Burpees Aren't About Strength. They are about Willpower.
Nobody likes burpees, almost nobody. There are a few crazies out there.
For as long as I’ve coached, from first-day beginners to competitive CrossFit athletes, and I’ve yet to meet someone who says, “I hope today’s workout has more burpees.”
But here’s what I’ve learned.
Burpees aren’t a test of strength.
They’re a test of your willingness to keep moving when every part of your body is asking you to stop.
You don’t fail burpees because you’re weak or tired.
You fail them because your mind starts negotiating.
“Maybe I’ll rest after this one.”
“I’ll catch my breath for just a few seconds.”
“Everyone else is slowing down, too.”
That’s where the workout actually begins.
Burpees strip away talent. They don’t care what your deadlift is, how much you bench, or what your Fran time says on the leaderboard. They expose something much harder to build than muscle: grit.
You can always do another burpee.
I don’t care how pretty or ugly they are. You can always do another. You can peel yourself off the floor and stand back up.
Every rep is a decision.
To get back up.
To keep moving.
To refuse to let discomfort dictate your effort.
That’s why I love programming them. That's why burpees are great for intensity.
Not because they’re fun, but because they reveal character. They teach you that you can do hard things long after your brain tells you that you can’t.
And here’s the best part.
That lesson doesn’t stay inside the gym.
The person who refuses to quit on rep 47 is far more likely to refuse to quit when life gets heavy, when work gets stressful, when relationships become difficult, or when chasing a goal feels impossible.
Burpees are never just burpees.
They’re practicing.
Practice for choosing discipline over comfort.
Practice for building resilience.
Practice for becoming the kind of person who keeps getting back up.
So the next time you see burpees on the whiteboard, don’t ask whether you’re strong enough.
Ask yourself one question:
How willing are you?
Effort is always a choice.
Burpees are willpower uncovered.
Nick Carignan
CrossFit 8 Mile
