Squat Thrust Burpees

Squat Thrust Burpees are a high-intensity full-body plyometric exercise that combines lower body power, upper body strength, and cardiovascular conditioning into one dynamic movement. This advanced exercise is ideal for athletes, advanced fitness enthusiasts, and those seeking maximum caloric expenditure and functional fitness development. The burpee trains multiple energy systems simultaneously, developing anaerobic power, muscular endurance, and explosive strength.

NASM’s evidence-based approach recognizes burpees as a valuable tool for power development, metabolic conditioning, and sport-specific training. The squat thrust burpee improves movement coordination, challenges the cardiovascular system, and builds sport-specific power essential for athletic performance and high-intensity interval training.

How to Perform Squat Thrust Burpees

Step 1: Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides. Ensure adequate space overhead and around you for safe movement execution.

Step 2: Brace/Position

Engage your core and prepare for dynamic movement. Maintain body awareness and postural control throughout the exercise sequence.

Step 3: Execute/Drive

Squat down and place your hands on the floor just outside your feet. Jump or step your feet backward into a push-up position, perform one push-up, then jump your feet back toward your hands and explosively jump upward with arms reaching overhead.

Step 4: Return/Descent

Land softly with bent knees and immediately prepare for the next repetition. Maintain controlled breathing and movement quality throughout multiple repetitions.

Muscles Worked

Primary Muscles:

• Quadriceps -- primary lower body driver for squat and jump phases
• Pectoralis Major -- primary upper body mover during push-up phase
• Glutes -- essential for hip extension power during jump phase

Secondary Muscles:

• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Core Stabilizers
• Hip Flexors

Common Mistakes

• Landing with straight knees or poor shock absorption, which increases joint stress and injury risk
• Performing push-ups with poor form or no pushup at all, which reduces upper body stimulus
• Allowing hips to sag during the plank position, which reduces core engagement and spinal stability
• Moving too quickly and sacrificing form for speed, which compromises exercise effectiveness
• Failing to land and reset properly before the next repetition, which increases falling and injury risk

Squat Thrust Burpees Variations

• Tuck Jump
• Push-Up
• Box Jumps
• Plyometric Push-Up

As part of NASM's evidence-based approach to movement and strength training, the squat thrust burpees reinforces proper movement mechanics essential to long-term performance and injury prevention. NASM-certified personal trainers use the Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model to integrate exercises like the squat thrust burpees into individualized programs based on each client's assessment results.

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