Exercise guide
Jumping Jack
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
A classic full-body plyometric exercise that improves cardiovascular endurance while simultaneously engaging the shoulders, core, and lower body through rhythmic movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand upright with your feet together and arms resting naturally at your sides.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine with your gaze forward.
How to do it
- Jump your feet out wider than shoulder-width while simultaneously swinging your arms out and overhead in a wide arc.
- Inhale as you jump out and exhale as you jump back to the starting position.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet with a slight bend in your knees to absorb the impact.
- Maintain a steady, rhythmic tempo, ensuring your hands nearly touch at the top of the movement.
Form checklist
- Land softly on the balls of your feet to protect your joints.
- Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes, avoiding inward collapse.
- Maintain a tall posture without arching your lower back as arms go overhead.
- Keep your core braced throughout the entire movement.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'snap' back to the center to increase the engagement of your inner thighs and calves.
- Keep your arms straight but not locked to maximize lateral deltoid activation during the upward swing.
Make it harder
- Increase the speed of the repetitions to significantly raise the heart rate and metabolic demand.
- Perform 'Power Jacks' by dropping into a full squat as your feet land in the wide position.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the jumping jack work?
- The jumping jack primarily targets the deltoids, glutes, hip flexors, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, calves, hamstrings, and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the jumping jack?
- The jumping jack requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the jumping jack good for beginners?
- Yes. The jumping jack is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
Related exercises
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- Barbell Clean And PressAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps
- Barbell Hang CleanAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps