I did 20 burpee deadlifts a day for a week — here's what happened to my body

When it comes to building your lower body muscles, squats and lunges are probably the first exercises that come to mind, and for good reason — both target most of the major muscle groups in your legs, and will help you build strength. Whether you’re a runner or a cyclist, strong leg muscles are important and will help keep your body balanced, and prevent injuries.

But what if you’re bored of your regular leg day workouts, and want to get your abs and upper body involved too? I added burpee deadlifts to my strength training sessions for a month, and this finisher sent my heart rate skyrocketing. Read on to find out more.

What is a burpee deadlift?

As the name suggests, a burpee deadlift combines these two moves. To get the most out of the exercise, you’ll want a set of the best adjustable dumbbells or two of the best kettlebells. When it comes to selecting the right weight for you, remember that the exercise should feel difficult, but not impossible, by the final few reps. At no point should the weight be compromising your form.

Here’s how to do a burpee deadlift:

• Start by placing two dumbbells at one end of your exercise mat — you’ll need enough space between them to jump your feet through.
• Bend down and take a dumbbell in each hand and in one smooth motion, jump your legs back so you are in a high plank position, with a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
• Jump your feet forward, in-between the dumbbells, and use your legs to stand up, performing a deadlift, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Lower the dumbbells back to the ground, and jump your feet back to a high plank.
• Repeat until you’ve completed all your reps.

Remember to move with good form. Avoid arching your back as you deadlift by keeping your core engaged and your chest open. As you get used to the move, speed up to increase your calorie burn and endurance.

What are the benefits?

You get an awful lot of bang for your buck with this exercise — you’re working your lower body, upper body and core at the same time. Unlike squats and lunges, a burpee deadlift will raise your heart rate quickly, building strength and endurance while burning calories.

The deadlift element to this move is great for building strong leg muscles. You’ll work your posterior chain — the group of muscles on the back of your body, including your back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Your core is also working hard in a dumbbell deadlift to stabilize your torso as you lift.

I did burpee deadlifts everyday for a week — here's what happened

I do three strength sessions a week, and usually add some sort of finisher to torch my legs before folding up my exercise mat. For the past few weeks, this has been burpee deadlifts, and I’ve really felt the move in my entire body. I also added these to my pre-run warm-up on days when I wasn't strength training, although this wouldn't be part of my normal routine. Remember, it's important to have rest days to allow your muscles to recover.

I upped the ante each session

I started by using a set of 8kg dumbbells and set a 45-second timer, completing as many reps as possible. Over the next few weeks, I increased this to 60 seconds, and while the exercise never got easier, my form improved.

I really had to focus on jumping my legs in between the dumbbells in one smooth movement, and engaging my core as I grabbed the dumbbells and completed the deadlift. It's easy to arch the back and neck as you lift, so I worked on keeping my eyegaze forward.

This move sent my heart rate soaring

There's a reason why this move is used in CrossFit workouts — it sends your heart rate soaring. A lot of CrossFit exercises work include dynamic exercises like plyometric jumping and explosive bodyweight movements. This move ticks all those boxes and can help improve your aerobic fitness.

What are you waiting for? If you’re looking for a deadlift variation that’ll leave you sweating, add this one to your next workout.

More from Tom's Guide

• Deadlifts are the best compound exercise for strengthening your entire body — 3 variations to try
• Forget sit-ups — you only need 3 standing ab exercises, 15 minutes, and 1 kettlebell to build your core
• How to do a Romanian deadlift with great form