and alternate exercises can help build the strength and stamina required to master the explosive exercise.
There is another group that generally maintains its distance from the HIIT exercise—bodybuilders. Here are things you should never ask a bodybuilder:
For a serious bodybuilder, burpees are synonymous with satan, and most bodybuilders, especially in the bulking phase, avoid this exercise.
Trivia: Royal H. Burpee created the original burpee exercise, a much more low-impact version of what is used today during his Ph.D. candidacy. The exercise was supposed to be used as a fitness test.
Before we get into the alternatives to burpees, it’s important to learn the correct form of performing the exercise as it will give us a better idea of exercises that can replicate different parts of the movement.
Here are the 13 alternatives to burpees you should try if you cannot do the OG high-intensity exercise:
Mobility burpees, or murpees, are a low-impact version of the burpees.
Jump squat is one of the most basic yet hard exercises on the list. Plus, you could target different areas of your upper legs in this exercise by changing your foot placement.
Check out the complete jump squat guide here!
If you’re dealing with a lower-body injury or want to add an explosive upper-body movement to your exercise arsenal, you cannot go wrong with the explosive push-up.
Check out the 15 intense push-up variations
The jumping jack is one of the most popular aerobic exercises. While most of us learn to perform this low-impact exercise in school, it is lost in the vast abyss of more advanced exercises.
The four-count or four-count burpee is a stripped-down (low-impact) version of the conventional burpee.
This exercise is a variation of the conventional pike planks, where your feet are on the floor throughout the exercise.
This exercise is known by various names, including the alternating split squat jump and the Russian lunge—you know things are getting serious when the Russians are involved.
The mountain climber is a cult favorite. The high-intensity exercise helps build a shredded core and can improve your cardiovascular strength, endurance, and stamina.
Check out the complete mountain climber guide here!
This is probably the most basic exercise on the list. However, you’ll be begging for mercy after a few sets. High knees are a popular warm-up exercise in sports, and you’ll usually see athletes perform this exercise before any strenuous physical activity.
Check out the complete high knees guide here!
While all exercises up until now were body weight, the following exercises require training equipment. The kettlebell swing is one of the most popular kettlebell exercises. When performed correctly, kettlebell swings build total-body strength, power, and balance, while improving cardiovascular stamina.
Check out the complete kettlebell swing guide here!
You will love the medicine ball slam if you’re a fan of burpees because they give you a solid abdomen workout.
Jump rope is incredibly effective at burning calories and working your cardiovascular system.
Check out the complete jump rope guide here!
The dumbbell thruster can help strengthen your core and stabilizers. This exercise is a hit amongst the CrossFit community.
Burpees are one of the most effective high-intensity exercises. However, you might not be able to perform them due to an injury or mobility issues.
In this article, we have put together 13 comparatively lower-impact exercises to help you achieve similar muscular and cardiovascular benefits as burpees. We hope you find the ones that work the best for you. Best of luck!
Vidur is a writer and editor at FitnessVolt.com. He is passionate about all things strength sports and dedicated to sharing his hard-earned knowledge. An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros.
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Good stuff! but, if you have to raise your heels during burpees or the mobility version, it’s a sign you’ve got tight calves. In fact, the video demo of the mobility one says to keep your heels down, and not rise onto your toes.
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