The 3-Minute Burpee Test: A Minimalistic Alternative to the Conventional Estimated Oxygen Uptake [VO2max] Test

[fbgah]

Full text.

Researchers found a ~0.8 correlation between a max burpees* performed in 3 mins ('3 min burpee test'/3MBT) and VO2max estimated using the 'Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test' (a running-based procedure) in 127 recreationally trained young men**.

Practicing burpees should improve 3MBT performance, so it should also improve VO2max. This makes burpees a credible option for aerobic exercise.

*Without a pushup or jump, for ease of adjudication.

EDIT:
**These were male Japanese students; mean age ~19, mean body mass 61.5 kg, mean height 1.67m! (See below.)! ie Young and quite small people by western standards; the VO2max results may not scale well to a more varied population.

However, I still think this paper supports the general idea of using burpees as a form of cardiovascular exercise.

*w/h[sup]2[/sup] = bmi, => h = sqr(w/bmi) = sqrt(61.5/21.95)

 

[ben19]

@fbgah So my VO2max is the number of “burpees” I can do in 3 minutes times .2 plus 36?

 

[discombobulated1]

@ben19 Doesn't seem like it scales that well past a V02max of about 50. Looks like anybody in the study who could do more than ~ 85 burpees in the study was above the line of best fit.

The reasonable time to complete even their simplified condensed form of a burpee starts to become unreasonable at the upper end.

A VO2max of 60 isn't crazy for very good male recreational endurance athletes (would still probably put you in the top 1%-%5 of the over population I think depending on your age), but 120+ burpees in 3 minutes seem pretty nuts to me. Could just be my skewed perspective as an avid runner though.

 

[fbgah]

@discombobulated1

Looks like anybody in the study who could do more than ~ 85 burpees in the study was above the line of best fit.

Valid observation; almost the opposite case holds under 45 burpees. I hope this gets redone with a larger sample.

but 120+ burpees in 3 minutes seem pretty nuts to me.

Did you notice the burpee style (no pushup or jump)? It should be quick to perform. Also these were male Japanese students; mean body mass 61.5 kg, mean height 1.67m*!

*w/h[sup]2[/sup] = bmi, => h = sqr(w/bmi) = sqrt(61.5/21.95)

 

[fbgah]

@ben19 Yeah, the equation on Fig 4 gets you a ballpark estimate of (the YoYo IRT estimate of) VO2max. But note the burpee style (no pushup or jump, just a squat thrust with an overhead clap) &:

>The 3MBT was performed with particular attention to correct posture, rather than aiming for speed of repetition.

 

[nicogarzanderson]

@ben19 is this (burpees * .2) + 36 or burpees * (.2 + 36)

also is 36 just a variable for age? if so where in the paper does it mention that part of the forumla?

 

[fbgah]

@nicogarzanderson The formula on Figure 4; 36 is just the intercept of the regression line.

 

[nicogarzanderson]

@fbgah very intersting. any video example of what type of burpee they are talking about in this research?

 

[verah]

@nicogarzanderson The paper has a sequence of images. Basically sit down, get in a push up plank position, stand up and do the Y in the YMCA dance. Repeat.

 

[nicogarzanderson]

@verah squat* not sit

 

[wondering098]

@nicogarzanderson I'm sitting on my calves.

1efinition of sit: To rest with the torso vertical and the body supported on the buttocks.

2:To rest with the hindquarters lowered onto a supporting surface. Used of animals

Love when definitions kinda support BS arguments.

 

[fbgah]

@verah

do the Y in the YMCA dance.

Actually there's a clap above the head!

 

[88lance]

@fbgah Yeah man.

 

[fbgah]

@88lance Oh is that in the YMCA dance already?

 

[godsgirl12]

@nicogarzanderson Is the series of pictures in the study not sufficient?

 

[fbgah]

@nicogarzanderson tbh for training purposes any kind should do; for testing it's the 4-count burpee described in the paper.

 

[justabirdwatcher]

@fbgah What the fuck is a burpee without a push up or jump? Thats like saying a a grilled cheese without bread or cheese.

 

[ctay6318]

@justabirdwatcher Standard, original 4 count burpee doesn't have push up or jump

 

[spencer5150]

@ctay6318 So you are just getting up and down?

 

[ctay6318]

@spencer5150 Yeah Dr. Burpee created it as general population cardio assessment, 4 reps per test. The military took the template and modified it to be a max rep count test. Eventually they (probably some sadist trainers) started adding push up and jump, so the push up or jump are military variant of burpee.