We recently read this article... I Did 30 Burpees For 15 Days And Here's What Happened.
It got us thinking about burpees, of course. But then again... we think about them often, no surprise there.
Love them or hate them... it's a move that will target every muscle in your body and train your cardiopulmonary fitness by repeatedly bring your heart rate up and down. It's a good one!
And let's be honest here... if you're really wanting to make changes in your body or with your health... you have to also be willing to get uncomfortable at times. That's exactly when change happens... when you're pushed out of your comfort zone.
If you do the same workouts over and over again... while exercise of any kind is definitely good for you... your body also adapts to it, making it feel "easier" to do. And you might even find yourself hitting a plateau or not seeing the results you want.
Whether it's by using heavier weights than normal, doing more repetitions or a high intensity cardio push where your heart rate spikes to being breathless... you've gotta send your body a signal that you're doing something different sometimes so it responds accordingly.
Here's some excerpts of what happened when the author did that 15 day challenge...
I completed three sets of 10 burpees for 15 days straight. I started out with a one-minute rest in between my sets and decreased that time by 15 seconds every three days until I was doing all 30 burpees at once with no rest for the last three days.
I wanted to stick to the same time every day—when I woke up at 7:30 a.m.—but that didn’t always work out. When I slept in, I’d do a circuit when I got home at around 4 p.m.
1. My running improved.
My typical easy pace is about nine minutes per mile, but towards the end of the 15 days, I started running faster without consciously ramping up my speed. My lungs felt clear and I coasted through miles.
I was also going longer. I’ll usually do a three-mile run on weekdays after work, but I found myself having the energy to do more.
2. I had more energy.
There are more days than I’d like to admit that I feel like a total zombie. I’ll stare at my computer screen wishing for words to come to me, only to give up and head to the cafeteria for some coffee.
So starting my day with this kind of extreme physical exercise helped me feel more awake in the morning without having to rely on caffeine. My body (and my bank account) thanked me.
3. They got easier, but there were still days I felt like I was struggling.
Although I was doing all 30 burpees with no breaks in between, my progress wasn’t so linear. I didn’t understand why on day eight, for example, I felt like I was almost starting from scratch, and I really didn’t love the fact that it seemed like I was taking steps backwards. Shouldn’t I have been improving as time went on?
Metzl attributed this irregularity to two things: my body still getting used to the exercise, and any external factors like how much sleep I got the night before. In all honesty, I probably don’t get enough sleep, but that’s a whole other issue.
4. I felt powerful.
Burpees are an intense workout. There’s a reason why military members and elite athletes use them to train. Knowing what I was doing for my body gave me a sense of strength that was more than physical. I felt mentally strong and ready to tackle my day.
I gave myself a rest when my two weeks were up, and even though the burpees only took up a few minutes of my day, I strangely felt like something was missing. I was so just so used to carving out that time. With that said, I don’t know that I’ll do burpees every day for the rest of my life. But it’s nice to know I can squeeze a mini-workout in, and I have continued to start some mornings jumping up and down, and getting stronger.
So what do you think, Bloomsquad? Are you up for a similar challenge? Are you up for holding yourself accountable to make time for 30 burpees? It really is a great mini workout! And who wouldn't want to feel powerful or have more energy? Sign us up!!
Did you know we offer quite a few classes on our schedule where you could typically find some burpees during that workout? Here's just some of those classes where we might sneak some into the format:
Total Body Tabata
Bloom Bootcamp
HIGH Fitness
Rush Hour
Small Group Training
AMPD Fusion
Or perhaps you just want to carve out some time first thing in the morning after you get out of bed? You know... like for breakfast! Or maybe right after work to get your second-wind for the evening.
Change up your daily activities... and change how your body reacts and responds. It really does help!
And we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!