Jumping Jacks / Star Jumps Health Benefits

I started incorporating strength training into my daily morning exercise regimen sometime in August or September last year. That's about 9 months ago. With strength training, lower abdomen exercises, brisk walking and running, I clock in 40-45 minutes of workout five times a week. Ever since I increased my workout duration with strength / bodyweight training, I lost 2kg of stubborn post-pregnancy fats that I gained after the birth of Cass 11 years ago!!  My weight now hovers between 44.1kg - 44.9kg. It fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle and I'm always fattest just before Aunt Flow visits.

One of the exercises that I do during bodyweight training is jumping jacks / star jumps.  This is one of the simplest bodyweight exercises to do and it makes you perspire  real quickly.  Just two or three minutes into jumping and I already start to sweat bullets. Enter frog jumps, jumping squats and lower ab exercise and I'll be drenched in sweat.  The more you do it, the more agile your body gets and the happier you'll get each time you step onto your bathroom scale 😁💪

Sometimes jumping gets a bad rap, but when it comes to increasing bone density it is a great thing. A jumping jack is one of the best plyometric exercises out there and it is a fantastic cardiovascular drill. If you are looking for a way to improve your quickness, this is the exercise.

Health benefits of jumping jacks:

1.  Jumping jacks are highly beneficial to the overall health of the heart. It has been found that this exercise aids in combating serious health problems like cardiovascular-based diseases, obesity, and diabetes.

2.  The heart rate is increased while performing jumping jacks, which increases the amount of blood and oxygen that reaches the muscles.

3.  Jumping jacks aids in improving the stamina of the body and its overall endurance level. These simple exercises will improve the overall flexibility of the body; therefore, improving circulation and mobility.

4.  When performing jumping jacks, you are exercising against the force of gravity. As you perform each jumping jack, the muscles actually pull at the bones of the body. This, in turn, strengthens the bones and increases their density. As a result, the chance of developing osteoporosis is drastically reduced.

5.  Jumping jacks burn calories and fat. This will aid in combating against obesity and obesity-related health complications.

6.  Jumping jacks have the ability to increase your metabolic rate. Not only does a high metabolism aid in burning unhealthy fat from the body, but, it aids in toning and sculpting your body so that you are able to look your absolute best!

You don't need to be attired in sports wear to do jumping jacks. I used to do stretching and jumping jacks in my corporate suit bare footed in my room during lunch hour. I also used to run outside the house at 5:30 a.m. with a stick in my hand to ward off muggers and stray dogs and did a second round of running after work at 7 p.m.  That's how I overcame the symptoms of PCOS 19 years ago!