7 Proven Health Benefits of Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are more than a classic activity from your elementary school P.E. classes. The dynamic move gets your heart pumping and your muscles working. That makes it an excellent choice for warm-ups, cardio, and strength-training workouts. Plus, jumping jacks offer health benefits to help you reach your fitness goals.

What are the benefits of jumping jacks?

Jumping jacks are a staple for many people, from beginners to fitness pros. They’re an efficient total-body move you can do almost anywhere. These top benefits of jumping jacks will make you want to add them to your workout routine.

1. Jumping jacks provide full-body exercise

Try jumping jacks if you’re short on time but need a full-body workout. The tried-and-true exercise works your legs as you jump and land on your feet. But it also activates upper-body muscles as you swing your arms.

The compound movement recruits multiple muscle groups, including the:

• Deltoids

• Abdominals

• Hip flexors

• Glutes

• Quadriceps

• Hamstrings

• Calves

2. Jumping jacks promote cardiovascular fitness

When it comes to aerobic exercise, jumping jacks are a fantastic choice. Rhythmic jumps and arm swings elevate your breathing and heart rate and increase blood circulation. Your heart, lungs, and muscles work harder to keep your body moving.

Adding jumping jacks to regular cardio workouts can strengthen your heart and improve cardiovascular fitness (VO₂ max).

Bonus points if you add high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT involves switching between vigorous exercise intervals and lower-intensity recovery periods. You can alternate jumping jacks with a lower-intensity exercise to create a HIIT regimen.

A small-scale study analyzed aerobic resistance training in active young women. They did HIIT workouts with total-body exercises, including jumping jacks. After 4 weeks, they had better aerobic fitness and more muscle endurance. This type of endurance helps your muscles exert force against resistance. That means you can do more reps without stopping.

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• Warm up with more cardio exercises. Get your body moving with these warm-up exercises.

• Jumping rope vs. running: Find out which high-impact exercise is better.

• Try plyometrics to build muscle power and endurance. These exercises involve quick, explosive moves to keep your muscles guessing.

3. Jumping jacks boost muscle strength and power

Jumping jacks do double duty as a cardio and strength-building activity. The exercise involves rapid movement that engages large muscle groups, especially in your lower body. Jumping jacks mainly target the: 

• Glutes

• Hip flexors

• Quads

• Calves 

So you can build leg muscle strength, power, and endurance with jumping jacks and other plyometric exercises.

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4. Jumping jacks support strong bones

Maintaining strong bones is especially important as we age. Resistance and weight-bearing activities help you do just that. And jumping jacks fall into both categories.

Jumping jacks are a strengthening exercise because you use your body weight as resistance. They’re a weight-bearing exercise because you work against gravity while standing. After each jump, you land on your feet. The impact may increase bone density and strength.

Jumping exercises have been shown to boost bone density in premenopausal women and men with low bone density. These and other resistance and weight-bearing exercises promote long-term bone health. And strong bones can lower the risk of osteoporosis, falls, and fractures.

5. Jumping jacks enhance balance and coordination

Consider jumping jacks an exercise in multitasking. Simultaneous jumping and arm swinging require balance, rhythm, and coordination. You can put these skills to the test by regularly practicing jumping jacks.

One review found that plyometric jump training may enhance static and dynamic balance in beginner and experienced athletes.

But you don’t have to be an athlete to sharpen your balance and coordination skills. Another review found that regular physical activity, including jumping and body-weight exercises, may improve balance, strength, and endurance in adults ages 40 to 65.

6. Jumping jacks improve functional and athletic performance

Jumping jacks offer so many potential health and fitness improvements. So it’s not surprising that jump training may also improve functional and athletic performance.

Researchers tested a modified plyometric training program in older men in one study. The program included increasingly difficult skipping, hopping, and jumping exercises. After 12 weeks, the men had improved muscle power, strength, and functional fitness.

Plyometric training has also been shown to improve athletic performance, including jump height and sprint performance. One study found that jump training increased physical fitness and performance in endurance runners.

7. Jumping jacks are convenient and accessible

One of the best things about jumping jacks is that they’re convenient and accessible. You can do them almost anywhere, whether at home, in the park, or at the gym. And even if it’s been a long time, you’ve probably done them before at some point.

The exercise doesn’t require special equipment or ample space. So jumping jacks are ideal for those with limited time or resources. You can easily add them to various workouts and modify them to suit your fitness level.

How to do jumping jacks

Proper form is key to enjoy the benefits of jumping jacks and stay injury-free.

Here’s a quick recap on how to do jumping jacks, even if you’ve done them many times:

• Step 1: Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides.

• Step 2: Bend your knees and jump up, moving your legs out to your sides and raising your arms out and overhead.

• Step 3: Jump back to the starting position, bringing your feet together and lowering your arms to your sides.

• Step 4: Try to land lightly, keeping a slight bend in your knees.

• Step 5: Repeat the movement, maintaining a steady rhythm.

• Step 6: Aim for 1 to 2 sets of 10 reps if you’re a beginner.

Types of jumping jacks

There are several types of jumping jacks, including:

• Cross jacks

• High-knee jacks

• Split squat jacks

• Hop jacks

• Plank jacks

Here’s an example of a beginner-friendly and advanced jumping jack modification to give you an idea of the range of difficulty.

Step jacks

Beginners and those who need to avoid high-impact jumping exercises can try the step jack.

• Step 1: Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides.

• Step 2: Raise both arms out and overhead as you quickly step your right foot out to the side.

• Step 3: Lower your arms as you step your right foot back to the center.

• Step 4: Repeat the movement, stepping out and back in with your left foot. That’s one rep.

• Step 5: Do 2 sets of 10 reps, keeping a quick, steady pace.

Squat jacks

Advanced moves like squat jacks can take your jumping jack routine to the next level. This variation combines the benefits of squats — like increased core strength — and jumping jacks in one move.

• Step 1: Start in a slight squat with your feet together, knees bent, and arms clasped in front of your chest.

• Step 2: Jump your feet out to the sides, landing in a wide squat. Make sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes when you land. You can squat further down and swing your arms overhead for more of a challenge.

• Step 3: Reverse the movement, jumping your feet back to the starting position.

• Step 4: Do 1 to 2 sets of 10 reps quickly and with control.

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Written by:

Lindsay Wenndt

Lindsay Wenndt is a nationally certified health coach and fitness instructor specializing in orthopedic health. She's the founder of Break Free Fitness, a body-positive health and fitness company that reserves 10% of membership and coaching packages as scholarships for low-income women.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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