Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
📖

Jumping jack

sports Maturity 7-9 Next article →

A jumping jack is a fun way to move your body.

Jumpingjacks wbs
Jumpingjacks wbs

It is a physical exercise that gets your heart beating. You might also hear people call them star jumps. In the US military, they use the name side-straddle hop. People love this move because it is simple to do. You can do it anywhere to stay active.

Elementary school students conduct jumping jacks to warm up USMC-120214-M-MA421-288
Elementary school students conduct jumping jacks to warm up USMC-120214-M-MA421-288

There are many ways to perform this jump. First, you jump your legs out wide. At the same time, you swing your arms up high. Sometimes, you might even clap your hands overhead. Then, you jump back to your starting spot. Your feet come together and your arms go to your sides.

You can change how hard it feels. Power jacks land in a wide squat position. Half jacks only lift the arms halfway up. Star jumps are even more explosive and involve jumping very high.

This exercise has a very interesting history. Some say it began in 1885 at West Point Military Academy. A man named John J. "Black Jack" Pershing may have used it. He reportedly used it to tease new students called plebes. He would make them move their arms and legs like puppets. The name does not actually come from the general, though. It comes from a children's toy called a jumping jack. That toy moves its limbs when you pull its strings.

Many people have shared this move with the world. A fitness expert named Jack LaLanne helped make it popular. He showed people how to do it on television for many years. People also use jumping jacks to set amazing records. In 2010, a huge event happened for the "Let's Move!" campaign. Over 300,000 people did jumping jacks in just 24 hours.

Jumpingjacks wbs
Jumpingjacks wbs

This event took place in 1,050 different locations.

Jumping jacks are a great way to see what your body can do. You can try to see how many you can do in one minute. A man named Binod Thapa set a record in Kathmandu, Nepal. On July 28, 2023, he performed 136 jumping jacks in one minute. You can even try different versions like split jacks. These use a staggered stance with one foot in front. It is a wonderful way to learn about movement and skill.

378 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (2)
File:Elementary school students conduct jumping jacks to warm up USMC-120214-M-MA421-288.jpg
Elementary school students conduct...
File:Jumpingjacks wbs.gif
Jumpingjacks wbs.gif
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.