ZULTA
NL Join the waitlist

Cardio

Jumping Jack

The Jumping Jack is a plyometric exercise with no equipment for your conditioning. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: calves (gastrocnemius) 14%, quads (vastus lateralis) 11% and gluteus maximus 9%.

Also known as: spreidsprong

Level: BeginnerEquipment: Bodyweight

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with feet together and arms at your sides.
  2. Jump the feet out to just wider than the shoulders while raising the arms out to the sides and overhead.
  3. Land softly on the balls of the feet with the knees slightly bent.
  4. Jump the feet back together while lowering the arms to your sides.
  5. Repeat at a steady pace for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing evenly.

Tips

  • Keep the jumps small and springy, coming mostly from the ankles.
  • Let the arms and legs move in one rhythm, out together and in together.

Common mistakes

  • Landing with straight, locked knees.
  • Letting the knees collapse inward on the wide landing.
  • Cutting the arm swing short at shoulder height.

Muscles worked by the Jumping Jack

  • Calves (gastrocnemius) Primary14%
  • Quads (vastus lateralis) Primary11%
  • Gluteus maximus Secondary9%
  • Hip flexors Secondary9%
  • Gluteus medius Secondary9%
  • Calves (soleus) Secondary9%
  • Adductors Secondary7%
  • Side delts Minor7%
  • Quads (rectus femoris) Secondary7%
  • Hamstrings (biceps femoris) Minor5%
  • Quads (vastus medialis) Minor5%
  • Tibialis anterior Stabilizer4%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer4%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Arms and legs out to the side. Quick footwork drills and skips: the calves, quads and hip flexors cycle the legs, the glute medius handles every change of direction.

Jumping Jack alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

Make it harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Jumping Jack work?

Mainly the calves (gastrocnemius) and quads (vastus lateralis). The gluteus maximus, hip flexors, gluteus medius, calves (soleus), adductors and quads (rectus femoris) assist.

Is the Jumping Jack good for beginners?

Yes. The Jumping Jack is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Jumping Jack?

For example the Seal Jack, Carioca and Lateral Shuffle. They train mostly the same muscles.

How do you make the Jumping Jack harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Carioca and Cone Drill (5-10-5 Shuttle).

Log your sets in Zulta

Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.

Join the waitlist