Burpees: who will be fastest at the festival?
The burpee looks simple from the sidelines: belly down, stand up, jump. On 19 September at Arigato sports club, that simplicity was put to the test as the Reebok Fitness Festival searched for Estonia’s fastest burpee performer.
The competition was brief but fair. The challenge was to complete 25 repetitions against the clock, with victory going to whoever could maintain both speed and good technique.
Why did burpees draw attention at the fitness festival?
There was no need for complicated equipment or lengthy preparation at Arigato. The burpee is the kind of exercise that puts people from different backgrounds on fairly equal footing. Gym-goers, footballers, CrossFit enthusiasts and festival visitors who are simply curious can all understand what they need to do.
That’s the appeal of this exercise. You start standing, lower yourself to the floor with your hands supporting you, move into a plank position, come back up and finish with a jump. On paper, it sounds like a warm-up. After the tenth repetition, it’s a different story.
CrossFit clubs from Tartu and Tallinn brought the competition to the festival because the burpee is a simple benchmark. It doesn’t matter how good your training program looks in your notebook. What matters is whether you can get your breathing, legs and arms working together. Honestly, that can sometimes be a better test than a fancy machine in the corner of the gym.
How do you perform a burpee correctly?
According to coach Indrek Luige, the rules were very simple: 25 burpees against the clock, with one attempt per competitor. But simple rules don’t mean you can get away with sloppy technique. If a repetition isn’t done properly, the whole comparison becomes meaningless.
Start standing. Place your hands on the floor, move your feet back and keep your body braced. Lower your chest toward the floor, then bring your feet back toward your hands and jump up. You can move quickly, but your body shouldn’t crumple like a wet sauna towel.
So what’s actually happening? Your legs, core, shoulders, arms and lungs are all working. You usually tackle the first few repetitions with confidence. Then the pace starts asking questions: are you breathing in rhythm or flailing around? That’s exactly why participants were advised to review their technique before the competition and demonstrate it on site if needed.
If you want to review the movement before trying it, here’s the original technique demonstration: burpee video.
Burpees and CrossFit: the same exercise, a different name
CrossFit Tartu coach Ain Lubi aptly remarked at the time that nobody knows quite why the exercise was named kosmonaut in Estonian. In English, it is generally known as the burpee. Both names are used in training spaces across Estonia.
The name may be funny, but the exercise is no joke. Burpees raise your heart rate quickly and work well at the end of a workout, in a short circuit training session or as a test of overall fitness. Still, this isn’t an exercise to overdo on your first day. If your knees, lower back or wrists start complaining, it’s worth simplifying the movement.
The simple truth is that a good burpee isn’t just fast. A good repetition is controlled. If your jump turns into a stumble and your plank into a crooked bridge, slow down. In training, you can do fewer repetitions, but perform them with enough care to give yourself something to refine next time.
What did festival participants need to know?
The Reebok Fitness Festival took place on 19 September at Arigato Sports Club. Throughout the day, sports enthusiasts could choose from nearly 40 workouts to find a suitable activity for autumn or try something completely new. This format works well if you’ve spent a long time wondering whether to join a group fitness class, go to the gym or try a CrossFit-style training load.
The burpee competition ran throughout the day in the CrossFit area and was open to festival visitors. Registration for classes took place on site. Arigato’s doors opened at 8.30 in the morning. An advance ticket cost 12 €, while entry on the day cost 20 €.
Although the event took place in 2015, the idea still feels fresh. Sometimes a short challenge that everyone can understand provides more motivation than a long-winded promise to “start getting in shape.” Start the stopwatch, complete 25 proper repetitions and write down your time. Try again a couple of weeks later.
FAQ: burpees in training
Are burpees suitable for beginners?
Yes, if you start gently. As a beginner, you can skip the jump, step your feet back one at a time or do fewer repetitions. The key is to keep the movement controlled.
How many burpees should you do at a time?
The competition involved 25 repetitions against the clock. You don’t have to stick to that in a regular workout. Start with 5-10 good repetitions, for example, and increase the volume when you can maintain your technique.
Why do burpees raise your heart rate so quickly?
Because your whole body moves within a single repetition. You change position, support yourself on your hands, work your legs and finish with a jump. This requires strength, mobility and endurance all at once.
Author:Turg.Fitness.ee
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