Navy SEAL Burpee: Execution, Benefits, Modifications, and Safety

How to do navy seal burpees?

The Navy SEAL burpee is an advanced, full-body conditioning exercise that combines elements of a traditional burpee with push-ups and renegade rows, demanding significant cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and precise control.

What is the Navy SEAL Burpee?

The Navy SEAL burpee is a highly demanding, multi-joint exercise that builds upon the foundational burpee by integrating two push-ups and two renegade rows (one per arm) within each repetition. This modification significantly increases the time under tension, muscular recruitment, and cardiovascular demand, making it a formidable tool for enhancing overall fitness, power, and resilience. Unlike a standard burpee which primarily focuses on a squat-thrust-push-up-jump sequence, the Navy SEAL variant adds a critical upper-body and core stability component through the plank position and rowing movements.

Muscles Worked

The comprehensive nature of the Navy SEAL burpee engages nearly every major muscle group in the body, providing a full-body workout.

• Primary Movers:
  • Quads (Quadriceps Femoris): Engaged during the squat, jump, and leg-drive phases.
  • Glutes (Gluteus Maximus, Medius, Minimus): Power the jump and squat, stabilize the hips.
  • Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus): Assist in the squat and landing mechanics.
  • Chest (Pectoralis Major/Minor): Primarily activated during the push-up phases.
  • Shoulders (Deltoids - Anterior, Medial, Posterior): Involved in the push-up, plank stability, and rowing.
  • Triceps (Triceps Brachii): Primary extensors during the push-up.
  • Back (Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboids, Trapezius): Crucial for the renegade row, scapular retraction, and overall postural stability.
• Secondary Movers & Stabilizers:
  • Core (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Erector Spinae): Essential for maintaining a rigid plank, stabilizing the spine during rows, and preventing uncontrolled movement.
  • Biceps (Biceps Brachii): Engaged concentrically during the renegade rows.
  • Forearms & Grip: Significantly challenged during the renegade rows, especially if using dumbbells.
  • Calves (Gastrocnemius, Soleus): Contribute to the explosive jump.

Step-by-Step Execution

Executing the Navy SEAL burpee with proper form is paramount to maximize benefits and minimize injury risk. This exercise is often performed with light dumbbells for the renegade row component, though it can be done without.

1. Starting Position (Standing): Begin standing tall with feet hip-width apart. If using dumbbells, hold one in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) at your sides.
2. Squat Down: Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower into a deep squat, placing your hands (or dumbbells) on the floor just outside your feet, shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up and back straight.
3. Kick Back to Plank: In one fluid motion, kick your feet back behind you, landing in a high plank position. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Ensure your core is braced, and your wrists are directly under your shoulders.
4. First Push-up: Perform one full push-up. Lower your chest towards the floor, keeping elbows tucked close to your body, then push back up to the plank position. Maintain a rigid plank throughout.
5. First Renegade Row (Right Arm): With your core tightly braced to prevent hip rotation, pull the right dumbbell (or your right hand if bodyweight) up towards your right armpit. Focus on pulling with your back muscles and squeezing your shoulder blade. Lower the dumbbell back to the floor with control.
6. Second Renegade Row (Left Arm): Immediately repeat the renegade row on the left side, pulling the left dumbbell up towards your left armpit, maintaining core stability. Lower the dumbbell back to the floor.
7. Second Push-up: Perform a second full push-up, lowering your chest and pushing back up to the plank position.
8. Jump Feet Forward: Explosively jump your feet forward towards your hands, landing in a deep squat position similar to step 2.
9. Explosive Jump Up: From the squat, drive through your heels and explode upwards into a vertical jump, reaching your arms overhead (or holding dumbbells at your sides if using them). Land softly with slightly bent knees to absorb the impact.
10. Return to Start: Immediately transition back into the starting standing position to prepare for the next repetition.

Benefits of the Navy SEAL Burpee

Incorporating the Navy SEAL burpee into your routine offers a multitude of physiological advantages:

• Superior Cardiovascular Conditioning: The continuous, high-intensity nature of the exercise elevates heart rate rapidly, significantly improving aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
• Enhanced Muscular Strength and Endurance: It simultaneously works multiple muscle groups, building strength in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, core, quads, and glutes, while also improving muscular endurance through sustained effort.
• Full-Body Power Development: The explosive jump component trains the fast-twitch muscle fibers, contributing to increased power output in the lower body.
• Improved Core Stability: The renegade row demands exceptional anti-rotational core strength, crucial for spinal health and athletic performance.
• Metabolic Boost: As a compound, high-intensity movement, it creates a significant "afterburn effect" (EPOC), leading to increased calorie expenditure post-workout.
• Functional Fitness: It mimics real-world movements, improving coordination, agility, and overall body control, which translates to better performance in daily activities and other sports.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Precision in form is critical to prevent injury and maximize the effectiveness of this demanding exercise.

• Sagging Hips or Arching Back: During the plank and push-up phases, maintain a rigid straight line from head to heels. Allowing the hips to sag or arch the back places undue stress on the lumbar spine. Engage your core and glutes.
• Incomplete Range of Motion (ROM): Ensure full push-ups (chest close to the ground) and a complete jump (feet leaving the ground). Half-reps diminish the exercise's effectiveness.
• Rushing the Renegade Rows: The renegade row requires controlled movement. Avoid jerking the weight up or rotating the hips excessively. Focus on stable shoulders and a braced core.
• Poor Hand Placement: Hands should be directly under the shoulders in the plank position to provide a stable base for push-ups and rows.
• Hyperextending the Neck: Keep your neck in a neutral position, in line with your spine, throughout the exercise. Avoid looking too far up or letting your head drop.
• Lack of Control in Transitions: Each phase should flow smoothly into the next, but with control. Don't simply drop into the plank or flop back to the squat.

Modifications and Progressions

The Navy SEAL burpee can be adapted to suit various fitness levels.

• For Beginners:
  • Elevated Push-ups: Perform push-ups with hands on an elevated surface (bench, sturdy box) to reduce the load.
  • Step-Back Plank: Instead of jumping back into the plank, step one leg back at a time.
  • Knee Push-ups: Perform push-ups from your knees, maintaining a straight line from head to knees.
  • Bodyweight Renegade Rows: Perform the rowing motion without dumbbells, focusing on the scapular retraction and core engagement.
  • No Jump: Omit the final jump, simply standing up from the squat.
• For Advanced Athletes:
  • Weighted Vest: Add a weighted vest to increase resistance.
  • Plyometric Push-ups: Incorporate an explosive clap push-up.
  • Increased Repetitions/Sets: Gradually increase the volume of your workout.
  • Faster Tempo (with control): Perform repetitions more quickly, ensuring form is not compromised.
  • Single-Arm Burpee (Advanced): Progress to a one-armed burpee variation for an extreme challenge.

Integrating into Your Workout

The Navy SEAL burpee is a versatile exercise that can be incorporated into various workout protocols:

• Warm-up: A few repetitions at a slower pace can be an effective dynamic warm-up.
• Main Workout: Perform as part of a circuit training routine, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, or as a standalone exercise for time or repetitions.
• Finisher: Use a set of Navy SEAL burpees at the end of a workout to maximize metabolic stress and calorie burn.
• Rep/Set Recommendations: For strength and power, aim for 3-5 sets of 5-8 repetitions. For conditioning, aim for 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions, or perform for a set duration (e.g., 30-60 seconds) with short rests. Adjust based on your current fitness level.

Safety Considerations

While highly effective, the Navy SEAL burpee is demanding and requires attention to safety.

• Listen to Your Body: Do not push through sharp pain. Discomfort is normal, but pain indicates a potential issue.
• Proper Warm-up: Always perform a dynamic warm-up before attempting this exercise to prepare your muscles and joints.
• Hydration: Ensure adequate hydration before, during, and after your workout.
• Consult a Professional: If you have pre-existing medical conditions, joint issues, or are new to intense exercise, consult with a healthcare provider or a certified fitness professional before attempting Navy SEAL burpees.
• Progression: Do not attempt this advanced variation until you have mastered the standard burpee and feel comfortable with push-ups and renegade rows individually.
• Surface: Perform on a stable, non-slip surface.