Prison burpees.

A prison burpee is the most ill-defined form of burpee you can imagine. It comprises some movements you won’t see in other burpees, however, in some instances, it presents as a combination of most of the variations of burpees into one single bout of exercise. This workout, like other burpees, dismantles the need for weights or equipment, relying solely on an inmate’s body weight.

The concept of prison burpees has gained significant traction among inmates as a method of maintaining physical fitness during their period of incarceration. It differs from standard burpees mainly in execution and context, as inmates often adapt their movement to the constraints of their environment.

Conventional burpees typically incorporate jumping and additional plyometric movements that may not be feasible in some prison settings. However, the fundamental components of burpee exercises remain intact, allowing individuals to engage core muscles, build strength, and improve cardiovascular health.

Historically, burpees emerged as a training exercise designed based on calisthenics and military conditioning. Their inclusion in prison workout routines highlights the necessity for physical activities to combat the sedentary lifestyle often associated with incarceration. The prison environment, where access to gym equipment is limited, is what makes calisthenics workouts appealing.

In previous articles, we discussed extensively the conventional burpee and its variations, navy seal burpee, broad jump burpee, and half burpee. In this piece, we’ll bring to the fore the prison burpee and its related subtopics.

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Why do prisoners do burpees?

Burpees are popular among prisoners because of the need for physical fitness and mental well-being during incarceration. Another reason is the limited access to gym facilities within prison environments. This forces inmates to rely on bodyweight exercises (calisthenics) that can be performed in confined spaces which is exactly where burpees come in as one of the most effective calisthenics.

An additional reason for performing burpees in prison is the need to maintain or improve body composition while serving term. The intense nature of this exercise facilitates weight loss or weight maintenance within the constraints of the prison environment.

Furthermore, there is a psychological benefit to executing prison burpees. Engaging the body through regular workouts can act as a coping mechanism for the stressors associated with being sentenced to prison. Exercises promote the release of endorphins, commonly known as “feel-good” hormones. These assist in alleviating feelings of depression and anxiety prevalent among inmates.

Finally, prison wardens and correctional officers also adopt prison burpees and other exercises. This is after coming to recognize the positive impact of fitness routines on their physical and mental health while on duty, as published in a journal.¹ Exercises also help to cultivate discipline among inmates.

How to do a prison burpee.

As I stated earlier at the beginning of this topic, what qualifies as a prison burpee is ill-defined. It may mostly comprise a half burpee, like the bottom half burpee, performed in addition to many other movements as shown in the video above, or, a combination of a couple of identifiable or known variations of burpees.

You repeat the movements of your choice for the desired number of repetitions, allowing for brief rest periods as needed. Mastering the prison burpee will not only enhance your strength but also improve your overall conditioning. This is crucial in maintaining a balanced workout, especially in confined spaces typically found in a prison setting.

Prison burpees for beginners.

Inmates new to burpees should begin with modified easy versions to cultivate the necessary strength and endurance before advancing to the more rigorous drills. As strength increases and your body adapts, they can progressively incorporate difficult phases. A suggested progression is to add the push-up phase or increase the number of push-ups as they get comfortable with it.

A mutual reinforcement of strength and cardiovascular fitness through consistent practice ensures overall weight loss, weight maintenance, or improvement in body composition. For an organized approach to training, consider developing a workout plan where prison burpees are mixed with low-intensity exercises. This not only nurtures a well-rounded fitness program but also keeps motivation high without overwhelming the individual.

Variations of prison burpees.

It’ll be difficult to find variations in ill-defined exercises like prison burpees. There appear to be no restrictions or guidelines on what you can and can’t include so long as it falls within the confines of calisthenics.

Perhaps the only reasonable way of creating distinctive forms of prison burpees is going by the variation of half burpees it focuses on. By this you can have three main variations of a prison burpee:

1. Top half prison burpees: These are those that focus on the calisthenics exercises done from squatting to standing positions without the planks and push-ups.
2. Bottom half prison burpees: They are the calisthenics you can do from squatting to plank positions without explosive jumps and pull-ups.
3. Mixed prison burpees: Here, you have a burpee that comprises elements of drills you do in the top and bottom half of burpees.

1. Level of experience and adaptation: Generally, a target of 20 – 30 burpees per session is recommended for beginners whereas more experienced inmates may aim for 50 burpees and above daily. Beginners can always increase the number of reps as their body adapts to the drills.
2. Fitness level: This is similar to the above point but not everyone who is just starting out on burpees is a novice to workouts. Some people may have already built adequate levels of fitness via other exercises. This endows them with the strength and endurance to do a lot more reps on burpees even as beginners.
3. Recovery times: Adequate recovery times are necessary to avoid overtraining and the possibility of sustaining injuries. The length of rest time should be proportional to the number of reps or how vigorous your burpee workout is. The more reps, the more time you must allow for recovery.
4. Type and scope of other workouts: If you are following a structured strength training regimen involving other types of exercise, you must consider these in determining how many burpees you should do to avoid overtraining, burnout, and injury. For instance, you may want to leave out burpees on weightlifting days or do more reps on non-weightlifting days.

Benefits of prison burpees.

Burpees, especially in a prison setting present numerous advantages for both physical and mental health. Some ways in which incorporating burpees during a period of incarceration is beneficial are:

• Improved endurance and body composition,
• Weight loss and weight maintenance,
• Strength building,
• Boosting of confidence and resilience, and
• Better mental health.

Engaging in regular physical activities like burpees while in prison has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety as published in the Journal of Criminal Behavior and Mental Health.²
This is important in the high-pressure environment experienced by prisoners. It fosters a sense of normalcy and purpose, providing a constructive outlet for coping with the challenges of prison life. You may want to explore more details on the benefits of burpees, which we covered in a previous article.

Prison burpees: before and after.

Engaging in a consistent burpee regimen can elicit quite significant transformations in body composition and physical fitness, particularly for people serving terms in prisons as mentioned earlier. Many inmates embrace calisthenics, with burpees being a prominent choice due to their simplicity and effectiveness.

Before integrating burpees into their routines, inmates often report feelings of fatigue and a lack of strength, as their physical activity is typically limited. Some who were fit and robust begin to lose their form as they weight gain. However, after committing to a structured workout plan that emphasizes burpees, prisoners frequently experience remarkable transformations that address these concerns effectively.

They often report visible changes in muscle definition, improved endurance, and enhanced core strength. There are those who before incarceration were struggling with obesity but after engaging in prison burpees gain a form they never had before incarceration as illustrated in the images below. This is usually achieved due to a drop in body mass or body mass index (BMI). (source)³

The before and after stories can be incredibly motivating for those considering starting their calisthenics journey. Many people share how setting achievable goals helped them stick to their routines, allowing them to track incremental progress. It is essential to establish realistic milestones, for instance by focusing on increasing the number of burpees performed each day or reducing the rest times between sets.

References.

1. Kielyl, J., & Hodgson, G. (1990). Stress in the Prison Service: The Benefits of Exercise Programs. Human Relations, 43(6), 551-572. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679004300604 ↩︎
2. Battaglia, C., Fiorilli, G., Giombini, A., Borrione, P., Baralla, F., Marchetti, M., & Pigozzi, F. (2015). Participation in a 9-month selected physical exercise programme enhances psychological well-being in a prison population. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 25(5), 343-354. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.1922 ↩︎
3. Dransmann, M., Koddebusch, M., Gröben, B., & Wicker, P. (2021). Functional High-Intensity Interval Training Lowers Body Mass and Improves Coordination, Strength, Muscular Endurance, and Aerobic Endurance of Inmates in a German Prison. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 733774. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.733774 ↩︎