The Burpee Buy-In
Full-body strength and conditioning with a burpee load and a posterior-chain and shoulder emphasis
The round
- 01
Burpee + deadlift
1 burpee, then 6 deadlifts
- 02
Burpee + gorilla row
1 burpee, then 9 gorilla rows (one gorilla row is one right plus one left, similar to a seesaw row)
- 03
Burpee + squat clean
1 burpee, then 3 squat cleans
- 04
Burpee + strict press
1 burpee, then 3 strict presses
- •Rest after each round: take 45 seconds after each completed round, then repeat the complex for the full 15 minutes
- 06
Cash-out (final 5 minutes)
5 halos in one direction, 5 in the other, then 20 dips. Next, 5 helicopters in one direction, 5 in the other, then 20 more dips. Repeat for 5 minutes.
Scaling options
Use lighter loads; step-back or no-jump burpees; kickstand or RDL-style deadlifts; seesaw or single-arm bent-over rows instead of gorilla rows; a dumbbell or muscle clean instead of a squat clean; a push press instead of a strict press; bench dips or band-assisted dips instead of bar dips; drop reps or add rest to hold quality.
Back-friendly · McGill method
Lots of hinging here, so keep a flat back and push your hips back on the deadlifts, gorilla rows, and the clean pull instead of rounding down to the floor. Brace your abs before every strict press and halo so you press through a stiff torso and do not arch your low back overhead. On the burpees, keep tension through your middle as you drop and stand so your back does not sag. If your back rounds or the hinge falls apart, lighten the load or shorten the set.
The idea
Score total rounds plus reps in the 15-minute block; the final 5 minutes is a separate cash-out for as many rounds as possible.