3 Ways Your Burpees Are Hurting You

The original burpee a.k.a. squat thrust, was developed in the early part of the 20th century.  It consisted of squatting and placing one's hands on the floor, kicking to the rear into a plank position, tucking back into a squat position, and then rising to a standing position.  Click on the following link to see more info on the history of the burpee:

BURPEE HISTORY INFO

There are numerous variations of this exercise that may include a push up, a vertical jump, or even loaded with dumbbells or other forms of weights.  Despite the simplicity of the exercise, many fitness pros and exercise enthusiasts overlook certain details that can potentially harm them or their clients.  I'm going to mention 3 of the biggest burpee mistakes I see in the gym, internet, and clinic.

• BENT BACK BURPEES:  A study by Callagan and McGill that was published in a 2001 issue of the Journal of Clinical Biomechanics describes how repetative flexion and extension (bending and arching) of a young pig's spine eventually led to disc herniation after over 84,000 reps.  That may seem like a large number but if you take into account all the times you may have bent forward and rounded your back, you'll find that it's not really that many from 'lifetime' perspective.  If you've ever taken a biomechanics class, you'll know that flexion (rounding your back) puts a significant amount of stress on our discs.  From a physical therapist's perspective, the combination of flexion and the slightest amount of rotation is formula for instant disc herniation and such a movement often occurs with burpees because one hip is usually tighter than the other.  The point is simply to prevent the lower back from moving (stabilizing it) for the sake of longevity and injury prevention.
• SOULUTION:  Make sure you keep your spine in the neutral position and stabilize it throughout the movement.  IN ENGLISH: put your back in a position where it's not too arched and not too rounded and treat it as one solid piece that doesn't bend, twist, or arch.  That's what stabilization is,...minimizing or preventing any movement at the joint.  If you DON'T have the mobility in your hips, spread your feet apart during the ENTIRE movement OR place your hands on an elevated surface.  Some just don't have the hip mobility to do this movement without the suggested variations.

Since we're talking about Dr. McGill,...

• FAULTY KNEE MECHANICS- Knees buckle in or go past the plane of the toe: The SCREW HOME MECHANISM (SHM) describes how the knee complex is supposed to move optimally during a squat (single or double leg).  Allowing the knees to turn or buckle in (internally rotate and/or adduct) goes against the tenets of the SHM and promotes contact and compressive forces in the joint that aren't supposed to happen.  It promotes premature joint wear that most people don't feel until it's too late.  Such faulty mechanics progress into meniscus or patellofemoral irritations.  Allowing the knee to pass the plane of the toe increases the compressive forces between the kneecap and tibio-femoral joint, thereby increasing the likelihood of premature joint wear.
• SOLUTION:  Make the conscious effort not to allow the knees to adduct.  One could wear a resistance loop around the knees and focus on maintaining tension in the loop while performing the exercise.  One can also  follow the suggestions of spreading the feet wide apart AND/OR placing the hands on an elevated surface to shift one's center of mass to the rear and to keep the knee from going past the plane of the great toe.  These adjustments will allow for sound knee mechanics.

• POOR SPINAL ALIGNMENT-  I tell my patients and clients that their posture is the foundation of all their movement; if their posture sucks, their movement sucks.  AND I also tell them that every repetition is an opportunity to learn or reinforce a particular movement pattern; exercises done with poor posture PROMOTE poor posture.  I mentioned lumbar stabilization earlier and will put more emphasis on the thoracic and cervical spine.  The neck should  be held in neutral to minimize stress at the C5-T1 joints, where most people have some form of hypermobility (loosey goosey joints) after the third decade of life (their 30's).  The thoracic spine or upper back should have some curve to it but not excessive.  If the thoracic curvature looks like the start of an abdominal crunch, it's excessive.
• SOLUTION:  Make the conscious effort lengthen the spine into neutral position and stabilize it.  There isn't really any reason to look up during the down or push-up position phase (unless you're doing burpees in the middle of the street and have to watch out for oncoming traffic).

Aye Yay Yay!!  Rounded lower back, excessive flexion curvature (kyphosis) in the upper back, and too much extension at the base of the neck.  A manifestation of tight hips...they're soo tight that I assume this nasty position despite spreading my feet apart.  No good!!  At least my knees aren't buckling in or passing the plane of the great toe.

The crate is gives me the ability to assume neutral spine in the tucked position.  Notice the natural (lordotic) curve in the lower back.  So before I start doing burpees off the floor, I need to achieve the appropriate mobility in my hips.  And no, I will not pick up the crate and jump with it....that's a stupid move,...but I'll save that explanation for a later post.

This is the phase of the movement where most people have excessive curves at the base of their necks and upper back.  Make a conscious effort to assume the tenets of good posture.

Obviously, there are other ways to screw yourself up with this exercise.  Fatigued burpees whether done for time or done until failure are not recommended because form suffers under fatigue.  I'll save the discussion on form and fatigue for a later post.

Happy training,

DAVE