Maybe the last time you did this exercise was when you were a student in school doing morning exercises, or you might have done it recently while working out at a gym nearby. Whether you haven't done it in a long time or you still keep up with it, you should keep going to get the many health benefits it gives your body. In this article, we'll share the key info about this unique exercise:
What is the Jumping Jacks exercise?
It is one of the plyometric exercises that rely on your whole body movement, and there are other examples of this type of exercises like the burpee exercise, andSquat jumps, and how well you do this exercise depends on jumping your body up and moving most of your muscles, which builds muscle mass and strength. The cool thing is you don’t need any equipment. You can just hold dumbbells while doing it.
How do you do Jumping Jacks?
You can easily do this exercise. All you need is to stand on flat, even ground. Then follow these steps:
- Stand straight with your feet together and arms at your sides, parallel to your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and jump up, spreading your feet shoulder-width apart. Stretch your arms above your head so your palms meet like clapping.
- Go back to your starting position and repeat this exercise 10 times in 2 sets at first. You can add more reps next times. You can also mix this exercise with other cardio workouts anytime.
What are the safety and security rules when doing Jumping Jacks?
To do this exercise well and safely, besides following the steps perfectly, you also need to keep some important conditions in mind:
- Make sure you jump on a flat, even surface.
- Wear light, comfortable sports shoes so your feet don't hurt.
- Listen to your body and stop right away if you feel pain.
What do you need to do Jumping Jacks?
If you want to do this exercise, you need to pay attention to some of its key requirements:
- Cost: You won't need any cost since you can do it at home, or at the gym, or in public parks. If you do it inside gym halls, you just need to pay the monthly membership fee.
- Level: This exercise is good for beginners who can start with a small number of reps and sets.
- Intensity: This exercise is of medium to high intensity. It's meant to boost your body's fat burning and help lose unwanted fat and extra weight.
- Equipment: You don't need any equipment at first unless you want to increase difficulty by holding dumbbells in your hands. but that's for advanced stages of this exercise.
- Clothes: You can wear comfortable, body-fitting clothes so loose clothes don't block your movement. Also, choose comfortable, light shoes for this exercise.
What are the health benefits of doing Jumping Jacks for you?
There are many physical and mental health benefits this exercise offers if done well and regularly. These benefits include:
Improving heart health:
This exercise helps strengthen heart muscles, boosts blood circulation, lowers bad cholesterol, and balances blood sugar levels, just like other cardio workouts.
Strengthening body bones:
When you do this exercise, you are definitely helping your body gain more minerals, especially calcium, and reabsorb it in your bones to strengthen their density. This prevents many diseases like osteoporosis, which affects women a lot. Some studies also showed that doing jump squats 3 days a week for 6 months can give you strong bones in your legs and lower back.
Getting rid of excess weight:
Like other workouts, this exercise helps increase how much fat your body burns. It helps you lose extra weight especially in your thighs and arms. So keep doing this exercise to stay fit and toned.
Improving body coordination:
Since you’re trying to link your body movements with your brain’s signals in this exercise, it helps improve your coordination. At advanced levels, you can feel the timing, rhythm, and balance so you can do exercises perfectly and professionally. Plus, you get a sharp mind and strong focus.
Reducing stress and anxiety:
When you do this exercise, your brain signals your body to release serotonin, which makes you feel calm. It also triggers adrenaline, which makes you feel excited. Together, they make you feel happy and energized, and they reduce your anxiety and stress.
WWarming up before working out:
It's important to do warm-up exercises before starting your daily workout routine. So, thirty reps of jumping jacks easily help relax your leg muscles, thighs, back, arms, and core before moving to the next warm-up exercises.
Activating the whole body:
Since you use your leg muscles, thighs, arms, core, and back in this exercise, it's normal that this workout activates your whole body. It also helps strengthen your muscles and joints and get rid of excess fat. It's a cardio exercise that targets activating and training the whole body.
Improving body flexibility:
You might not always have time to work out, but you should make time to boost your body's health and bring back its flexibility. Twenty reps of jumping jacks are a great start to activate your body and increase flexibility. You can increase the intensity as you get better until it feels easy and you can do more reps.
Increasing and strengthening muscle mass:
You can lose muscle mass over time if you stop exercising, but keeping up this workout helps you get rid of fat around your muscles, build muscle mass, strengthen your muscles, and shape your body. You'll end up with a lean, toned figure.
Improved balance and endurance:
Since you do this exercise focusing hard with your brain along with your body's rhythm, naturally over time you'll boost your body's balance skills and protect it from falls and injuries. Since you're focusing on your leg and foot muscles and bones, your ability to handle pain and injuries will also improve later on.
What muscles do Jumping Jacks target?
This exercise works a lot of muscles in the body that get stronger the more you do it. These muscles are:
- Inner thigh muscles: These are the inner thigh muscles, and it's hard to get rid of fat in this area, but by doing Jumping Jacks you'll target the fat here and reduce it.
- Outer thigh muscles: This is the outer thigh muscle area. If you keep doing jump lifts, you can strengthen these muscles.
- Back calf muscles: Jump lifts target the back calf muscles, giving your body strength and a sleek, athletic look.
- Visible and upper shoulder muscles: Jump lifts help strengthen your shoulder muscles a lot, especially when you lift your hands up while doing the exercise. This gives you balanced, well-shaped shoulders and overall body coordination.
- Abdominal and torso muscles: When you do jump lifts, you help activate your whole torso area, including abdominal muscles, back muscles, and the heart muscle. This helps strengthen your body, keep it balanced, and lose extra weight.
What are other versions of the Jumping Jacks exercise?
There are some variations you can do with the same exercise but with small changes in some moves. This adds difficulty and challenge to the workout. You can start by doing 10 reps in 2 sets. Here are the steps for these exercises:
Front clap Jumping Jacks exercise:
- Stand straight with your feet together and stretch your arms forward so your palms can clap.
- Bend your knees a bit, jump up spreading your legs shoulder-width apart, and stretch your arms by your sides at shoulder level.
- Return to your original position and repeat this exercise 20 times for 3 sets.
Alternative Jumping Jacks exercise:
- Stand straight with your legs together, and put your arms on the sides of your body parallel.
- Jump up then land with your legs apart so your right leg is in front and your left leg is behind, bend your knee and stretch your left arm forward and right arm back to balance your body.
- Jump up again then land with your legs apart so your left leg is in front and your right leg is behind, bend your knee and stretch your right arm forward and left arm back to balance your body.
- Repeat this exercise 25 times for 3 sets.
Plank Jacks exercise:
- Put your palms on the ground with your arms stretched, legs stretched and raised off the ground (plank position).
- Spread your legs apart while in this position, then stretch them back together.
- Repeat this exercise 10 times for 3 sets.
