Basic
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 4 | 4 | 90 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 8 Burpees
Pro program
30 burpees in a row: a 4-level program with no equipment
Thirty burpees in a row is an engine goal, not a muscle one. The program climbs from 4 sets of 4 to 5 sets of 12, with marks of 8, 14, 22 and 30 in a row, and uses long rests on purpose so each set stays fast instead of turning into a crawl.
The 4 levels, exercise by exercise
The reps per set are low compared to other programs, and that's deliberate: every burpee is a whole-body effort. Four sets of four tire you more than twenty squats, however small the number looks.
Medium
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 5 | 6 | 90 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 14 Burpees
High
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 5 | 9 | 2 min |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 22 Burpees
Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 5 | 12 | 2 min |
To complete the program in a single set
- 30 Burpees
All four levels are laid out on this page. Inside the app, levels two and up are part of Tatakae Pro.
Why the numbers look small
Four sets of four at the Basic level. Next to the 75 squats of the legs program it looks like a warm-up. It isn’t.
A burpee contains a squat, a plank, often a push-up and a jump, chained without pause. It’s the exercise in the catalogue with the highest cost per rep, and the only one where what stops you isn’t a specific muscle but your breathing. That’s why the whole program adds up to fewer reps than any other and still feels harder.
Tempo matters more than strength
In a set of twelve burpees, whoever starts fast ends up crawling. The pattern that works is steady and a little slower than your body asks for at the start: plant your hands under control, kick your feet all the way back, jump with intent.
When the tempo breaks, the two classic faults show up. The hips sag in the plank position, which turns the burpee into a back exercise. And the jump shrinks into a half-hearted rise onto your toes, which is exactly the part that makes the exercise what it is.
The progression, and why rests grow
The sets go 4×4, 5×6, 5×9 and 5×12. Volume climbs from 16 to 60 reps per session, and rest moves from 90 seconds to two minutes in the last two levels.
That long rest puzzles people who associate burpees with non-stop circuits. The logic is simple: the goal here isn’t to finish wrecked, it’s to reach thirty in a row. And for that, sets have to be done with form intact, not half-done for lack of air.
Where to put your phone
Side on, on the floor or low down, with plenty of room above so the jump fits in frame and in front for the plank position. It’s the exercise in the catalogue that needs the most room in the shot, because you go from lying down to jumping in a second.
Before your first set, check that your feet are visible in the plank position and that your head doesn’t leave the top of the frame on the jump. A clear background helps, especially since the movement is fast.
What to expect in the first weeks
The number climbing quickly at first and stalling around fifteen. That stall is almost never muscular: it’s that your breathing can’t hold the pace yet. It breaks by training slightly shorter, more frequent sets, not by attempting a record set every session.
Frequently asked questions
How many burpees should I do a day?
This program starts at 16 per session and ends at 60, three times a week. That's far less than the "100 burpees a day" challenges propose, and it progresses better: with burpees, volume without quality turns into broken form very fast.
Do burpees burn fat?
They burn a lot of calories per minute because they move the whole body, so they help your total expenditure. But losing fat depends on the balance between what you eat and what you spend across weeks, not on one exercise.
What's the correct burpee form?
From standing: squat down, plant your hands, kick your feet back to a plank, do the push-up if your version includes it, bring your feet back under you and jump with your hands overhead. The jump and the plank position are the two parts that can't be trimmed.
Can I do burpees without the jump?
Yes, and it's the most common adaptation if your knees complain or you live upstairs. Replace the jump with standing up briskly. The app counts the rep by the full movement, so it's worth keeping the rest of it intact.
Why is the rest so long?
Because the burpee is cardiovascular. With short rests the second set comes out at 60 per cent and form breaks: hips sag in the plank and the jump disappears. Ninety seconds or two minutes let all five sets resemble each other.
How long does it take to reach 30 in a row?
The estimate is eight weeks at three sessions a week. It's the program where your cardiovascular starting point matters most: someone who runs or cycles moves far faster than someone starting from nothing.