Forget burpees – 5 alternatives that fuel fat loss and build full-body fitness

If there’s a workout that requires just your bodyweight and promises to burn a lot of calories there’s a 99% chance it’ll consist of burpees. Why? Because—whether we like it or not— the reality is that the humble burpee is a brilliant full-body movement that’ll jack up your heart rate helping you to burn through a ton of calories, fuelling fat loss and building your cardiovascular fitness.

It’s always good to have a few alternatives as a backup to the burpee as, although they require little skill, they're not everyone's cup of tea. Plus, if you’re not in the right mindset to conquer them there’s a very good chance you’ll sack off your entire workout. Obviously, we don’t want you to do that so below are five alternatives so you have other options to turn too.

What is a burpee?

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Some people would simply describe it as torture, as this simple exercise has the power to instill fear in even the most dedicated gym-goer. The burpee consists of squatting down, dropping your entire body to the floor, before standing back up again and finishing off the move with a little ‘jump’. It sounds straightforward, but do this on repeat and you’re entire body will be cooked, from your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, shoulders, arms, back and core.

You can also modify the burpee if you’re still determined to give it a crack. Instead of jumping your feet in towards your chest whilst on the floor, you can simply step your feet inwards. Plus, you can leave the jump out at the end and you don’t have to lower yourself to the floor either. You can just place your hands on the ground and step your feet out into a high plank position— so there are plenty of ways to make it easier!

5 burpee alternatives

If you're still not convinced by the burpee, these five alternative exercises work similar muscle groups and promise to send your heart rate into overdrive. Who needs burpees anyway?

Dumbbell thruster

Muscles targeted: Glutes, quads, calves, core, arms, shoulders, upper back

Unlike a burpee, dumbbell thrusters require a pair of dumbbells (although they can be done with kettlebells or even a barbell), so they double up as cardio and strength training. Just like burpees, they’re a compound exercise, using multiple muscles at once, where you have to squat down with the dumbbells just above your shoulders, before explosively standing back up and pushing them up overhead. What's more, they’re very functional too, as there are a lot of everyday activities that mimic the movement.

Mountain climbers

Muscles targeted: Core, shoulders, arms, chest, glutes, hamstrings, quads

Mountain climbers may also have a reputation for being deadly, but we stand firm in the fact they’re not as bad as burpees. They also don’t require any equipment and just rely on your bodyweight, which is also a bonus if you can’t get to the gym or don’t have any home gym equipment. It’s also excellent for firing up your core muscles too, especially if you slow down the movement, whereas picking up the pace makes it more cardio-focused.

Squat jumps

Muscles targeted: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, core

We all know squats are one of the best compound exercises for building lower body strength, but by adding in a jump you take them to a whole new calorie-burning level. Using just your bodyweight is enough to elevate your heart rate but, if you want more of a burn, you can always incorporate some free weights or wear a weighted vest. Brutal!

Kettlebell swings

Muscles targeted: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, arms, upper back, shoulders

Not only is the kettlebell swing an explosive cardio move that’ll send your heart rate soaring, it also targets the large, powerful muscles in your lower body. Research by the American Council of Fitness found that kettlebell training can burn up to 20.2 calories per minute, which is apparently is equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace.

Medicine ball slams

Muscles targeted: Quads, hamstrings, calves, arms, shoulders, core, upper back

Similar to burpees, medicine ball slams fire up your upper and lower body muscles. But by constantly throwing a weighted ball to the floor, then picking it up, also builds strength, power and shoots your heart rate up, culling the cals. They’re also low-impact and very low-skill. Plus, they’re a great move for when you need to unleash some anger.

Looking for some workout inspiration to burn lots of calories which also includes no burpees? Give this four-move kettlebell flow workout a go, or if you're looking for a bodyweight-only workout, check out this 20-minute session.