As a calisthenic exercise, jumping jacks engage your entire body and increase your heart rate. They are often used as a warmup before a workout and in military physical fitness training. As you perform jumping jacks, you may notice that you sweat and use a significant amount of energy. If you use jumping jacks in combination with a healthy diet and a well-balanced fitness program, you can lose weight.
Proper Form
The basic jumping jack is made up of two phases. Start with your legs together and your arms at your side. During the first phase you jump upward, spread your feet 2 to 3 feet apart and raise your hands over your head. In the second phase you jump up again, bring your legs back together and lower your arms back down to your sides. Keep your abdominals tight during the entire movement to protect your spine, maintain correct posture and strengthen your core muscles.
Benefits
Jumping jacks not only help your body burn calories, they also help to strengthen your leg, arm, back and stomach muscles while improving your cardiovascular endurance. As your cardio endurance improves, you will likely be able to maintain physical activity for longer periods without getting tired as easily. According to the Health Status website, you can burn five to nine calories a minute performing jumping jacks. To increase the number of calories you burn, jump faster.
Potential
To lose 1 lb. you need to burn 3,500 calories, which can be done by burning 500 calories per day. If you are interested in losing weight and keeping it off, only performing jumping jacks might not give you the results you are looking for. You would need to perform jumping jacks for 55 to 100 minutes a day to burn 500 calories a day. This might not be feasible because of your daily schedule, your current fitness level or joint problems that prevent you from jumping and putting pressure on your knees, hips or ankles. If you intend to use only jumping jacks as your daily exercise, perform one long session or split it up into several sessions a day.
Considerations
To lose weight, also maintain a well-balanced lifestyle. Consider including more nutrient-dense foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy into your diet to reduce calories and fat intake. Perform daily aerobic activities that burn calories faster, such as running, cycling or step aerobics. You can use jumping jacks as a warmup or cool down, or perform one to two minute intervals of jumping jacks and another form of cardio exercise.
Member Comments