Author Topic: November Burpee Challenge  (Read 6899 times)

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
November Burpee Challenge
« on: November 01, 2018, 09:01:44 AM »
Recently I was posting in another thread and I realized I kind of missed doing burpees.  The weather here is getting to be a little less pleasant for jogging, and I want to keep up my cardio/pulmonary fitness throughout the fall and winter months.  So a week or so ago I started doing three sets of 10 -- one before breakfast, one before lunch, and one before bed.  I've missed a couple sets, but I'm trying to hit 30 reps (or more) per day in November.

What: 30 or more reps of push-up burpees per day, strict form
Why: general fitness, and to hopefully establish a habit
When: November 1st-30th

If anyone wants to join me, feel free to substitute your own rep/set/form goal (e.g., without push-ups, or adding pull-ups, etc.).  I'm starting this challenge mainly to keep myself accountable, but it would be cool if anybody else wanted to join in.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2018, 04:39:21 PM »
I'll join you.

I worked up to 30 burpees in a row 3 times a week for the last year. They have really helped me get back into shape. They suck to do, but they seem to be a really efficient use of your exercise time. If you are out of shape, you will be out of breath by the end and sore for several days afterward until your body adapts. I don't get sore from doing them anymore, but I still get winded. I do mine with a push up and a leap at the end. I leave out the leap if I do them in the basement because I'm tall enough I would bang my dome into the ceiling :D I just add 5 more burpees with pushups then.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2018, 10:42:50 AM »
Welcome @mies and @Fidoh!  I hope you met your 1st day goals.

Nov 1st, 44 reps:

 - one set of 12 before breakfast
 - one set of 12 before lunch
 - two sets of 10 mid-afternoon, separated by ~3 mins rest

I consciously added a couple reps because I didn't want to get too comfortable doing 10 all the time.  The weather was too miserable for jogging, so I added a couple sets in the afternoon.  I intended to do another set before bed, but meh...44 felt good enough for day one.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2018, 11:05:45 AM »
I worked up to 30 burpees in a row 3 times a week for the last year. They have really helped me get back into shape. They suck to do, but they seem to be a really efficient use of your exercise time.

If you've been doing 30 in a row, this challenge should be a breeze for you.  Unless you decide to do something crazy like add 1 rep per day so you end up with a 60-rep set by the end of the month.  :o

It's actually the efficiency of the exercise that is most appealing to me.  While I do jog 3 miles a few times a week, it seems like a luxurious indulgence of time.  I feel like I can get a better workout from burpees with much less time commitment, and -- when done carefully -- I can avoid excessive wear and tear on the joints.

I'm intentionally trying to keep my reps pretty moderate so this work doesn't interfere with my regular pullup/pushup routine, nor the recovery thereof.  Due to recovery concerns I'm a little wary of doing this every day...but we'll see how this month goes.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2018, 11:47:13 AM »
I’ll see if I can bump it up to 4 times a week to start or or bump it up to 35 every time I do them.  I ate a bunch of cinnamon rolls at work today, so I have a good excuse to do them an extra time this week. Not sorry about the cinnamon rolls :D

I think you can get to 30 per day easily especially if you plan to split up your reps.



magnet18

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 321
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2018, 12:01:14 PM »
Sounds like the perfect way to get me back to doing literally any exercise!

I've got a couple days to catch up!

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2018, 12:54:04 PM »
Sounds like the perfect way to get me back to doing literally any exercise!

I've got a couple days to catch up!

That's the spirit!  You only need to add 1 rep per day (and 2 extra on the last day) to make up for missing yesterday if you're going for 30 per day.  :)  Or, just forget about yesterday and do the best you can until the end of the month.

Thanksgiving is going to be hard.  I spend all day cooking and eating -- from ~9AM until ~6PM, then more snacking after that.  I don't like the idea of doing burpees with a full stomach, so I'll have to get them over with early in the day before the feasting begins.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2018, 12:55:43 PM »
I think you can get to 30 per day easily especially if you plan to split up your reps.

Agreed.  I've been hitting 30 most days for the past couple weeks.  I'm trying to keep the bar reasonably low the first month so I don't scare myself away and break the habit.  Once I get the consistency down, I'll try mixing it up with more exotic challenges in subsequent months.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2018, 02:49:36 AM »
I woke up before my wife and did 35 burpees in the basement this morning.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2018, 07:37:11 PM »
I woke up before my wife and did 35 burpees in the basement this morning.

I hope you didn't get too enthusiastic and bump your head on the low ceiling.  :D

Nov 2nd, 34 reps:

 - 12 before breakfast
 - 12 before lunch
 - 10 before bed

Nov 3rd: 37 reps:

 - 13 before breakfast
 - 12 before lunch
 - 12 just now (before bed)

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2018, 01:20:17 AM »
I woke up before my wife and did 35 burpees in the basement this morning.

I hope you didn't get too enthusiastic and bump your head on the low ceiling.  :D

Nov 2nd, 34 reps:

 - 12 before breakfast
 - 12 before lunch
 - 10 before bed

Nov 3rd: 37 reps:

 - 13 before breakfast
 - 12 before lunch
 - 12 just now (before bed)

Ha! Fortunately, I was not on autopilot at that point in the morning :) No bumps or scrapes. Yet.

It looks like you have managed to get more than 30 a day in cumulatively. Nice job! I’m going to see if I can bump my normal burpees with a leap up to 35 also. 30 still gets my heart beating and me breathing hard, but I don’t get any muscle soreness like I used to get.

BikeFanatic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 826
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2018, 06:14:04 AM »
I'm in, This gets my heart rate up doing  one set of ten. I think if I do 3 sets in a row  this could be an HIIT exercise.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2018, 10:26:17 AM »
I'm in, This gets my heart rate up doing  one set of ten. I think if I do 3 sets in a row  this could be an HIIT exercise.

Awesome, I'm glad you're joining us!

I agree that a few sets of burpees can be a form of HIIT.  Especially if you are explosive with your jumps and move at a pretty quick pace.  Just watch your form and don't go so fast that you do "worm" type pushups -- it's basically cheating, and it's hard on your lower back too.  I try to keep my back slightly rounded when jumping from the squat to the push-up position, and I keep it slightly rounded throughout the push-up.

young_money

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2018, 12:37:41 PM »
I'm in.  Sounds like fun.  My fitness level has slowly been dropping away as it gets colder outside, so hopefully this will be a nice challenge to keep the wheels turning throughout winter.







Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2018, 03:06:52 PM »
I'm in.  Sounds like fun.  My fitness level has slowly been dropping away as it gets colder outside, so hopefully this will be a nice challenge to keep the wheels turning throughout winter.

I'm not sure if fun is the right word, but welcome nevertheless.  :D

Last year I tried to keep active indoors during the winter with other calisthenics like jumping jacks (BORing!), but eventually it petered out.  I'm hoping burpees keep me going because of the extremely minimal time commitment -- and because they're too punishing to be boring.

young_money

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #15 on: November 04, 2018, 03:17:00 PM »
I'm in.  Sounds like fun.  My fitness level has slowly been dropping away as it gets colder outside, so hopefully this will be a nice challenge to keep the wheels turning throughout winter.

I'm not sure if fun is the right word, but welcome nevertheless.  :D

Last year I tried to keep active indoors during the winter with other calisthenics like jumping jacks (BORing!), but eventually it petered out.  I'm hoping burpees keep me going because of the extremely minimal time commitment -- and because they're too punishing to be boring.

Well, starting to see what you mean about the fun part.  Just completed my first 30.  Thought it was going to be a lot easier!  I've been doing some strength training pretty consistently over the past few months on beginner-type full body routines, but have been neglecting any kind of calisthenics or plyometrics.  I ended up breaking the burpees into sets of 5 to finish, as I noticed my form was starting to slip towards the end of sets of 10.

Onwards to tomorrow!






Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #16 on: November 04, 2018, 07:23:39 PM »
Just completed my first 30.  Thought it was going to be a lot easier!  I've been doing some strength training pretty consistently over the past few months on beginner-type full body routines, but have been neglecting any kind of calisthenics or plyometrics.

Along these lines, not long ago I started running again after a long break.  I'd been very consistent with my strength training leading up to that, but it really didn't help at all with the cardio/pulmonary needed for running.  I'm hoping that the burpees will actually boost my jogging performance.

Anyway, great start!

Nov 4th, 39 reps:

 - 12 reps before breakfast
 - 13 reps mid-afternoon
 - 14 reps mid-evening

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2018, 01:24:45 PM »
I'm in on this a few days late. I'm starting from very weak muscles for this type of exercise, so I'm doing a much less ambitious version. Essentially adding one burpee per day so that I do a total of 30 on Nov 30, ideally in 3 sets of 10, but if necessary in more sets with fewer reps.  If that goes ok, I might try the full challenge for Dec. 

I just did 5.  Ugh, my pushups are soooo weak. Worm-like push-ups, but I'm going to do them anyway. Gotta start somewhere.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #18 on: November 05, 2018, 02:36:08 PM »
I'm in on this a few days late. I'm starting from very weak muscles for this type of exercise, so I'm doing a much less ambitious version. Essentially adding one burpee per day so that I do a total of 30 on Nov 30, ideally in 3 sets of 10, but if necessary in more sets with fewer reps.  If that goes ok, I might try the full challenge for Dec. 

Welcome, I'm glad you joined!  Starting and sticking with it is the most important thing.  The number of reps/sets is far less important, as long as you're improving over time.

Quote
I just did 5.  Ugh, my pushups are soooo weak. Worm-like push-ups, but I'm going to do them anyway. Gotta start somewhere.

Ack!  The dreaded worm push-up!  :D  Just be careful that you don't put your lower back in a bad position.  If you notice any discomfort there, I'd recommend using a lot of caution, doing slow reps, and probably skipping the push-up portion for now.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2018, 03:02:30 PM »
I'm in on this a few days late. I'm starting from very weak muscles for this type of exercise, so I'm doing a much less ambitious version. Essentially adding one burpee per day so that I do a total of 30 on Nov 30, ideally in 3 sets of 10, but if necessary in more sets with fewer reps.  If that goes ok, I might try the full challenge for Dec. 

Welcome, I'm glad you joined!  Starting and sticking with it is the most important thing.  The number of reps/sets is far less important, as long as you're improving over time.

Quote
I just did 5.  Ugh, my pushups are soooo weak. Worm-like push-ups, but I'm going to do them anyway. Gotta start somewhere.

Ack!  The dreaded worm push-up!  :D  Just be careful that you don't put your lower back in a bad position.  If you notice any discomfort there, I'd recommend using a lot of caution, doing slow reps, and probably skipping the push-up portion for now.

I was doing the pushups yoga-style; I will try switching to wide stance, which will likely be easier.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #20 on: November 05, 2018, 03:34:20 PM »
I'm in on this a few days late. I'm starting from very weak muscles for this type of exercise, so I'm doing a much less ambitious version. Essentially adding one burpee per day so that I do a total of 30 on Nov 30, ideally in 3 sets of 10, but if necessary in more sets with fewer reps.  If that goes ok, I might try the full challenge for Dec. 

I just did 5.  Ugh, my pushups are soooo weak. Worm-like push-ups, but I'm going to do them anyway. Gotta start somewhere.

If the push ups are too much right now, I think omitting them is a good idea. When I started doing burpees about a year ago, I was just doing the squat thrust portion. No pushups or leap at the end. It's better to build up your stamina and not injure or discourage yourself. You'll still give your legs and heart a good workout. You can add in the pushups and leaps as the squat thrust become easier.

Glad to hear you are joining us!

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2018, 05:39:38 PM »
Nov 5th, 54 reps:

 - 14 before breakfast
 - 15 before lunch
 - 16 mid-afternoon
 - 9 just now

I cut the last set short due to pain in my front deltoid when starting the pushup.  I might have ramped up the reps a little too quickly these past few days, so I'll try to get plenty of rest tonight and dial back the reps for the next couple days.

@Fidoh, @magnet18 -- are you still with us?

young_money

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #22 on: November 05, 2018, 09:35:20 PM »
DayBurpees
4th30
5th10

Forgot to make time earlier in the day for my burpees, and then played social soccer tonight.  Completed a pitiful set of 10 afterwards.  If I can make back the missing 20 burpees later in the month, then I'll give myself a pass mark!

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2018, 06:36:29 AM »
35 in a row with a push-up and a leap in the bag.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #24 on: November 07, 2018, 08:13:16 AM »
Forgot to make time earlier in the day for my burpees, and then played social soccer tonight.  Completed a pitiful set of 10 afterwards.  If I can make back the missing 20 burpees later in the month, then I'll give myself a pass mark!

35 in a row with a push-up and a leap in the bag.

Nice job!  @young_money you have a lot of time to make up the reps.

Nov 6th, 30 reps:

 - 10 before breakfast
 - 10 before lunch
 - 10 mid-afternoon

I'm sticking to 10 per set for a couple days -- and being very careful with my form -- to give my shoulder a bit of a break.  The good news is that 10 reps is now noticeably easier than it was a couple weeks ago.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #25 on: November 07, 2018, 09:31:31 AM »
UGH SO SORE from just one set of 6 reps (sticking to my adding one rep per day).  I had to modify my pushups to full pushup down, followed  by knee pushup up, then back into plank to finish the burpee.

To call me a 105 lb twig is being generous.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #26 on: November 07, 2018, 11:58:53 AM »
UGH SO SORE from just one set of 6 reps (sticking to my adding one rep per day).  I had to modify my pushups to full pushup down, followed  by knee pushup up, then back into plank to finish the burpee.

To call me a 105 lb twig is being generous.

Being a bit sore is (probably) a good sign!  And there's nothing wrong with modifying the exercise to match your current fitness/ability level.  In fact that's very smart.  Adjust your routine to how your body is feeling/responding.  Keep it hard enough to challenge yourself, but not so hard that you're injuring yourself, and you should start to see improvement.

It can take some time if you've been extremely sedentary.  The good news is that you have tons of room for growth, so even small improvements will feel significant.  I hope you keep up with it.  Actually I hope it inspires you to become more active overall.  Sitting kills -- higher mortality risk than smoking, heart disease, etc., according to at least one recent study.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #27 on: November 07, 2018, 12:26:45 PM »
UGH SO SORE from just one set of 6 reps (sticking to my adding one rep per day).  I had to modify my pushups to full pushup down, followed  by knee pushup up, then back into plank to finish the burpee.

To call me a 105 lb twig is being generous.

Being a bit sore is (probably) a good sign!  And there's nothing wrong with modifying the exercise to match your current fitness/ability level.  In fact that's very smart.  Adjust your routine to how your body is feeling/responding.  Keep it hard enough to challenge yourself, but not so hard that you're injuring yourself, and you should start to see improvement.

It can take some time if you've been extremely sedentary.  The good news is that you have tons of room for growth, so even small improvements will feel significant.  I hope you keep up with it.  Actually I hope it inspires you to become more active overall.  Sitting kills -- higher mortality risk than smoking, heart disease, etc., according to at least one recent study.

I do exercise regularly: swim nonstop 30-40 minutes at least 3 days per week, and walk (briskly) 45 minutes 3-4 days per week, plus a smattering of yoga type stuff.   My issue is keeping muscle (or even fat) on my body....I have a tendency to slip below 100lbs very easily. Swimming and walking sure don't build muscle needed for things like burpees, which is part of my purpose in doing them.  I also have chronic pain issues, and tend to get derailed easily from weight bearing exercises, so I'm hoping this kind of challenge will boost me to actually be strong enough to work with weights, and finally keep some weight and muscle on.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #28 on: November 07, 2018, 03:56:24 PM »
I do exercise regularly: swim nonstop 30-40 minutes at least 3 days per week, and walk (briskly) 45 minutes 3-4 days per week, plus a smattering of yoga type stuff.

Apologies -- I got you mixed up with someone else.

Quote
My issue is keeping muscle (or even fat) on my body....I have a tendency to slip below 100lbs very easily. Swimming and walking sure don't build muscle needed for things like burpees, which is part of my purpose in doing them.  I also have chronic pain issues, and tend to get derailed easily from weight bearing exercises, so I'm hoping this kind of challenge will boost me to actually be strong enough to work with weights, and finally keep some weight and muscle on.

That's a tough one!  Is it possible that your 225-300+ minutes of cardio-based exercise per week might be working against your desire to gain weight?

If your primary goal is weight gain, and you don't have an underlying disease, metabolic disorder, or eating disorder, it's possible that you would have better luck cutting back on some of your swimming/walking.  It's hard for me to say that, because I believe exercise is one of the best ways known to improve current and longterm health (and longevity).  On the other hand, reduced lean body mass (especially on the lower end of BMI) is also strongly correlated with all cause mortality.

IMO burpees are more about endurance than strength.  Have you considered basic bodyweight exercises like pushups, pullups, etc.?  If you lack the strength initially you can work up to them (incline pushups, pull-ups with bands).  Maybe it's worth thinking about a beginning strength training program + dietary assistance to make sure you're getting enough calories to put on weight?

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #29 on: November 07, 2018, 05:54:52 PM »
I do exercise regularly: swim nonstop 30-40 minutes at least 3 days per week, and walk (briskly) 45 minutes 3-4 days per week, plus a smattering of yoga type stuff.

Apologies -- I got you mixed up with someone else.

Quote
My issue is keeping muscle (or even fat) on my body....I have a tendency to slip below 100lbs very easily. Swimming and walking sure don't build muscle needed for things like burpees, which is part of my purpose in doing them.  I also have chronic pain issues, and tend to get derailed easily from weight bearing exercises, so I'm hoping this kind of challenge will boost me to actually be strong enough to work with weights, and finally keep some weight and muscle on.

That's a tough one!  Is it possible that your 225-300+ minutes of cardio-based exercise per week might be working against your desire to gain weight?

If your primary goal is weight gain, and you don't have an underlying disease, metabolic disorder, or eating disorder, it's possible that you would have better luck cutting back on some of your swimming/walking.  It's hard for me to say that, because I believe exercise is one of the best ways known to improve current and longterm health (and longevity).  On the other hand, reduced lean body mass (especially on the lower end of BMI) is also strongly correlated with all cause mortality.

IMO burpees are more about endurance than strength.  Have you considered basic bodyweight exercises like pushups, pullups, etc.?  If you lack the strength initially you can work up to them (incline pushups, pull-ups with bands).  Maybe it's worth thinking about a beginning strength training program + dietary assistance to make sure you're getting enough calories to put on weight?

Yeah, I'm just bitching about stuff that isn't easy to fix. I have had all the low-hanging medical stuff tested for.  I do have several diagnosed disorders (autoimmune, endocrine, etc.) that have not been id'd as specifically responsible for being underweight, but who knows? My digestion is glacially slow and it makes eating enough calories challenging, which is annoying b/c I love food.  I am already pretty careful not to do any high-aerobic-intensity stuff, like interval training, or I drop weight frighteningly (even if could eat a lot, which I used to be able to do).  But I can't give up swimming b/c i LOVE IT, and it controls a chronic pain condition.  Plus, I'm just built to be a wiry person.  But my eventual goal is, indeed, to do enough body-weight work to eventually work up to weight work/build muscle mass.

So, I just finished my 7 burpees for today.  I thought my core was pretty good, but I'm even feeling these there a little bit....

Btw,  my much stronger, more athletic and muscular husband decided he would start doing burpees with us so he's sorta in on the 'challenge' now, as well. He did 2 sets of 10 today. He's planning to stick with 20 total per day for the first 2 weeks, and then step up.

Boofinator

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1429
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2018, 06:21:17 PM »
Joining in: 30 burpees per day for the rest of November. I'll probably do two sets of 15 per day (I don't think I'd fit in very well at my office doing an afternoon set of burpees).

Should complement my other gauntlet:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/breaking-the-donut-addiction/

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2018, 06:59:33 PM »
Yeah, I'm just bitching about stuff that isn't easy to fix. I have had all the low-hanging medical stuff tested for.  I do have several diagnosed disorders (autoimmune, endocrine, etc.) that have not been id'd as specifically responsible for being underweight, but who knows? My digestion is glacially slow and it makes eating enough calories challenging, which is annoying b/c I love food.

Ugh, sorry about all that.  I can both sympathize and empathize: I have autoimmune, endocrine, and digestive issues, and I've also struggled to maintain weight my entire adult life.  As I age I find it increasingly difficult to eat enough to maintain weight, much less add to it.  Forcing myself to eat beyond satiety is both physically and psychologically challenging, and it leads to unpleasant physical side effects (beyond feeling full).  It sounds like you can relate.

Quote
But my eventual goal is, indeed, to do enough body-weight work to eventually work up to weight work/build muscle mass.

I'm rooting for you.  I think it's going to be a hard, uphill slog, but hopefully you can get there.

Quote
Btw,  my much stronger, more athletic and muscular husband decided he would start doing burpees with us so he's sorta in on the 'challenge' now, as well. He did 2 sets of 10 today. He's planning to stick with 20 total per day for the first 2 weeks, and then step up.

That's great!  The burpee contagion is spreading. :D  I'm a little surprised at the number of people who have joined already.  Kinda gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, knowing you all are out there intentionally suffering along with me.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #32 on: November 08, 2018, 04:08:31 AM »
Another 35 in a row. Interestingly, my body seems to be adapting to the additional reps pretty fast. I felt pretty destroyed after doing my first set of 35. I didn’t experience any muscle soreness though.

After doing 35 today, I didn’t feel as tired. My heart was still beating pretty hard and my legs were still shaking a little, but it subsided more quickly.

Glad to see so many people jumping on the bandwagon here. Once you get pat the initial soreness and your heart gets stronger, you really start to feel the benefits.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #33 on: November 08, 2018, 06:08:49 AM »
Another 35 in a row. Interestingly, my body seems to be adapting to the additional reps pretty fast. I felt pretty destroyed after doing my first set of 35. I didn’t experience any muscle soreness though.

I've noticed the same.  10 reps were challenging when I first started, and a couple days ago when I was doing 14-16 per set I was feeling not-too-bad at the end.

Quote
Once you get pat the initial soreness and your heart gets stronger, you really start to feel the benefits.

I dunno, to me the benefit is feeling like I'm dying; that way I know I'm pushing my body hard enough to grow and improve.  :D  Though I do hope to experience a carryover effect in the form of improved running endurance as a result of the burpees.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #34 on: November 08, 2018, 06:10:15 AM »
Nov 7th, 30 reps:

 - 10 before breakfast
 - 10 mid-afternoon
 - 10 before bed

I've felt no further pain in my front deltoid, so I'm going to start working my reps back up again.  Probably a little more slowly than last time just to be safe.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #35 on: November 09, 2018, 07:47:17 AM »
Nov 8th: 30 reps -- 10 per set before breakfast, mid afternoon, and before bed

One thing I forgot to mention several days ago...I discovered that I was intermittently holding my breath during my sets!  That undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the exercise, and might partially explain why now -- after remembering to breathe -- I don't feel quite so much like dying after a set.  :D

I've occasionally had this issue with push-ups and pull-ups too.  I think when I'm focused on counting reps, I tend to hold my breath until I utter the next rep number (out loud or in my head).  Apparently I'm not very good at multitasking!

Boofinator

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1429
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #36 on: November 09, 2018, 02:30:07 PM »
I've decided to bump it up to 1,001 burpees for the month of November (30 per day x 30 days plus 101 for kicks (1,001 is also my USRSA number)). This will work out to an average of 42 per day (given I started a little late).

Running tally:
November
7   - 15
8   - 30
9   - 60
10 - 45
11 - 45
12 - 60
13 - 30
14 - 30
15 - 30
16 - 30
17 - 60
18 - 60
19 - 30
20 - 30
21 - 0*
22 - 60
23 - 45
24 - 60
25 - 80
26 - 60
27 - 30
28 - 30
29 - 30
30 - 51

Total: 1001
Average: 41.7

p.s. I guess I didn't know what a burpee is. I've been doing push-ups with each burpee, which according to Wikipedia is a 'bastardo'.

*Taken down by a bug on the 21st. Didn't want to sing a new verse for the 'Diarrhea' song (though I thought one up just in case!).
« Last Edit: November 30, 2018, 08:41:34 AM by Boofinator »

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #37 on: November 09, 2018, 03:55:58 PM »
Just finished my 9 burpees for the 9th.  No pushups today...I swam 25 minutes as well, and my little skinny shoulders can only handle so much.  I think DH did 10 this morning, so I'm assuming he'll do his other 10 when he gets back from his music gig this evening.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #38 on: November 09, 2018, 03:56:24 PM »
I've decided to bump it up to 1,001 burpees for the month of November (30 per day x 30 days plus 101 for kicks (plus 1,001 is my USRSA number)). This works out to an average of 42 per day (given I started a little late).

Running tally:
November
7 - 15
8 - 30
9 - 45

Total: 90

Nice!

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #39 on: November 10, 2018, 06:03:58 AM »
I did 35 this morning. I was on floor that was less grippy than what I’m used to so that made them a little more challenging.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #40 on: November 11, 2018, 11:03:30 AM »
Nice work everybody.

Nov 9th, 30 reps: 10 reps before breakfast, mid-afternoon, and before bed
Nov 10th, 30 reps: 10 reps before breakfast, mid-afternoon, and before bed

I'm not sure if it's from taking no rest days or what, but I'm starting to feel a bit more fatigued after 10 reps.  Not heart/lungs, but muscles.  It feels like my heart rate and breathing continue to improve.  I'm thinking about switching to two sets of 15 reps (morning and afternoon) or 10 reps in the morning and two sets of 10 in the afternoon rather than spreading them throughout the day.

young_money

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #41 on: November 11, 2018, 03:42:43 PM »
Sadly, I think I am going to bow out of this challenge.  Will continue trying to rep some burpees on off days from cardio/strength training sporadically, but have found it difficult to make them a priority in my daily routine.  I'm hoping that the first documented failure from me will make the achievements of everyone else in this thread more impressive.  Will keep following this thread, nonetheless.



Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #42 on: November 11, 2018, 04:33:29 PM »
Nice work everybody.

Nov 9th, 30 reps: 10 reps before breakfast, mid-afternoon, and before bed
Nov 10th, 30 reps: 10 reps before breakfast, mid-afternoon, and before bed

I'm not sure if it's from taking no rest days or what, but I'm starting to feel a bit more fatigued after 10 reps.  Not heart/lungs, but muscles.  It feels like my heart rate and breathing continue to improve.  I'm thinking about switching to two sets of 15 reps (morning and afternoon) or 10 reps in the morning and two sets of 10 in the afternoon rather than spreading them throughout the day.

You might need to take a day to recover if you are not seeing results or things are getting worse.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #43 on: November 11, 2018, 05:16:13 PM »
11 burpees without pushups today, sticking to my build-up-gradually schedule. Shoulders have stopped feeling sore, so will probably throw in some push ups tomorrow.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #44 on: November 12, 2018, 08:10:13 AM »
You might need to take a day to recover if you are not seeing results or things are getting worse.

Since I'm already working from a strong base (I've been training push-ups for several years, and I've run up flights of stairs a bunch of times per day, M-F for many years), it doesn't seem like I should really be challenging my muscles much when the reps are spread out throughout the day.  I've also been removing push-ups from my normal bodyweight training routine.  Anyway...I'll monitor and adjust if necessary.

Nov 11th, 30 reps: 10 reps per set morning, afternoon, and before bed.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #45 on: November 13, 2018, 06:14:08 AM »
Nov 12th, 30 reps:

 - 10 reps before breakfast
 - 20 reps in mid-afternoon (separated by ~5 mins)

I started getting a new pain in my left shoulder (previously was right shoulder) during the push-ups.  Noticed it in my 2nd and 3rd sets yesterday.  This morning it was still there in my morning set.  I'm going to switch to plank burpees and up the reps, and/or do pull-up burpees for a while to give that part of my shoulder a chance to rest.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2018, 06:16:32 AM by Bird In Hand »

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #46 on: November 14, 2018, 06:54:56 AM »
Nov 13th, 40 reps:

 - 10 reps (no push-ups) before breakfast
 - 10 reps (with pull-ups), plus 5 more without pull-ups mid-afternoon
 - 15 reps (no push-ups) early evening

Two notes:

1) It was awkward to combine burpees with pull-ups.  My pull-up bar is somewhat low, so I couldn't really grab the bar as part of the jump.  I had to complete the jump, then do a pull-up, then down to squat.  It completely ruined the flow of the exercise and I don't plan to do it again (at least with the bar that I'm currently using).

2) By eliminating the push-ups in my last set, everything moved quicker.  This led to noticeably more fatigue in my quads and calves by the 10th rep, and by the 15th it was quite a leg workout.

Bird In Hand

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #47 on: November 14, 2018, 03:29:43 PM »
Nov 14th, 30 reps: 15 before breakfast, 15 mid-afternoon -- all no-pushup

My shoulder feels fine now, so the plan going forward is to add push-ups back in every other day, at least for some of the sets.

Monocle Money Mouth

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 719
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #48 on: November 14, 2018, 03:31:29 PM »
Nov 14th, 30 reps: 15 before breakfast, 15 mid-afternoon -- all no-pushup

My shoulder feels fine now, so the plan going forward is to add push-ups back in every other day, at least for some of the sets.

Glad to hear you are feeling better. I got 35 in today.

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3789
Re: November Burpee Challenge
« Reply #49 on: November 14, 2018, 05:48:34 PM »
I did my 14 for the 14th, throwing in a few pushups as well b/c my shoulders are feeling ok.

The past 2 days I've been feeling notably stronger/better.  I'd really like to work up to 30 and then stick with it more or less permanently as a way to break up the sedentary hours of my typical work day.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!