Exercise guide
Cross Body Punch Jack
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Chest
- Lower arms
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Upper legs
- Waist
This dynamic movement combines a jumping jack with a rotational punch to elevate the heart rate while targeting the obliques, shoulders, and lower body. It improves coordination and rotational power through a high-intensity, compound movement pattern.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Primary
Equipment
Setup
- Stand tall with your feet together and your hands in a 'guard' position near your chin.
- Engage your core and keep a slight bend in your knees to stay light on your feet.
- Position your elbows tucked close to your ribs.
How to do it
- Jump your feet out wide into a squat-like stance while simultaneously punching your right arm across your body to the left.
- Exhale as you punch, pivoting your right foot inward to allow your hips and torso to rotate fully.
- Inhale as you jump your feet back together and return your hand to the starting guard position.
- Repeat the movement immediately, jumping out and punching with the left arm across to the right side.
Form checklist
- Land softly on the balls of your feet to minimize joint impact.
- Keep your core braced throughout the rotation to protect your spine.
- Ensure your punching arm extends fully but avoid snapping or locking the elbow joint.
- Keep your chest up and avoid leaning forward during the jump.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'pull-back' of the punch just as much as the extension to engage the back and rear deltoids.
- Sync your breath with the punch to maximize the engagement of your transverse abdominis and obliques.
Make it harder
- Increase the tempo to a 'sprint' pace to maximize cardiovascular demand.
- Hold light weights or wear weighted gloves to add resistance to the upper body movement.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cross body punch jack work?
- The cross body punch jack primarily targets the abs, calves, obliques, and quadriceps, and also works the biceps, forearms, rhomboids, serratus anterior, trapezius, and triceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cross body punch jack?
- The cross body punch jack requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the cross body punch jack good for beginners?
- The cross body punch jack is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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