Calories burned per Jumping Jack Rep
The Jumping Jack is exceptionally good at burning calories, without being too intense on the body. Obviously, the absolute precise amount of calories burned will depend on variables such as your weight, age, sex, and the intensity you perform the exercise at. That being said, Harvard Health estimates you could burn 165 – 230 calories in 30 minutes of Low Impact Aerobics.
* This will vary greatly depending on the age, weight, sex, and other variables as well.
How to do the Jumping Jack
The jumping jack is a simple and versatile tool in the calorie burning arsenal, where the only equipment you need is some good shoes and an open area.
- After you’ve warmed up sufficiently, stand normally, feet shoulder width apart.
- In one motion, jump up and spread your legs from one another, similar to how you would do a split (but not that wide!). At the same time, raise your hands out to your sides.
- You should land when your feet are relatively wide from one another, and your arms form a straight line across your shoulders.
- At this point, jump once again to bring your feet back together, and lower your arms as well.
- This is one rep.
Which muscles are worked doing a Jumping Jack?
Quite a few actually. The jumping jack is basically a full body workout, barring maybe a few anterior muscles (front muscles). Regardless, you can expect to work the following muscles:
- Calves
- Quadriceps
- Adductors
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Abdominals
- Transverse Abdominals
- Deltoids
- Rhomboids
Other muscles might be worked for stabilization as well, such as the lower back.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The Jumping Jack is something most of us will learn at a very young age, and often taught by people who do not teach the right technique and we end up developing movement patterns that aren’t correct. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Not jumping high enough. I understand if you are limited by physical attributes, however for this exercise to be performed correctly, you need to jump high enough to spread your feet from one another.
- Not spreading your feet wide enough. In order for you to complete the exercise correctly, it is needed that you spread your feet/legs wide from one another.
- Not raising the arms high enough. In order for you to complete the exercise correctly, you need to raise your arms in a manner that gets them inline with your shoulders.
- Not bracing the core. It can help a ton with keeping you stable, and safe.
