How to do jumping jacks
Jumping jacks raise your heart rate and warm up your whole body in under a minute, which makes them a perfect warm-up or cardio finisher.
Step by step
- Stand tall with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
- Jump your feet out wider than your shoulders while swinging your arms out and up.
- Bring your hands all the way overhead so they nearly touch.
- Jump back to the start, feet together and arms down.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and keep a steady rhythm.
Common mistakes the coach checks
- Feet not wide. Jump your feet out wider than your shoulders.
- Arms not overhead. Bring your hands all the way overhead on every jack.
- Arms a bit low. Reach your hands right up over your head.
Sets and reps
Use 30 to 60 seconds (20 to 50 reps) as a warm-up, or do intervals: 30 seconds on and 30 seconds rest, for five rounds.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Step jacks: step one foot out at a time instead of jumping.
- Harder: Go faster, or sink into a squat each time your feet land wide (squat jacks).
Stay safe
Land softly with bent knees. Choose the step version if you have knee or pelvic-floor concerns.
Check your form with the AI coach
Prop your phone 2.5–3 m away facing you, with room for your arms overhead and feet out wide. Facing me I can see your arms go overhead and your feet jump wide. It counts your reps and tells you out loud when your form slips.
Start a jumping jacks set