Thrusters and Burpees
I believe two of the most important movements to master are thrusters and burpees.
And great movements for everyone, young and old, athletes and grandparents.
Two movements can give you a full-body workout at home, the gym, the park, or even a hotel.
They are both significant strengthening and conditioning movements. They are complex, but that’s what makes them so effective.
Getting Started
Thrusters:
Strengthen your quads, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, arms, core, and grip. She also hits you with a cardiovascular punch by jacking up your heart rate—a full-body workout with one set of dumbbells.
Burpees:
Mostly cardio, but a great way to strengthen you with just your body weight is by hitting quads, glutes, hamstrings, chest, arms, shoulders, calves, and core. A full-body workout without any equipment!
If you are a beginner, your range of motion needs improvement, and you need a ramp up into full thrusters and burpees, start with the modified versions to gauge your needs.
You can decrease the difficulty of thrusters by lowering your weight and squatting to a chair or box at about knee height.
You can decrease the difficulty of burpees by stepping back, stepping in, taking away the jump, and just standing tall.
Functional For Life
Along with being great conditioning movements, they are also applicable.
What does it take to use a toilet, get into bed, or get into a car? They were sitting down in a squat position. What does it take for someone to put dishes away, go grocery shopping, reaching something up high? They need to take weight up over their head. Modified Thrusters exercise those movements. Practicing modified thrusters in a controlled environment will help your grandparents stay independent longer.
Think about what it takes for your grandparents to get off the floor after falling. They must push up from the floor, bring one leg under them, get to a partially upright position, and then return to their feet. In other words, it is a modified burpee. Wouldn’t you feel more secure about your loved one if you knew they were practicing changed burpees in a controlled environment? Just in case there is an unfortunate accident.
Increasing the Difficulty
Practice going through the full range of motion instead of cutting yourself short, especially before adding extra to demanding movements.
Increase the thrusters’ difficulty by adding more weight or turning them into clusters – Squat Clean Thrusters.
Increase the difficulty of burpees by finishing each with a runner’s jump, jumping up to touch a target overhead, or jumping over something. You can add weight to the burpee with dumbbells by doing the push-ups with them in hand and standing tall while continuing to hold them.
Full Body Workout
Consistently adding Thrusters and Burpees into your workout routine will help keep you fit, make you stronger, and keep your cardiovascular system in good working order.
Want a full-body workout at home? Give this a try!
AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) in 15 minutes:
10 Thrusters – Choose a moderate dumbbell weight
10 Burpees
This workout will get spicy fast and have you sweating in no time. Ensure you go through the full range of motion and bring the intensity. It is only a 15-minute full-body workout at home; you can go hard and give it all you have!