Did you know that jumping jacks have numerous health benefits?! You may have been doing them since childhood - or you may have forgotten about them as you've gotten older. Regardless, jumping jacks are a great exercise to get your body moving, your heart rate up, and get a quick metabolic boost. They can be fun at any age and they pack a bunch of useful health benefits! đđ»
5 benefits of jumping jacks:
They are free to do and you can do them anywhere. You don't need any special equipment or shoes to do a jumping jack. And, you can do them at home, in a hotel, at your in-laws house, and even at work (your co-workers may even jump in once they see the benefits!). Plus, you can easily have your kids burn some energy and do them with you!
Anyone can do them. Have bad knees or back? Or are you pregnant? Even if you're not able to jump up and down, there are other alternatives! For a gentler alternative, try low-impact jumping jacks (you can see how to do them here).
They are great for your heart. Jumping jacks are a great cardiovascular exercise, which give your heart a health boost! They get your heart pumping and blood flowing, which is essential to good circulation and improved blood pressure.
They may strengthen your bones. Jump training may be good for bone health. In one study, rats were put on a jumping exercise regimen for eight weeks (200 jumps per week with 40 jumps per day for five days). Their bone density was measured before and after the jumping regimen and showed significant gains over the control group. The rats were able to maintain these gains over a 24-week period with training reduced to as low as 11% (21 jumps per week) of the initial test period. Pretty interesting, right?
They can help with weight loss. Jumping jacks increase your heart rate and as a result, your body starts to warm up and enter calorie-burning mode. When we use more calories than we consume, our bodies are able to shed extra unwanted pounds. Regular cardio exercise paired with a healthy meal plan is the best way to achieve your desired weight.
As you may know, we are doing a 10,000 jumping jack challenge for the month of June. It's not too late to jump in đ, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or our mobile app (click Groups tab, then Jumping Jack Challenge) to chat with other people who are jumping too!