No-Equipment Burpee WOD
burpee wod
AMRAP 15
8 burpees
12 air squats
16 sit-ups
Bodyweight
Burpee WOD Guide — Form, Standards, Scaling & Workouts
BB
By Borja Bes — CrossFit Athlete & Hyrox Finisher
The burpee is CrossFit's go-to full-body conditioning movement — a combination of a push-up, a plank, and a squat jump that builds cardiovascular capacity and muscular endurance simultaneously. In competition, the standard burpee requires the chest and thighs to touch the floor at the bottom and a jump with clap overhead at the top. The burpee broad jump variant, common in HYROX, replaces the vertical jump with a forward broad jump. Burpees are deliberately uncomfortable — their purpose is to sustain output when everything is screaming to stop.
Quick answer
The burpee is best for simple, high-output conditioning with no equipment. Scale the jump or step-back before form breaks, especially in longer WODs.
Muscles Worked
Full body — chest, shoulders, core, quads, glutes
Equipment
None
Best For, Avoid If, and Scaling
| Best for | Bodyweight WODs, skill practice, and athletes who can keep burpee mechanics consistent under fatigue. |
|---|---|
| Avoid if | Pain changes your movement pattern, fatigue makes reps sloppy, or the workout asks for a standard you cannot repeat safely. |
| Scaling | Step-out burpees (no jump at bottom or top), burpees to a target (lower jump). |
How to Do the Burpee
1
Stand with feet hip-width apart.
2
Squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of your feet.
3
Jump or step both feet back simultaneously to a plank position.
4
Lower your chest and thighs to the floor (full push-up or controlled drop).
5
Push up to plank, then jump or step feet toward your hands.
6
Jump up, fully extending hips, and clap hands overhead.
Common Mistakes
✕
Worming up from the floor (arching lower back without pushing) — use full push-up or step-up method instead.
✕
Not achieving full hip extension and overhead clap at the top.
✕
Going too fast early and burning out — burpees require consistent pacing, not sprinting.
Coaching Tips
✓
Step-out burpees (stepping feet back and forward rather than jumping) are more sustainable in long WODs and are a valid scaling option.
✓
Find a rhythm and stick to it — 5 burpees every 30 seconds is better than 20 at the start and stopping.
✓
Breathe on the way up, not at the bottom — use the stand phase to reset your breathing.
Scaling Options
Easier / Beginner
Step-out burpees (no jump at bottom or top), burpees to a target (lower jump).
Harder / Advanced
Bar-facing burpees, burpee box jumps, burpee broad jumps (HYROX standard).
Related WODs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CrossFit burpee standard?
Chest and thighs must contact the floor at the bottom. At the top, the athlete must jump and clap hands overhead (above the head, not just in front). Bar-facing burpees add the requirement of jumping over a barbell with two feet.
What is a good burpee WOD?
A simple no-equipment option is AMRAP 15: 8 burpees, 12 air squats, and 16 sit-ups. Keep the burpees smooth instead of sprinting the first round.
How should beginners scale burpees?
Use step-back burpees, remove the jump, or perform burpees to an elevated surface. The goal is steady conditioning without collapsing through the lower back.
Build It Into a Workout
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Next Training Tools
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