I have been performing Jumping Jacks daily for many years, and enjoying every day.
Jumping Jacks are a classic type of body building style plyometric exercise that gets the whole body moving. It can be used as a warmup exercise to help get the blood pumping and warm up the muscles and ready for a workout or even a run, or it can be part of a full-body workout, such as an interval Tabata workout, bootcamp, a HIIT style workout.
Jumping Jacks, sometimes called star jumps, require full-body movement and are a great leg strengthening type of workout. The movement is great for getting the heart rate up. The abduction and adduction of the legs and arms add the benefits of all-over body toning, similar to burpees. Jumping Jacks can be modified for the newest exerciser by eliminating the jump, to the most advanced version is adding a squat and jumping as high as possible. This is known as a Power Jack.
Whatever style you choose, Jumping Jacks are amazing for improving and maintaining fitness, reducing obesity, helping reduce the risk of osteoporosis, improving the cardiovascular system, increasing stamina and even activating the body muscles for better runs.
How To Do Jumping Jacks
A Jumping Jack can take a few forms, but here is how to do a basic Jumping Jack:
Stand upright with feet together and hands at your sides.
Begin exercise by simultaneously raising your hands up above your head, while jumping up just enough to spread your feet about twice shoulder width apart.
Immediately reverse movement back to starting position without pausing.
Keep performing according to your training plan and schedule.
Benefits Of Jumping Jacks
1. Great For Strong Bones
There has been a lot of controversy over the years about what exercise actually strengthen bones. Weightlifting is one good version, but some researchers suggest that quick jumping bursts can also help to strengthen the bones. That means Jumping Jacks may be the perfect exercise for stronger bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
What happens is that the bones bend a little with each jumping motion, forcing new cell development. It’s the new cell creation that creates more support for the bones, ultimately strengthening them.
2. Good For The Heart
Jumping jacks offer benefits to combat heart disease, making cardio exercise like Jumping Jacks a part of our daily fitness routine seems like a no brainer.
If you are new to Jumping Jacks exercises, you can take it slow, and start with the modified no-jumping version if needed. Over time you will get stronger.
Some research shared scientific evidence that links regular physical activity like Jumping Jacks and runs, to various measures of cardiovascular health.
3. Helps Reduce Weight Loss
It’s important to get the proper amount of exercise every week. The recommendation is that we should perform about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity weekly and a few runs weekly.
Another option is to combine the two. Jumping Jacks offer the perfect fit for this recommendation. They can help us achieve and maintain our weight over time, as long as we are consistent. This activity, combined with a smart and healthy eating plan, can make a huge difference in helping us reach our bodyweight, fitness and running goals.
4. Could Help You Lose Belly Fat
While strength training with weights and specific abdominal exercises can help reduce body fat, high-intensity exercise can really make a difference. Pairing smart caloric intake and regular, moderate-intensity exercise can help you burn more calories, reducing belly fat.
5. Helps Increase Stamina
Stamina is what gives us the ability to combat fatigue and fight disease. Stamina helps us experience physical activity for longer periods of time. If you are new to exercise, you may notice feeling tired very quickly, but with time and commitment, you can build your stamina to be able to withstand exercise of physical activity longer, and run better and stronger.
This is important to our health, it improves the function of our muscles and can help with everyday activities.
The development of healthy stamina comes from the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen. For anyone dealing with disease, having stamina is important since it can be more difficult to perform many activities, and it can even help prevent back problems as we age. Jumping Jacks are also a great quad exercise, which is a muscle that can help support our muscle strength for our runs and power us through our day.
6. Reduces Risk Of Many Health Conditions
Jumping Jacks fit in the category of aerobic exercise. In addition to helping with obesity, strong bones and heart disease, aerobic exercise helps reduce the risk of numerous health conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke and even some forms of cancer.
Studies show that regular physical activity can help reduce the development of disease, such as colon cancer, by nearly 40 percent. There is plenty of evidence showing how regular physical activity is a great preventive measure of many chronic diseases, and can reduce the risk of an early death. That’s why if we can keep running as we get older, we will increase our life span and health.
Jumping Jack Circuit Workout
When performing any exercise, remember to maintain proper form. If at any time, you feel any pain, stop immediately. If you are new to exercise, it is important to take it slow.
For this workout, you will need a timer or some way to track your time. The Jumping Jacks workout consist of 3–5 sets performed for 1 minute each, followed by 15 seconds of rest between other type of exercises in your workout.
Jumping Jacks Can Be Performed In Different Versions
Alternating Jumping Jacks
Front Clap Jumping Jacks
Plank Jacks
Perform Some Great Fitness Jumping Jacks Weekly, Feel A Higher Level Of Energy, Stronger More Activated And Flexible Muscle, Enjoy Much Better Fun Runs!
Comments