Jumping Jacks

How to Perform Jumping Jacks

1. 1
   Stand upright with your feet together and your arms down at your sides. Keep your core engaged and your posture tall.
2. 2
   In one smooth motion, jump your feet out to slightly wider than shoulder-width apart while simultaneously raising your arms out and overhead until your hands nearly touch above your head.
3. 3
   Immediately reverse the motion by jumping your feet back together while lowering your arms back to your sides.
4. 4
   Land softly on the balls of your feet with a slight bend in your knees to absorb impact. Keep the movement rhythmic and controlled.
5. 5
   Continue at a steady pace. Start with 3 sets of 20–30 reps, or perform for 30–60 seconds as part of a warm-up or HIIT circuit.

Tips & Common Mistakes

• Land softly — Avoid slapping the ground. Land on the balls of your feet with a slight knee bend to protect your joints.
• Full range of motion — Bring your arms all the way overhead and your feet wide enough apart. Half reps reduce the cardio benefit.
• Keep your core tight — Don't let your torso collapse or hunch forward. Stay tall and proud through the movement.
• Breathe rhythmically — Inhale on the way out, exhale on the way in. Don't hold your breath.

Variations

• Half Jacks — Raise arms only to shoulder height. Good for beginners or low-impact warm-ups.
• Squat Jacks — Add a squat at the bottom of each rep to intensify the leg work.
• Seal Jacks — Arms move horizontally (clapping in front) instead of overhead.
• Star Jumps — An explosive variation where you jump into an "X" shape in the air. Learn Star Jumps →