Burpees: The Perfect Exercise?

Burpees. The name's not pretty, but the results sure are!

A combination of squat, push-up, and vertical jump, the burpee has a somewhat nasty reputation for being the exercise of choice in prisons. But you should consider adding burpees to your routine for the same reasons inmates might: The burpee requires no equipment and can be done just about anywhere. Plus, it works your entire body, including those important core muscles, while increasing your cardio endurance.

So how do you do a burpee? The basic version is a six count move. Begin in the standing position, then:

1. Sit into a squat.
2. Kick your feet behind you so you're in a push-up position.
3. Lower your chest to the ground.
4. Press back up to complete the push up.
5. Pull your feet back in so you're in squat position.
6. Jump up in the air while clapping overhead.

This humble exercise is so popular, 100 Day Burpee Challenges have been spreading across the Internet. The idea is simple: On the first day, you do one burpee, on the second day, you do two, and so on for 100 days. If 100 seems too daunting a task, you might opt for a 30-day challenge instead, or just add five burpees at the end of your regular workout routine.

Ready to add more body weight exercises to your arsenal? You'll find some great ideas in the prisoner workout.