In this article, we will be discussing all the amazing jumping jacks benefits, and at the end I will show you just how easy it is to incorporate them into your weekly workout schedule.
They are the old school form of doing exercise.
Depending on your age, you either will remember doing 100s of these at school, or will remember your old man telling stories about doing jumping jacks on a regular basis as a kid growing up.
Either way, they have been around forever, and don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Now some of you might think of jumping jacks as outdated, pointless and ineffective.
But you are selling yourself short if you actually believe that this simple exercise doesn’t actually work.
There’s a reason why so many people perform them on a regular basis.
Put simply – they work!
In this article I am going to lay down the basic jumping jacks benefits, and also show you how you can use them in pretty much any bodyweight workout routine.
Jumping Jacks Benefits You Should Know About
See also:
- The Benefits Of Cardio Training & 5 Simple Cardio Exercises
- Intense Stair Running Workout & Benefits Of Running Up Stairs
Before we get into the awesome jumping jacks benefits, let’s quickly recap on what jumping jacks are exactly.
I am pretty sure 99% of you know exactly what a jumping jack is, but this is just for the few of you who have never seen or done one!
Below is a really quick and informative video showing you how to do a jumping jack the correct way.
As with every single other physical exercise, always make sure your form is 100% correct!
Jumping jacks are a good alternative to say running long distance, and will raise your heart rate in a matter of seconds.
10 Jumping Jacks Benefits
Below are some of the best jumping jacks benefits that you can reap when performing these on a regular basis!
#1: Overall Weight Loss
Jumping jacks are one of those exercises that are the ultimate cardio.
Similar to say burpees, jumping jacks work multiple things at the same time.
They are what we call a plyometric exercise, which is jump training.
This type of exercise is really good for getting rid of unwanted weight!
#2: Work The Entire Body
The best thing about an exercise like jumping jacks is that they really do work the whole body. Unlike many exercises which are super focussed, jumping jacks work the legs, abs and entire core.
These all contribute to weight loss, and increased stamina and strength.
#3: They Are Free To Do
Maybe sometimes an overlooked benefit, but we love exercises and fitness workouts that are free to do.
You literally just require your body and enough space to jump up and down to do a proper jumping jack.
This can be done in your bedroom, hotel room, the local park. Wherever you want!
Gym membership and gym equipment cost money, so it’s always a good idea to look for a few alternatives which are free.
#4: Great Cardio Workout
You don’t need to run in order to get the heart racing!
Jumping jacks are a great cardiovascular exercise. Which in turn is good for the heart and for the lungs.
Having a stronger heart has many benefits such as a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, less risk of having a heart attack and just allows you to be a fitter human being.
With a great cardio workout comes increased weight loss too!
#5: Good For Bone Health
Jumping exercises can be really good for your bone health.
Bone density has been seen to improve when people do certain jumping exercises. Having stronger bones is important, especially for the later years when age isn’t on your side.
If for some reason jumping hurts your knees or lower back, then you always should stop or take some time off!
#6: You Can Do Them Anywhere
No more worrying about getting to the gym or fitness studio.
With jumping jacks, you can literally do them anywhere.
The bedroom, kitchen, hotel room, garage, garden or public park. Hell, you could probably do them at the back of an airplane too!
This is a great benefit of jumping jacks, and one that I personally love the most!
#7: Increase Muscle Strength
Now jumping jacks are not push ups or squats which build a bit more muscle, but nevertheless you are still using and strengthening a host of muscles.
Jumping jacks gives you a bit of a leaner and meaner look, so don’t expect to be bulking up.
Your arm muscles get worked every time you swing them above your head. It’s not much, but believe it or not, they do work your arms!
And of course your leg muscles get worked every time you jump up and down from the ground.
#8: Good For Coordination
Coordination is something which you can develop.
Some people are naturally a lot more coordinated than others, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve your coordinaiton.
Having better coordination can definitely help you in everyday life.
From having to use your arms and legs for various tasks, to walking up and down stairs, carrying heavy loads or playing sports.
It is just always better to have good coordination!
#9: Can Add Them To Any Exercise Routine
As you will see further down below, jumping jacks can easily be integrated with any type of workout.
It’s a lot of fun to be able to create different workouts which you can do at home. And having jumping jacks in your back pocket to throw in between sets is always a good idea!
#10: You Feel Better
After doing a few sets of jumping jacks, you will be feeling great!
I think this is true after pretty much any sort of physical exercise.
That feeling one gets after putting in a good workout is really awesome, and pretty addictive.
We just want more of that feeling once we experience it for the first time!
A Few Awesome Jumping Jacks Workouts
Right, now that we all know why we should be doing jumping jacks on a regular basis, let’s get to the fun part – working out!
As I said before, with jumping jacks you really can mix and match them as you please.
They are so versatile, and they really go with anything. Just be creative!
Workout #1
What you’ll need: you will simply need your bodyweight, an exercise mat and enough floor space to fit the length of your body into. If you don’t have an exercise mat, then a towel is fine.
What you’ll do: you will do each exercise after one another, and do 5 sets in total. 50 Jumping jacks, 30 push ups, 10 body squats, 20 leg raises and 40 high knees. Do a total of 5 sets, with 30 seconds rest in between each set.
Workout #2
This workout is super quick, and will take you only 7 minutes!
What you’ll need: you will simply need your bodyweight, an exercise mat and enough floor space to fit the length of your body into. If you don’t have an exercise mat, then a towel is fine.
What you’ll do: it’s simple – you do 7 different exercises (we do jumping jacks twice). Each one for 50 seconds then a 10 second rest. 7 Minutes to complete. You will do jumping jacks, push ups, body squats, knees to chest, plank, burpees, jumping jacks.
Workout #3
What you’ll need: you will simply need your bodyweight and enough floor space to fit the length of your body into.
What you’ll do: Do each of the lower body exercises for 50 seconds on, and then a 10 second rest. Once you have completed all 4 exercises, do 50 jumping jacks. Then repeat the process two more times. So you’ll do 50 seconds of body squats, take a 10 second rest. Then 50 seconds of reverse lunges, 10 second rest. And so on. 3 Sets in total.
Conclusion
Jumping jacks are old school, but still relevant.
They are just such an easy thing to do, and they actually do work.
So whether you think they are outdated or not, you should still be doing them!
Cheers,
Richard