Basic
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 3 | 4 | 45 s |
| Squat | 3 | 10 | 30 s |
| Push-up | 3 | 6 | 30 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 3 | 10 | 30 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 6 Burpees
- 15 Squat
- 8 Push-up
- 12 Abdominal Crunch
Pro program
A home calisthenics circuit: 4 exercises, 4 levels
Total Burn is a short circuit of four exercises chained with 30 to 45 seconds of rest: burpees, squats, push-ups and crunches. Moving up a level means clearing the mark on all four, not just one, which makes it the program that least lets you hide a weak link.
The 4 levels, exercise by exercise
All four exercises gate a level here. You can have squats to spare and still be stuck on push-ups: the level doesn't open until all four marks are hit, each one in a single set.
Medium
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 4 | 6 | 45 s |
| Squat | 3 | 15 | 30 s |
| Push-up | 3 | 10 | 30 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 3 | 15 | 30 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 10 Burpees
- 25 Squat
- 14 Push-up
- 20 Abdominal Crunch
High
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 4 | 8 | 45 s |
| Squat | 4 | 20 | 30 s |
| Push-up | 4 | 12 | 30 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 4 | 20 | 30 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 15 Burpees
- 35 Squat
- 20 Push-up
- 30 Abdominal Crunch
Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 5 | 10 | 45 s |
| Squat | 4 | 25 | 30 s |
| Push-up | 4 | 15 | 30 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 4 | 25 | 30 s |
To complete the program in a single set
- 20 Burpees
- 45 Squat
- 28 Push-up
- 40 Abdominal Crunch
All four levels are laid out on this page. Inside the app, levels two and up are part of Tatakae Pro.
A circuit, not four separate exercises
The difference between this program and doing the same four exercises on your own is the rests. Thirty seconds between sets and forty-five after burpees aren’t enough to recover fully, and that’s the point: keeping the work continuous across the whole session.
That’s also why the reps per set are lower than in the single-goal programs. Ten squats at the Basic level, when the legs program starts at fifteen, because here they arrive after burpees and before push-ups.
Why all four exercises gate the level
It’s the only program in the catalogue with four simultaneous marks per level, and that turns it into a diagnosis. Almost everyone arrives with an imbalance: legs to spare and pressing lagging, or a core that holds while the burpees fall apart.
The level doesn’t open until all four marks fall. It’s demanding, but it avoids the classic circuit problem, which is progressing only at what you’re already good at.
The order matters
Burpees first, while you’re fresh, because they’re the ones that lose form fastest under fatigue and carry the most risk when done badly. Then squats, which move a lot of muscle mass. Then push-ups and, last, crunches, the exercise that suffers least from arriving tired.
Flip the order and put burpees at the end and the session gets harder without getting more useful.
Where to put your phone
Side on, on the floor or low down, with room above for the burpee jump and in front for the plank position. It’s the most demanding framing in the catalogue, because it has to work for four different exercises without you moving it between sets.
Before starting, check you fit in frame in the plank position, standing, and jumping. If something doesn’t fit, move the phone half a metre further back.
When this program makes sense
When you have half an hour, want to train the whole body, and prefer a session that feels like a complete workout rather than repeating one movement. It also works well as maintenance between single-goal programs, keeping your conditioning while your body takes a break from one specific target.
Frequently asked questions
Is a circuit like this good for losing fat?
It helps your calorie expenditure and keeps muscle while you're in a deficit, which is what matters. But fat loss is decided by a sustained calorie balance over time, not by the circuit. No exercise burns fat from a specific area.
How long does a session take?
Between 20 and 30 minutes at the first levels, counting the 30 to 45 second rests. The Advanced level runs to about 35 minutes because it adds more burpee sets.
Is this better than a single-goal program?
Depends what you're after. If you want a specific number, like 50 push-ups, a single-goal program gets there sooner. If you want general conditioning and one session that trains the whole body in half an hour, the circuit is better.
Can I do it every day?
Not advisable. Burpees and push-ups need recovery, and in a circuit fatigue piles up everywhere at once. Three sessions a week on alternate days works best.
Why are the rests so short?
Because the goal here is conditioning, not maximal strength. Thirty seconds keeps your heart rate up across the whole session. It's the opposite of the burpee program, where long rests exist to protect the quality of each set.
What if I stall on just one exercise?
That's normal, and it's the most useful information this program gives you. Train that exercise separately for a couple of weeks with short, frequent sets, and come back to the circuit once the mark is close.