No matter how hard you work to control your eating habits and exercise regularly, some areas of your body won’t cooperate. Two of these problem areas are your midsection and hips. They are often a source of contention that can make you feel frustrated and defeated.
Men and women lose weight differently, and they also have a different distribution of fat deposits in their bodies. Men tend to carry extra weight in their gut as the proverbial beer belly, and women often have more fatty deposits on their hips and sides.
These problem areas often require regular exercises geared toward the midsection, thighs, and hips for both genders. Burpees, also called jump exercises, can be modified and integrated into your daily exercise routine.
The classic exercise was developed in the early 1930s by a physiologist from Columbia University named Royal Burpee. His activity included several movements that he considered were important for proper physical fitness training.
Although the jump exercise was first popular in the American military and schools, it became a fitness sensation that made it well-known in physical fitness. When you are doing jump exercises, remember to employ mindful breathing to bring a constant rush of fresh oxygen into your body. Inhale deeply through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth.
Conscious breathing is vital for aerobic benefits and is a cornerstone of yogic exercising traditions. During your exercising session, be careful that you don’t become dehydrated. When you are working out, you can quickly lose essential fluids and electrolytes by perspiring. Keep a bottle of fresh cold water handy and drink plenty during and after your workout.
Another great thing about Burpee exercises is that you don’t need to belong to a gym or own expensive exercise equipment to do this type of maneuver. All you need is enough space to do the exercises safely and efficiently in your house or yard. You may also opt to use a skid-resistant exercise map or a plyo box for convenience.
What’s a Plyo Box?
If you’ve ever done strength training, you are probably familiar with plyometrics, a form of jumping exercises devised by the Soviet military in the late 50s and early 60s. The name plyometrics was created by track coach Fred Wilt, who made boosted its popularity in the United States. Most of these plyometric exercises use a sturdy wood or foam box, called a plyo box, to use as a platform for the jumps.
They are usually lightweight and have built-in handles for easy transportation. You can find plyo boxes of various quality in fitness stores or online at a price to fit any budget. They are perfect for doing your jump exercises indoors or outside.
Are you ready to burn some belly fat and lose those unsightly love handles for good? Before you start this or any new exercise regimen, discuss it with your primary healthcare provider or a certified fitness trainer. Here are six fun and innovative Burpee variants that may help you melt that unwanted fat.
Six Burpee Variations That Will Melt Fat
1. Square Burpee
This variant is also called the box. You can do it from a plyo box or a big ledge or step that isn’t too steep.
How to Do It:
Stand up straight with your feet apart, and your arms relaxed at your sides. Do the movements of the first exercise. When you jump from the plank position and go into the low squat, you will do a square jump.
Bend your knees slightly and hop up on the ledge or your plyo box. Hop down and resume the first position. Do 5-10 repetitions and rest in between if you must.
2. Push-Up Burpee
Anyone who ever did calisthenics in high school or trained in the military knows push-ups all too well. Push-ups are the quintessential exercise to maintain a healthy body and a disciplined exercise routine. Combined with a jump exercise, it provides an ideal tool for burning fat.
How to Do It:
Stand in the start position with your arms at your sides and your feet a hip-width apart. Lower yourself quickly into a squat with your palms flat on the exercise mat about a foot or so in front of your feet. Now, kick your feet behind you and balance on your tiptoes and hands, as if you were ready to do a standard push-up.
Try to keep your body as straight as you can. Lower your chest to the floor to do a quick push-up and bring your body back up to the first position. Give your feet a jump forward unto you are squatting in a low place.
Jump straight up from your heels with your hands above your head, landing in the start position with your hands at your sides. Repeat this jumping exercise 10-15 times.
3. Shooting Star
Were you ever a cheerleader in high school or college? This jump exercise variant is like the one that cheerleaders do, except you don’t need any pompoms this time. Maybe this exercise will become the star of your daily exercise routine.
How to Do It:
The Shooting Star resembles the Push-up burpee, except you don’t do a push up for it. Stand in the beginning position as you would do a jump exercise. You will drop down with your body in straight alignment, palms down, and feet hopped back to meet your hands. Take a deep breath and jump straight up with your hands and legs out to form a star or an X shape.
Come back down softly on the exercise mat with your feet together again at your arms, resting at your sides in the first position. Repeat the Shooting Star 10-15 times, resting a bit as needed.
4. Superhero Jump Exercise
Is it a bird or a plane? No, it’s just you are doing a beneficial jump exercise that resembles a caped crusader flying. Although you won’t be soaring through the clouds while doing it, the fat-burning results might make you feel like a superhero.
How to Do It:
Like most jump exercise variants, the Superhero begins with the standard position, then you lower your chest to your mat and align your body in the plank position. With your chest still on the mat, stretch your hands out in front of your body, as if flying.
Bring your hands back to the original plank position, aligned under your shoulders.
Jump your feet forward until you are in a low squat position. Use your heels to jump straight up with your hands above your head. Land softly on the mat into the start position with your arms at your sides. Do reps of 10-15.
5. Side Jump
If you are battling fatty deposits on your side, this jump exercise variant concentrates on your side muscles or obliques. It can also help you burn away the unwanted fat in your midsection. Before long, you won’t be able to pinch an inch on your belly or hips.
How to Do It:
Start with a neutral position as you would a regular jump exercise. Push your feet out, diagonally to the left instead of jumping them behind you. You should be balanced on your tiptoes and palms with your shoulders directly over your hands.
Notice the stretch you feel on the oblique muscles of your right side. Now, jump into a low squat with your feet under your body. Jump straight into the air with your hands above your head and land with your feet and body in the start position.
Repeat these steps, and this time, kick your feet out to the right. Each side is considered one set. Do 10-15 reps of these sets and rest for a few seconds in-between time, if you need it.
6. Diver Jump
The Diver is a combination jump exercise that involves almost all your muscle groups, especially your abs and obliques.
How to Do It
Assume the standard position and do a regular jump exercise until your body is aligned in the plank position. Bring your hips back and shift your weight until you are in the classic dog yoga pose. Push up on your hands to bring your face and chest up like the cobra pose.
Let your upper body go toward the mat while bending your elbows and bring your hips and shoulders in like a diver. Now, keep your hips close to the mat and press your torso up from the ground into the Upward Dog pose. Bring your feet forward by hopping into a low squat position, and jump in the air with your hands above your head.
Land smoothly on the mat back into the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times. Jumping exercises are a fun way to lose excess fat from your belly, hips, and thighs. Consider implementing these six variants into your routine and aim for about 20-30 minutes of exercise each day.
Final Thoughts on Trying These Burpee Variations to Melt Stubborn Fat
The burpee or the many variations aren’t challenging to do, and you have nothing to lose, but that unwanted belly fat and love handles. All you need to do is carve out a little bit of time each day to work on your troubled areas, and soon, you will see the progress you want.
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