Some of you may not be aware, but October 12th is World Burpee Day. Reebok launched the first ever World Burpee Day back in 2016 to pay homage to this notoriously effective workout move that many of us have a love-hate relationship with. Apparently, the brand requested that viewers submit videos of themselves doing burpees and then they streamed the footage for 24 hours. More than 70,000 burpees from 80 countries around the world were submitted. Imagine that day…24 hours straight watching burpees in all of their variations. (McNulty, n.d.)
Now for a short history lesson. The burpee actually dates back to 1939 and was created by Royal H. Burpee. Burpee was an exercise physiologist dedicated to figuring out how to determine a person’s physical fitness level. He was a man before his time living in a society that did not perceive “fitness” as part of everyday lifestyle. No one belonged to a gym or a studio and no one went for a jog, just to stay in shape. He pioneered the notion that fitness could be catered to a person’s skill and ability and actually introduced the supreme test of all-around fitness. The move consisted of four simple steps. 1. Bend your knees and place hands flat in front of you. 2. Jump your legs out straight to the rear. 3. Jump your legs back. 4. Stand up. The burpee was born. (Rodio, n.d.)
So, what’s so great about the burpee? For starters, the move targets some of the largest muscle groups in the body including your shoulders, glutes, quads and hamstrings. Burpees require lots of energy, making them fabulous calorie burners (most estimates run at about 10 calories burned per minute). Lastly, because they require higher oxygen consumption than other exercises, they are reputably one of the best exercises for improving cardiovascular fitness. In fact, they have become an international standard used by scientists to evaluate endurance. (Burch, 2020)
Burpees may seem simple, but they are a difficult move. If you’re a beginner or have been fortunate enough to have never experienced one, we recommend you work up to it. Do not dive right in; do your research. Rumor has it that Reebok may have extensive video of the many different varieties that have been developed over the years.
The good news is you can do burpees anywhere and they won’t cost you a dime. You can add them to your current workout or simply try a strictly burpee challenge for the month of October. In fact, you can join us in our own October challenge “Tycor’s What in the World…Burpee Day Challenge.” Our goal is to work up to 31 burpees by the 31st of the month. Check out our burpee challenge calendar!
Join us or create a challenge of your own.
No video required. 😊
>> We invite you to learn more about Tycor and CONTACT US if you have questions!
Sources:
Burch, K. (2020, August 20). insider.com. Retrieved from 3 health benefits of burpees and how to do them effectively: https://www.insider.com/burpees-benefits
McNulty, R. (n.d.). Reebok introduces first-ever world burpee day. Retrieved from muscleandfitness.com: https://www.muscleandfitness.com/muscle-fitness-hers/hers-workouts/reebok-introduces-first-ever-world-burpee-day/
Rodio, M. (n.d.). The Badass History of the Burpee and the Legendary Man Who Created It. Retrieved from mensjournal.com: https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/history-burpee-origin-name-royal-trainer-bodyweight/