I Did 100 Burpees a Day for 30 Days — This Is What Happened

As a seasoned personal trainer with over 17 years in the trenches, I’ve primarily focused on bodybuilding-style workouts. However, in 2024, I wanted to shake up my training regimen considerably by engaging in the most demanding 30-day fitness challenges designed to drag me out of my comfort zone. High on the list were the infamous burpees.

It all started when a client asked me if they could transform their bodies with just burpees, which combine a squat, push-up, plank (isometric), and jump (plyometric). 

Burpees hit every muscle group and boost your heart rate, turning your body into a calorie-torching machine. Plus, there’s that undeniable satisfaction of completing a tough burpee set. My trainer brain could not resist the urge to do 100 burpees a day as a 30-day challenge. 

Spoiler alert: It wasn’t a walk in the park. The first week was especially humbling, reminding me that cardiovascular endurance is as important as strength training. But my body adapted around the second week, getting me closer to my objectives. (1)

In this article, I share the gritty details of my 30-day challenge — the good, the bad, and the sweaty. You’ll learn everything you need to know if you’re thinking about starting your own daily burpee challenge. 

Setting the Stage: My Original Fitness Level

Before we get into the month of burpee madness, let’s talk about the starting point, as it’s essential to understand where you’re coming from to gauge the true impact of a grueling fitness challenge like this. It will also help you scale this program if you plan on giving it a shot. 

Since my job requires me to stay on my feet for most of the day, I consider myself a pretty active individual. Additionally, I strength train six days a week and am no stranger to cardio. But, burpees are not my forte, and had never done more than 10 to 15 of them in a workout. 

That said, I didn’t particularly despise burpees. Thanks to my strength training routine, I didn’t mind doing 100 squats and push-ups. However, I wasn’t too sure about the plyometrics and if my cardiovascular system would be able to handle that. I knew the high intensity of doing 100 burpees would test my cardio limits like I had never experienced before. 

In a study published in the Perceptual and Motor Skills journal, burpee interval training was associated with more positive psychological responses than sprint interval training and vigorous-intensity continuous training. (2)

Before I embarked on this challenge, I had three main concerns: Can my joints handle the strain of 100 burpees daily? Can I balance this challenge with my existing training routine? Do I run the risk of overtraining?

Nonetheless, I wasn’t going to allow these doubts to stop me. I wanted to use this challenge as an opportunity to push my limits and break through overhead ceilings. 

Weekly Summary: 30-Day Burpee Challenge

Now that I’m done with the 3,000 burpees, I can attest that this challenge is not for the faint of heart. It will test your grit and commitment. Here is an overview of my month:

Week One

I knew the first month would be incredibly demanding, so I divided my burpees into two sets: the first 50 in the morning as a pre-workout warm-up routine and the rest in the evening after finishing work. I started with 10 sets of 10 burpees and used rest-pause techniques in the final couple of sets. 

There were a few modifications, too. For example, on leg days, I did the morning split after the training session, which turned out to be brutal for my chest, shoulders, and quads. Notably, I had delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after a very long time, which was proof that I was on the right path. 

By the end of the first week, self-doubts had turned into an almost addictive determination to get through this challenge. 

Week Two

If you have ever trained for CrossFit, you would know that cycling through a higher number of burpees requires rhythm. Finding a rhythm became my biggest objective in Week Two. 

I spread the 10 sets of 10 burpees throughout the day due to time constraints. It also helped me perform the 10 burpees at a high intensity without compromising form. 

I saw considerably lower muscle soreness in the second week, which was a signal my body was adapting to the new stimulus. Plus, I noticed a better definition in my core and arms. It was also because I stuck to the same diet and the higher physical activity put me in a calorie deficit. 

That isn’t it. Since I was doing a set of burpees every few hours, endorphins flowed through my body the entire day, boosting my mood.

Week Three

I’ll be honest: every day was not the same. On some days, I hit a wall, and the 100 reps of burpees felt like 1,000. These days, I had to adjust my sets, focusing on quality over speed. 

My body didn’t change much in the third week. My muscle definition was almost unchanged from the previous week, and my endurance was almost the same. That said, I did feel stronger in my usual strength training routine. 

It was also when boredom started to set in, and I felt like discontinuing the whole thing. I had to dig deep for motivation, reminding myself of how far I had come and the changes I desired. 

Week Four

The first day of the fourth week fired me up, and I was fueled by the finish line. I pushed things one step further and added more challenging burpee variations, like box jumps and pull-up burpees. Plus, I switched to doing all 100 reps in a single go, which was a whole new challenge in itself. 

The change in the training regime made me feel leaner and more explosive, pushing my endurance through the roof. The fourth week transformed my body and my mind, showing me the power of consistency and the importance of pushing through mental barriers.

Physical Changes: 100 Burpees Daily Results

Make no mistake: a month of daily burpees will change you. Below, I share how it impacted my anthropometric measurements. 

Body Measurements

Individual experiences can be influenced and faulty, but numbers don’t lie. Here are the tangible changes burpees had on my physique.

Measurement	Before (Day 1)	After (Day 30)
Resting Heart Rate	72 bpm	68 bpm
Body Weight	175 pounds	170 pounds
Body Fat %	16%	12%
Waist	34 inches	32 inches

The biggest change in my physique has been the resting heart rate. I probably couldn’t have imagined that doing 100 burpees daily would drop my resting heart rate by four beats per minute. 

For people who are not in the know, a decrease in the resting heart rate due to exercise signifies improved heart efficiency, increased fitness level, and reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions. 

Not to mention, the smaller waistline accentuates your entire physique. Plus, I saw my abs after a very long time, which was indeed a very pleasurable sight. 

Strength and Endurance Gains

Some of us are more interested in strength and endurance gains. So, let’s talk about the impact of doing 3,000 burpees on these factors. 

Strength

I performed CrossFit-style burpees in this challenge, meaning chest to the ground with each rep and being as explosive as possible. This helped improve my overall pushing strength, which carried over to compound exercises like bench presses, overhead presses, triceps press-downs, and sled pushes. I have gained a minimum of 10 pounds on almost every pushing exercise. 

Not to mention, my lower body strength also saw a massive gain, thanks to all those air squats and jumps. Lunges and squats have never felt so easy. 

Endurance

Even after performing 100 burpees daily for 30 days, this exercise still causes a deep heart and muscle burn every time. However, feeling exhausted after climbing a flight of stairs is a distant memory now as my lung and work capacity have improved significantly. 

Bumps in the Road

Irrespective of how fit you are, this challenge will be challenging. Here are a few things I encountered:

• Muscle Soreness: The first week was brutal, and it felt like my muscles were waging war against me. Foam rolling and Epsom salt baths were critical aspects of my recovery besides following a balanced diet and recovery program. 
• Minor Tweaks: When doing 100 daily burpees, you want to get through them as quickly as possible. However, this hurry can sometimes cost you dearly. I had a slight knee niggle on day 17, which had me worried. But rest and gentle stretching helped me get over it. 

Mental and Emotional Benefits of Doing 100 Daily Burpees

Here is the psychological impact of doing 3,000 burpees in a month:

Mental Fortitude

You don’t understand the mental challenge of doing 100 daily burpees until you try them. This 30-day challenge is a masterclass in the philosophy ‘the body achieves what the mind believes.’ The first five to 10 burpees might feel easy, but every rep after that stings like a bee. You need an iron will to get through all the 100 reps, especially if you plan on doing all of them in a single session. 

Your mental fortitude and resilience will be your weapons, carrying you through your workouts when your muscles scream for mercy. You will undoubtedly come out mentally sharper and stronger after this 30-day challenge. 

Mindset Shift

No two days were the same. While on some days, I wanted to beat my previous best of unbroken burpees, on others, they were the last thing I wanted to do. Nonetheless, my energy levels shifted as soon as I got started. 

I also used burpees to blow off steam on days when I was dealing with anxiety and work pressure, and it turned out to be the best thing I could do. All in all, the post-burpee high is undeniable. 

As the weeks progressed, I found myself looking forward to the daily challenge, and the 100 burpees became my daily ritual. There were days when I used them to test my limits and prove to myself that I could do hard things day in and day out. Not to mention, this confidence carried over to other challenges I usually would have avoided. 

The Lessons Learned

When you do a month of burpees, you are bound to walk away with takeaways. Here are mine:

• Body’s Incredible Adaptability: The first week of this challenge pushed me to the limit. My heart burned and muscles ached after each session. But, all that subsided as I kept with this practice.
• Role of the Mind: Doing 100 burpees daily requires a ton of grit, and I had to push through several “I can’t” moments before I could overcome the mental hurdles. 
• Consistency: Achieving your fitness goals is all about consistency and dedication. This challenge teaches you plenty of that. 
• Joy of Movement: I won’t lie; burpees aren’t a walk in the park. However, every burpee session brings a ton of joy and satisfaction. This has become one of my favorite stress busters. 

Conclusion

Was the 100 burpee-a-day challenge worth it? Absolutely! However, this wasn’t just about physical results (though those were impressive). It is as effective for building a robust mindset and an iron will. 

If you’re looking for a way to shock your body and mind into a new level of fitness, I highly recommend giving the 100 burpees a day challenge a shot. However, it won’t be easy — but that’s the whole point of this challenge. 

More challenges:

• I Did 200 Jump Ropes Daily Before Breakfast — This Is What Happened to My Stamina and Weight
• I Did 100 Air Squats a Day for a Month – You Won’t Believe What Happened!
• I Walked 10,000 Steps A Day for A Year – Here’s What Happened

References:

1. Polevoy, G., Cazan, F., Padulo, J., & Ardigò, L. P. (2022). The Influence of Burpee on Endurance and Short-Term Memory of Adolescents. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(18), 11778. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811778
2. Mayr Ojeda, E., Castro, F. A. S., Reich, M., Astorino, T. A., & Benítez-Flores, S. (2022). Burpee Interval Training Is Associated With a More Favorable Affective Valence and Psychological Response Than Traditional High-Intensity Exercise. Perceptual and motor skills, 129(3), 767–786. https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125221083180

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