Walk Burpee

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine with your chest lifted.
3. Position yourself with enough clear space behind you to step back into a full plank.

How to do it

1. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Step one foot back into a high plank position, followed immediately by the other foot, inhaling as you move.
3. Step the lead foot forward toward your hands, followed by the trailing foot, returning to a deep squat position.
4. Exhale as you stand up fully, reaching your arms overhead, and alternate the lead stepping leg for the next repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your back flat and core braced to prevent your hips from sagging in the plank.
• Ensure your hands are stacked directly under your shoulders when stepping back.
• Maintain a 'proud chest' and avoid rounding your spine during the squat transitions.
• Step softly to minimize impact and maintain total body control.

Pro tips

• Establish a rhythmic '1-2-3-4' count for the stepping phase to maintain a consistent cardiovascular pace.
• Drive through your heels as you stand up to maximize glute and quadriceps activation.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement to improve postural engagement.

Make it harder

• Add a full push-up once you have stepped back into the high plank position.
• Hold a light pair of dumbbells throughout the movement to increase the resistance on the legs and shoulders.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the walk burpee work?

The walk burpee primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the walk burpee?

The walk burpee requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the walk burpee good for beginners?

The walk burpee is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Assault Bike RunIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Mixed Grip DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius