Burpee Twist
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Plyometrics
- Type
- Aerobic
The burpee twist is a bodyweight plyometric conditioning exercise that adds a rotational jump to the classic burpee. It works the whole body — the lower body drives the jump, the upper body controls the push-up, and the core and obliques fire to power and stabilize the twist. It's a high-intensity aerobic move that builds endurance and burns calories with no equipment.
How to do the Burpee Twist
- 1Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
- 2Squat down and place both hands on the floor just outside your feet, shoulder-width apart.
- 3Jump or step your feet back into a high plank, with your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
- 4Lower your chest toward the floor for a push-up, keeping your elbows tucked at roughly 45° and your core braced.
- 5Press back up, then jump your feet forward to land in a low squat next to your hands.
- 6Drive explosively through your legs into a vertical jump, rotating your hips and shoulders 180° in the air.
- 7Land softly facing the opposite direction with knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.
- 8Reset into the squat position and repeat, alternating your twist direction each rep.
Form tips
- Brace your core before each twist so the rotation comes from controlled trunk movement, not a flailing upper body.
- Land every jump softly on the balls of your feet with bent knees to protect your ankles and knees.
- Keep your hips level with your shoulders in the plank so your lower back doesn't sag.
- Set a steady, repeatable pace you can hold for the full interval rather than sprinting the first few reps.
- Scale the push-up to your knees or skip it entirely if you can't keep clean plank position.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag or pike in the plank, which loads the lower back and removes core tension.
- Twisting with a loose, unbraced trunk, which reduces control of the rotation and can strain the lower back.
- Landing stiff-legged or flat-footed, which sends impact straight into the knees and ankles.
- Rushing the reps with sloppy form, which spikes injury risk and makes the movement less effective.
- Skipping the full hip extension on the jump, turning the twist into a shuffle instead of a true plyometric effort.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the burpee twist work?
It's a full-body exercise. The legs and hips power the jump, the chest, shoulders and arms drive the push-up, and the core and obliques work hardest to generate and control the rotational twist.
Is the burpee twist good for beginners?
It's an advanced burpee variation, but beginners can scale it by stepping the feet back instead of jumping, dropping the push-up, or replacing the twist with a straight jump until their conditioning improves.
How many burpee twists should I do?
As an aerobic conditioning move, work in timed intervals — for example 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for 4–8 rounds — or sets of 8–12 quality reps. Prioritize clean form over speed.
What's a good alternative to the burpee twist?
A standard burpee, a burpee with a tuck jump, or mountain climbers are good alternatives that deliver similar full-body, high-intensity conditioning using only your body weight.
