#FitnessTips 6 workouts to replace burpees in shedding calories

Most people have a love-hate relationship with burpees, because they engage all the muscles in your body and require no equipment except for your own body but they are quite the workout.

For those who can’t stand it, Todd Durkin, C.S.C.S., author of The IMPACT! Body Plan, has come up with a few burpee alternatives. Unlike the burpee, these workouts require some equipment—dumbbells, kettlebells, TRX bands—all of which you can get at the gym.

Here are 6 individual moves that you can work into your regimen somehow. They may not be for everyone but they are effective too: 

1.)  Dumbbell Squat, Curl, To Press: Hold a pair of dumbbells to your side. Stand with your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, low as you can but don’t let  the dumbbells touch the floor. Return to the first position. Curl the dumbbells to your shoulders, then press the weights overhead. Lower to the first position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

2.)  Kettlebell Goblet Squats With “Heartbeat” And Press: Grab a kettlebell and hold it close to your chest with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat and hold the position.

Extend the kettlebell as far ahead as possible and then back to your chest (the “heartbeat”). Push through your heels and stand back into the first position. Extend the kettlebell overhead with both hands until your arms are straight. Return to first position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

 

3.) Death Crawls: Get in a pushup position with your hands holding the dumbbells, keep your body straight. Do two pushups and then return to the first position. Do a single-arm dumbbell row on one side and then the other.

“Walk” each dumbbell forward as far as possible—will probably be about 5 to 20 inches—moving your entire body forward. That’s 1 rep. Do 2 sets of 8 reps.

4.) TRX Atomic Pushup: Put your feet in the TRX cradles (the band, not the hand grip) so they’re lifted off the ground. Move into the pushup position with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor.

Keep your body straight, lower until your elbows are at 90 degrees. Push back up to the first position. Pull your knees and feet toward your chest as far as possible, then return to the first position. Do 2 sets 10 reps.

5.) Dumbbell Walking Lunges And Punches: Get a pair of dumbbells and hold them below your chin with your palms inwards. As you step forward with your left leg, punch your right hand straight ahead, your right palm toward the ground. Return to the first position. Repeat on the other leg using opposite arm. That’s one rep. Do 3 sets of 16 reps.

 

6.)  Kettlebell Swings And Pushups: Hold a kettlebell with two hands and stand straight up. Extend your arms down so the kettlebell hangs below your pelvis. Using the muscles of your glutes and legs only, swing the kettlebell through your legs up to chest level. Don’t round your back or bend your knees too much. 

This is a continuous pendulum-type movement using the momentum from your swing. Do 15 reps. After, drop to the ground ASAP and perform 15 pushups. Take 1 minute rest between sets. Do 3 sets of 15 kettlebell swings and 15 pushups (so 30 per set).

Let us know what your favorite workout is.