Hey everyone! I’m glad you are back with me for another quick read on fitness and health. Today we are going to spend some time looking at one of the best exercises to get your heart pumping and fat blazing — the burpee!
We are also going to look at the fat-burner fad. I hope by the end of this article you can see how physical movement can trump unnecessary supplementation.
The burpee is a feared word for those of us who have played a group sport or attended any sort of group fitness class. But, it does not have to be the evil it is made out to be. If you have never heard of it, congratulations! You get the clean slate and hopefully a positive outlook on this exercise.
To start, let’s talk about the history of the exercise. It was first invented by Royal H. Burpee (I know, his name is about as intense as the exercise). It was used as a test within the armed forces to assess a recruit or soldier’s athletic ability and train their endurance and strength. Many armed forces still use the exercise today in their training regimens.
The movement is a little odd to get used to, especially if you are new to it. If it has been a while, or the exercise is totally new to you, I suggest that you take the first few reps easy.
To start, squat down and place your hands out in front of you. Next, keeping your elbows straight, extend your knees back so you are in a plank position. Following that, jump your feet back forward so you are squatting once more and then stand up.
That is the basic burpee.
To increase difficulty, you can add in a push-up at the plank position and/or add a jump when you are standing once more. This exercise will get your blood pumping, so I suggest trying as many as you can within a minute and lengthening the time as you get adjusted.
As that blood pumps, your body demands energy to keep up with the physical strain. It can pull nutrients from the energy already circulating, or it can take from stored energy (fat).
Fat loss is such a huge topic and has been for hundreds of years, but can it really be as easy as taking a pill every day? I am sad to say, it is just not that easy. Just like anything that promises huge results with minimal work, it is probably too good to be true.
Fat burners can aid in fat loss, but they should also be incorporated with a proper caloric deficit and exercise. This will help give the beneficial effects of the supplement itself and hopefully aid in the fat loss one is looking to achieve.
I suggest to anyone who is thinking about taking a fat burner that they research a little further into the products available and what studies they base their results on. This can help you decide if it is the right fit for what you are looking for.
That wraps up this week’s quick glance at fitness. I hope you found something interesting and inspiring for your week ahead. Next week we are going to look at recovery after a workout and how that works with both physical rehabilitation and nutritional recovery. Have a great week and remember, never give up!
