Challenge: The 3-Minute Burpee Elite – Can You Hit the Athlete Benchmark?

Many people start losing motivation after a few months of training. Training without an end objective can feel like staring into a bottomless pit. This is where quick fitness challenges shine.

These tests help you assess your current fitness levels and find any weaknesses.

The 3-minute burpee gauntlet outshines all these tests and has been going viral on social media lately. It leaves no muscles untouched and lights up your cardiovascular system like a Christmas tree.

Several functional fitness and CrossFit communities consider burpees as the ultimate measure of conditioning, and for good reason.

In this article, I break down the specifics of this challenge, including how it tests and improves your endurance, conditioning, and mental grit, and also share tips on how you can join the elite ranks. We have a lot to unpack, so sit tight and read on.

What Is the 3-Minute Burpee Gauntlet?

The challenge is pretty simple: you must perform 70-85 chest-to-floor burpees in three minutes to join the elite ranks.

Here’s what you should aim for:

• Women: 72-83 reps
• Men: 76-85 reps

These numbers aren’t pulled out of thin air. I arrived at these benchmarks after spending 50-plus hours studying elite CrossFit and HYROX athletes and military personnel. Plus, I referenced a study that evaluated the performance of 9,833 individuals aged between 18 and 25. (1)

Athletes who can hit this mark have exceptional conditioning, power, and stamina.

This challenge requires a full-send effort that will test your endurance, strength, and willpower.

Remember, following a picture-perfect form is vital in this challenge as it standardizes your performance so it can be compared to the best in business. Here is how to perform this exercise:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-width stance.
2. Flex your ankles, knees, and hips to lower into a squat while lowering your hands towards the floor.
3. Frog jump your legs behind your body as soon as your hands touch the floor to get into a high plank position.
4. Lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows.
5. Reverse the motion, and explode into a jump with your arms reaching skyward as you return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the recommended reps.

Training to Crush the 3-Minute Burpee Gauntlet

Completing 70-85 burpees is as mentally challenging as it is physically demanding. You need strong muscles, cardiovascular endurance, and mental resilience to complete this challenge.

I have seen clients falter at 40 reps, not from fatigue but from a wavering mindset.

You might hit a wall at several points during this challenge, and you must have the grit and patience to get through it.

Keeping all this in mind, I have designed a training blueprint that will prime you for this challenge.

6-Week Burpee Conditioning Plan 

You will train four days a week, mixing high-intensity sessions with strength and mobility work.

Focus on your form and endurance in the first two weeks. In weeks three and four, ramp up the training volume. Finally, prioritize improving your speed and recovery in the final two weeks.

Sample Workouts To Prep For the 3-Minute Burpee Challenge

Each of the sessions listed below should last anywhere between 45-60 minutes:

• Burpee Intervals: Perform 30 seconds of max-effort burpees, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat for eight rounds.
• EMOMS: Do 10 burpees every minute for 10 minutes. Perform anywhere between 6 and 12 reps based on your fitness level.
• Strength Training: Do compound lifts like deadlifts (3 sets of 8) and bench press (3 sets of 10) twice weekly to build full-body strength.
• Mobility Work: Spend 10 minutes post-workout doing static stretches.

It doesn’t end here. You should also perform exercises like squats, push-ups, and sprints that can boost your burpee performance.

Why Burpees? The Science Behind the Movement

Burpees are a full-body exercise that engages every major muscle group, helping improve strength, cardiovascular health, and core stability.

Your quads, glutes, and hamstrings power the squat and jump, while your chest, shoulders, and triceps are engaged in the push-up. Plus, you must keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your spine.

Burpees mirror real-life movements, think scrambling to your feet or leaping over obstacles. Getting better at this exercise can improve your athleticism and functionality.

It doesn’t here here. If you have ever tried burpees before, you would know that they ignite your heart rate and push it to near-maximum levels within seconds. This can boost your cardiovascular and muscular endurance for high-intensity efforts and spike your calorie expenditure. (2)

I have firsthand seen many of my clients’ resting metabolism spike after consistent burpee training. These athletes also reported feeling mentally sharper, and their stamina and recovery improved. There could not be a better proof of the effectiveness of this exercise. (3)

But Why 3 Minutes?

During my research, I found that three minutes strikes a perfect balance as it taxes your anaerobic and aerobic systems. You will feel a deep burn in your muscles as the lactic acid builds and your lungs fight to keep up.

This duration is long enough to push your limits, but short enough that you can give an all-out effort. Only people with good metabolic conditioning can complete this challenge.

Plus, the best thing about this challenge is that you do not need any equipment for it. You can perform this workout in the comfort of your living room. All you need is a willingness to dig deep.

Since burpees are a body weight exercise, they are incredibly versatile and can be adapted for everyone, depending on their training experience.

Debunking Misconceptions

Contrary to what most people think, burpees aren’t just for cardio. Since you handle your body weight, it can help build upper and lower body muscle. And unlike running on a treadmill, burpees demand coordination, balance, and power, making them a better bang for your training buck.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

In my experience, starting too fast is the most common mistake people make. I have seen clients hit 20 reps in 45 seconds, only to collapse by the end of the second minute.

Before you start any time-based challenge, take a minute to devise a strategy and break down the reps into manageable chunks. Pacing yourselves and sticking to the original plan can help you achieve the most brutal challenges.

Also, I recommend taking a break as soon as you notice your form breaking. Performing this full-body exercise with poor form wastes significant energy and increases injury risk.

Don’t Overlook Recovery

It’s easy to overlook recovery when you are chasing elite fitness standards. However, pushing yourself to the limit in each workout without optimal recovery invites burnout and injury. Sleep for at least eight hours each night to give your muscles ample time to recuperate.

Use this TDEE calculator to determine your ideal daily calorie and macronutrient intake to promote optimal recovery.

Setting Realistic Goals

Most people give up before achieving their fitness objectives. Setting unrealistic goals is one of the biggest reasons behind this.

Your motivation starts waning when you are pushing yourself to your limit in each workout, but you don’t have any results to show for it. Plus, it also puts you at a higher risk of injuries that can put you out of action for multiple weeks.

The American Council on Exercise preaches setting SMART goals:

• S: Specific
• M: Measurable
• A: Achievable
• R: Relevant
• T: Time-bound

Your goals should be based on your current fitness and experience levels. For instance, beginners shouldn’t aim to complete 70 burpees if they started training a week ago.

Below are experience-level goals that you should aim for in this 3-minute challenge:

• Beginners: 20-30
• Intermediate: 30-50
• Advanced: 50-70
• Elite: 70-85

Depending on your training frequency and current fitness levels, it can take anywhere between four and eight weeks to advance to the next step.

Make no mistake, the 70-85 mark is within reach of every committed athlete, and I have coached beginners to this gold standard.

Pacing Strategies for Success in This 3-Minute Burpee Test

Going pedal-to-the-metal from the very first rep is a recipe for disaster during this burpee challenge. Trying to complete as many reps as possible when you start spikes your heart rate and floods your muscles with lactic acid, which will leave you feeling like a slob within the first minute.

Your ability to manage energy, maintain proper form, and stay mentally sharp will dictate your performance. We call it pacing in the CrossFit world.

Pacing focuses on training while preserving your energy to ensure you hit your rep goals without burning out. I have helped athletes literally double their scores by mastering this skill.

Most people get pacing wrong. It isn’t about slowing down; it’s about working smarter to sustain power and energy.

Segment the Reps

The first step is to break this challenge into manageable chunks. I recommend aiming for 10-12 burpees every 30 seconds. This would help you complete 72 reps by the end of the 180-second limit, putting you in the upper echelons of the elite stable.

Find a Rhythm

Even when you are doing 10 reps, you don’t have to do them unbroken. You could perform two reps, take a two-second breather, and repeat this five times.

Using this technique puts you in a rhythm, allowing your muscle memory to take over.

Focus on Your Breathing

Breathing correctly can help you unlock your maximum training potential. In this challenge, focus on inhaling as you drop to the floor, and exhale on the jump. Prioritizing your breathing oxygenates your muscles and calms your mind. This will also help find a consistent cadence and rhythm, improving your overall performance.

Conclusion

Burpees are among the most brutal exercises, and performing 70-85 of them within three minutes will challenge you to your core (literally). However, it can be incredibly rewarding as it can improve your cardiovascular and muscular strength and endurance, boost metabolic conditioning, and maximize calorie expenditure. 

Beginners can aim for 20-30 burpees and slowly increase the rep count as their muscles start adapting.

References:

1. Podstawski R, Markowski P, Clark CCT, Choszcz D, Ihász F, Stojiljković S, Gronek P. International Standards for the 3-Minute Burpee Test: High- Intensity Motor Performance. J Hum Kinet. 2019 Oct 18;69:137-147. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0021. PMID: 31666896; PMCID: PMC6815084.
2. Menz V, Marterer N, Amin SB, Faulhaber M, Hansen AB, Lawley JS. Functional Vs. Running Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training: Effects on VO2max and Muscular Endurance. J Sports Sci Med. 2019 Aug 1;18(3):497-504. PMID: 31427872; PMCID: PMC6683610.

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