What is Tuck Burpee?

The Tuck Burpee is a medium-difficulty bodyweight compound exercise combining a push-up and a tuck jump. It primarily targets the core, chest, triceps, shoulders, quadriceps and calves while raising heart rate for cardio. Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt and hollow core to protect the lower back through transitions.

How to Do Tuck Burpee

  1. Start in plank: Begin in a high push-up/plank with hands under shoulders, core braced, posterior pelvic tilt and body in a straight line to protect your lower back.
  2. Perform push-up: Lower chest to the floor with elbows tracking back, keeping core tight. Pause briefly and press up, maintaining a hollow body position throughout.
  3. Plant feet quickly: As you finish the push-up, lift hips, bend knees and quickly plant your feet under hips preparing for the tuck jump.
  4. Explode into tuck: Drive through the hips and knees into a tuck jump, bringing knees toward chest while staying tall and landing softly on toes with bent knees.
  5. Return to plank: Hinge at hips, place hands on floor, kick feet back into plank with control. Reset core and repeat, avoiding sagging hips or rounded back.

Muscle Groups

Triceps, Chest, Core, Shoulders, Quadriceps, Calves, Back

Description

Begin in a push up position. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor.
As you push up, lift your hips, bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor.
From here, drive upward and transition in to a tuck jump.
Land on your toes, with soft knees. Then hinge at the hips, place your hands on the floor and kick your legs back, returning to your push up position.
Repeat for reps.

Maintain PPT and hollow position as your transition through the push up. (Don't let your hips sag, or back arch, keep your core engaged)

Movement Group

Cardio

Required Equipment

None (bodyweight only)

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Tuck Burpees?

Tuck Burpees combine strength and cardio, improving explosive power, core stability, and upper-body strength. They elevate heart rate for conditioning, burn calories efficiently, and build coordination across shoulders, chest, triceps, quads and calves while reinforcing full-body tension and hip drive.

What common mistakes should I avoid when doing Tuck Burpees?

Common mistakes include letting hips sag, arching the lower back, landing stiffly, rushing the push-up, and poor hand placement. Focus on core bracing, posterior pelvic tilt, soft landings, and controlled transitions to reduce injury risk and maintain efficient movement.

How can I progress or modify Tuck Burpees?

To progress, add weighted vest, increase speed, or perform full tuck-to-pike variations and higher jumps. To regress, replace tuck jump with a squat jump or step feet forward instead of jumping, and perform knee push-ups to reduce upper-body load.