Jumping jack exercise for weight loss. Effective fat burning

A good figure, strong toned muscles and excellent health in the absence of excess fat is the dream of every modern girl or guy. People often think that the process of losing weight and getting healthy requires a huge amount of time, effort, and financial investment. However, experts believe that all this is available to everyone, you just need to do a few correct exercises, switch to proper nutrition and the problem will be solved. We will look at how to do the Jumping Jack exercise, one of the universal exercises for losing weight and maintaining physical fitness, in our article.

What is a jumping jack and why is it needed?

“Jumping Jack” (Jumping Jack or Jumping Jack) is a favorite exercise of all famous fitness bloggers, athletes and simply active and positive people. The description sounds simple: these are fairly intense jumps with arms and legs spread out to the sides.

This activity is both a warm-up and a powerful cardio fitness workout.

Basic jumping fitness exercises

Jumping fitness involves quite serious physical activity, so before classes you need to do a 10-minute warm-up to warm up your muscles. A classic workout lasts 50-60 minutes, of which half an hour is spent on cardio exercises, and the rest of the time on strength training and stretching. Among the basic exercises, the most common are jumping:

With arms extended along the body. You need to jump at a low height, and when landing, place your foot completely on the trampoline, without using your hands to help maintain balance.
With one leg abducted. The jump is performed with one supporting leg, slightly bent at the knee. The other leg is straight and pointed to the other side.
From a sitting position. You need to sit down on the trampoline, lean your hands behind you and jump out with a straight back (you are allowed to lean forward a little).

You can pull your bent knees to your chest. To do this, you need to hold on to the handle and alternately raise your legs to your chest. Experienced jumpers are allowed to experiment and do fitness jumps from a position on all fours. At the same time, you need to spread your arms and legs in the air, and land on your stomach (this is safe and does not hurt).

Completing any jumping fitness program on trampolines does not impose strict clothing requirements. It is recommended to use comfortable tracksuits or leggings with T-shirts, tank tops, and wear sneakers on your feet. The main thing is that the sports kit does not hinder movement, and that the material has “breathable” properties. One hour of intense exercise will burn 500-800 calories, so women's fitness clothing should wick moisture well. Replace boring workouts with fitness jumping, lose weight and have fun!

Benefits of jumping jack exercises

The results from this simple activity will exceed all your expectations. Here's what you can and should expect:

tightening and strengthening the muscles of the buttocks, thighs, back, arms, ankles;
disappearance of fat from the sides and belly;
strengthening the heart and blood vessels;
acceleration of metabolism and fat burning;
improving mood due to the release of endorphins;
the appearance of a beautiful butt and toned tummy;
disappearance of the symptoms of cellulite, which is hated by women;
increasing bone density;
training for the respiratory system;
increasing the overall endurance of your body.

Important additional advantages are simplicity, safety, versatility and accessibility.

For Jumping, you don’t need a trainer, or special equipment or conditions. You can easily jump at home, without spending money or time.

Adviсe

How to do the Jumping Jack exercise is already clear. General techniques are usually learned quickly. However, despite the apparent ease, there are many nuances here. It is necessary to follow them to obtain the correct physical result.

Maintain the pace of the exercise. It must be fast and constant. If there is a hitch or failure, then it is better to stop and start over. Music or counting can be used to help control breathing and rhythm.
When jumping, do not arch your back or slouch. The back should be straight. Stretch your arms up. To maintain balance, your gaze should be directed forward. For stability, your feet can be slightly spread to the sides.
If the exercise is performed in several approaches, then the rest interval should not exceed a minute. If it takes longer, it may negatively affect your heart rate.
Also, before practicing the Jumping Jack exercise, you need to stretch your body a little, in particular your ankle, knee and shoulder joints.
This exercise should be performed in comfortable clothes without jewelry or jewelry. It is important to maintain maximum comfort and freedom so that nothing disturbs the rhythm.
The Jumping Jack exercise is recommended to be performed half an hour or an hour before meals. After practicing it, you need to walk a little so that your heart rate returns to normal. You are allowed to drink some water.

Never sit or lie down after training. This recommendation applies to all types of active exercise.
“Jumping Jack” energizes the body and allows you to maintain your tone until the evening. Therefore, the ideal time to practice it is in the morning. Moderate physical activity before bed can cause insomnia.
And, of course, a positive attitude during training is very important. It gives lightness to the body and confidence in one's abilities. Loads should be reasonable, in accordance with the state of health and characteristics of the body.

Who is not recommended to exercise jumping jack?

Like any other activity, this one has its contraindications. And if they are not taken into account, then the benefit can easily turn into harm:

rehabilitation after operations and serious illnesses;
pregnancy at any stage;
2-month period after childbirth;
previous injuries to the spine, legs, shoulders;
serious problems of the musculoskeletal system;
knee problems;
significant obesity;
varicose veins;
diseases of the heart and blood vessels, thrombophlebitis.

If you, dear readers, have doubts about any of your health problems, and are not sure that you can do jumping jack, be sure to consult your doctor.

He, and no one else, will tell you for sure whether this activity is allowed in your case.

Jumping Jack: what is it and what is it for?

Many people take jumping lightly and do not believe that they can have any serious effect on the human body. Meanwhile, the exercise uses many muscles and muscle groups, at the same time being one of the most effective for rapid weight loss, which becomes a real discovery for many. However, in order for it to really work, you will have to ensure the correct technique of its implementation and regular training, only then can you count on a quick effect.

Almost every child knows this exercise from childhood. In essence, Jumping Jack is jumping while simultaneously spreading your arms and legs to the sides. It is better known in our country under the name “Poprygunchik”.

When can it be done: what training programs is it suitable for?

Warm up. Jumping Jack will help warm up all the muscles and prepare them for the subsequent load.
Regular running, jogging, race walking and other aerobic exercise.
Circuit training. Particularly suitable for those who alternate strength training with cardio exercises.
HIIT workouts, such as CrossFit and Tabata.
Hitch.

What muscles work and how many calories does Jumping Jack burn?

The exercise is aerobic, which means spending a large amount of the body’s energy resources, due to which excess fat deposits are burned. The following muscles are involved:

Press.
Latissimus dorsi muscles.
Calf.
Biceps femoris.
Quadriceps.
Gluteus maximus.
Adductor and abductor muscles, responsible for the inner and outer surface of the thighs.
Deltoid (shoulder) muscles.

This exercise is not suitable for muscle development or muscle building, since it does not give the desired effect. But for strengthening the heart, and most importantly, for high-quality fat burning and weight loss, this is a real find. In just half an hour of performing Jumping Jack, a person weighing approximately 70 kilograms can easily burn from 150 to 280 kilocalories, depending on the intensity of the jumps. Only jumping rope gives similar results.

Advantages and Benefits

First of all, as we have already found out, jumping is a good cardio exercise that will help train the heart muscle, and at the same time burn off excess unspent calories absorbed during the day. But that's not all there is to know about him.

The exercise does not require any additional equipment or equipment, or a special place for training.
Jumping helps warm up the muscles before strength training and other workouts.
It is easy to regulate the intensity and load on your body by changing the intensity of the jumps.
This type of training helps to develop greater endurance, that is, other exercises will be easier.
Performing the same movements can lead to addiction and a decrease in the effectiveness of the exercises. However, Jumping Jack has many different variations that can be alternated without developing a habit.
The exercise develops not only endurance and strength, but also flexibility, trains the vestibular apparatus, and develops coordination of movements.

Among other things, Jumping Jack is suitable for both experienced, advanced athletes who have been training for years, and beginners who are just beginning to realize themselves in this capacity.

Contraindications

In addition to the benefits and advantages, there are also contraindications that must be taken into account before you start classes.

Rehabilitation period after serious illnesses or surgical interventions.
Pregnancy at any stage, primary postpartum period.
Injuries to shoulders, legs, spine.
Varicose veins
Large excess body weight.
Diseases of the knee joints.
Cardiovascular diseases.
Thrombophlebitis.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

If your health problems are not critical, it is still better to consult a doctor. Only he can tell whether you can do Jumping Jack exercises and what intensity to choose for yourself.

How to do jumping jack exercise correctly?

The technique of performing the exercise is not complicated. Read carefully about the stages of its implementation, and you will immediately understand how to do it correctly. To be more sure, watch the video.

Here are the main steps:

Stand perfectly straight, extend your arms along your body, and place your legs almost next to each other.
Take a jump, during which you spread your legs much wider than your shoulders.
At the same time, raise your straight arms up from the sides, describing an arc with them and joining your palms above your head. At the same time, we inhale.
Take the next jump, returning your arms through your sides to your hips (along your body) and your legs (again shoulder-width apart) to the starting position. That is, the same movement, but in the opposite direction. Exhale.
Immediately continue the same movements from points 1 to 4.

For beginners, you can first master a simplified version without moving your hands. That is: legs together, jump - legs to the sides, jump - legs together, jump - legs to the sides, so on.

Watch a short video: jumping jack technique.

What is jumping fitness?

The direction of the fitness industry, called jumping fitness, appeared recently and came to us from the Czech Republic. Jumping fitness is an aerobic workout on a small trampoline that helps burn calories and train the lymphatic drainage and muscular systems. During dynamic jumps, physical fitness is strengthened, and a person’s psycho-emotional state also improves, because the “happiness hormone” endorphin is produced.

For exercises you will need a trampoline with a diameter of 120-130 cm on a metal frame with a handle. The canvas, made of durable, elastic stretch fabric, provides good shock absorption, creating a buoyant “water on dry” effect. Therefore, jumping fitness on trampolines is a low-traumatic sport that is safe for the joints, lower back, and spine. Moreover, jumping for 10 minutes is equivalent in effectiveness to running over a distance of 3 km, and weight loss is much faster than with weight training.

Important nuances so that the execution technique does not suffer

To maximize the effectiveness of the jumping jack, there is no harm, and the load is optimally distributed, follow the important nuances:

point your knees and even your toes straight forward;
keep your back perfectly straight;
Tighten your abdominal muscles;
try to move rhythmically, but without unnecessary sharpness;
Land softly, keeping your knees slightly bent throughout the activity;
move your hands in one plane, try not to let them go forward or backward;
do not hold your breath, breathe deeply and smoothly;
if you want to reduce the impact load to a minimum, jump on your toes;
To increase efficiency and enhance the sense of rhythm, it is recommended to lightly clap your palms when raising your hands, and clap your thighs when lowering them.
direct your gaze forward.

There is no need to “break all records” right away; this is definitely unnecessary here. If you are a frank “teapot”, start with the minimum so as not to harm yourself.

And increase the pace, intensity, and number of repetitions and approaches gradually.

And most importantly, never jump barefoot. Exercise only in sneakers. Moreover, in a model with a fairly thick and high-quality shock-absorbing sole.

Safety precautions: how to avoid injuries

Jumping fitness on trampolines is not a dangerous sport, but some precautions must be taken. Before training, it is necessary to inspect the sports equipment for damage, make sure the correct degree of tension of the mesh, the reliability of the springs and the absence of foreign objects. The basic safety requirements include a number of rules:

One person at a time needs to use the trampoline;
You should land in the center of the net, not on the edges;
Do not put hard or sharp objects in the pockets of sports pants or leggings.

It is recommended to exercise under the supervision of a trainer. If you experience nausea, pain or dizziness, it is better to stop jumping.

Implementation plan for “Jumping” for different levels

If you're impressed and want to get started right away, don't rush. And first, check out the following plan, for people with different levels of training. Beginners should not overexert themselves. They should start with 3 sets of 10 jumps. Rest between sets – within 2 minutes.

Intermediate level training will allow you to do 3-4 sets. Each set can include 25 to 30 jumps. The optimal break is 40-45 seconds. Preparation for a more serious and advanced level of the athlete is 5-6 approaches, each of which includes 30-40 jumps.

Minuses

The Jumping Jack exercise is sometimes called a running alternative for lazy people. After all, despite the dynamics, it excludes forward movement and resistance to air flow. Of course, it can and is even recommended to be done in the fresh air. However, it will never replace a healthy morning jog or walk. And to achieve the desired effect, “Jumping Jack” is best performed in conjunction with other active activities. This is perhaps the only disadvantage of this exercise. Professional athletes, by the way, use it to warm up their body muscles.

Reviews

Many professional athletes and adherents of a healthy lifestyle confirm the positive effect that the Jumping Jack exercise gives. How to do it correctly? This question is not difficult. The result is much more significant. To quickly achieve it, instructors recommend practicing the exercise for at least 15 minutes a day.

A fast pace promotes good blood circulation in the body, saturating it with oxygen and, as a result, increasing metabolism. That is why many women and men use this exercise to quickly and effectively lose weight and shape their figure. Of course, it is better to use it in combination with other physical activities. According to the unanimous opinion of experts, the Jumping Jack exercise is a bold leap into a healthy future. If you do it correctly and regularly, and all this is supported by proper nutrition, then you can soon find an attractive figure and a healthy shape.