How Many Calories Do Jumping Jacks Burn?

The number of calories burned doing jumping jacks depends on how long and how vigorously you perform them, along with individual factors that influence your metabolic rate.

Though jumping jacks may appear simple, they deliver meaningful benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health and toning muscles.

They’re a plyometric, whole-body exercise suitable for any consistent workout plan. Because jumping jacks rely solely on body weight, they’re an accessible cardio option you can do virtually anywhere.

Besides elevating heart rate and enhancing muscular strength and endurance, jumping jacks are an effective method for burning calories.

The precise calories burned will differ among individuals. Per MyFitnessPal, jumping jacks may burn roughly 8 calories per minute for someone weighing 120 pounds and up to 16 calories per minute for a person weighing 250 pounds.

What influences calorie burn?

Multiple elements affect how many calories you expend when doing jumping jacks.

April Whitney, a certified nutrition coach and personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, says if calorie burn is your objective, raise the intensity.

There are two main ways to do that:

• Complete a large number of jumping jacks at a slower tempo.
• Perform fewer jumping jacks but at a much faster pace.

Your metabolism also determines calorie expenditure. Factors that shape metabolism include:

• Height and weight: Bigger individuals burn more calories, even when resting.
• Sex: Generally, males expend more calories than females for the same exercise intensity because they often have less body fat and more muscle.
• Age: Aging alters how your body responds to exercise, often decreasing muscle mass and increasing body fat, which can reduce calories burned.

How do I estimate calories burned?

Exercise physiologists, trainers, and physical therapists frequently use metabolic equivalents (METs) to estimate calories burned during activity.

One MET equals the energy cost of sitting quietly. At rest, you’ll burn about 1 calorie per hour for every 2.2 pounds of body weight.

Moderate activities generally fall between 3 and 6 METs, while vigorous activities exceed 6 METs. Jumping jacks can range from roughly 8 to 14 METs depending on how intense they are. You can consult numerous MET charts online, such as this example.

To calculate calories burned per minute, follow these steps:

1. Multiply the exercise’s MET value by 3.5.
2. Multiply that figure by your weight in kilograms.
3. Divide the result by 200.

The final number approximates calories burned per minute. You can also use an online tool like MyFitnessPal’s calculator to do the math.

Can jumping jacks help me lose weight?

Cardio exercise plays an important role in any weight-loss strategy.

MET values provide a useful estimate of calories burned per pound for weight-loss planning.

For instance, a 150-pound person doing 5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous jumping jacks might burn about 47 calories.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that losing one pound per week requires a weekly deficit of roughly 3,500 calories. Typically this can be achieved by consuming 500 fewer calories per day and increasing physical activity.

To burn an extra 500 calories through jumping jacks alone, you’d need to substantially raise the intensity and perform a large volume of repetitions.

It may be more effective to incorporate jumping jacks into a broader exercise plan by:

If you’re curious about other activities and their calorie burn, consider reading guides like how many calories does yoga burn and does masturbation burn calories for comparison.

Additional benefits of jumping jacks

Beyond calorie expenditure, jumping jacks can boost aerobic fitness (cardio capacity).

The motion particularly strengthens lower-body muscles, such as:

• calves
• quadriceps
• glutes
• hip flexors
• hamstrings

Your upper body — including the back, shoulders, and core — also gains from the movement.

Variations you can try

The classic jumping jack is an efficient calorie burner, but you can modify the movement to increase challenge or emphasize different muscle groups.

High-intensity options

To up the intensity, Whitney suggests placing a resistance band just above the knees or at the ankles to engage the glutes more. Another option is to perform a full burpee after every five jumping jacks.

Lower-intensity options

If full jumping jacks are too intense, try gentler modifications.

Eric Sampsell, PT, ATC, CMP, Cert. MDT, a physical therapist with The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, advises moving through the exercise slowly with a step instead of jumping.

“This helps tendons and joints adapt to the motion, preparing them for a more intense version later,” he noted.

Another adaptation is to omit the arm motion and concentrate on the legs, or vice versa, which will usually keep your heart rate lower than a full jumping jack.

Precautions

While jumping jacks are generally safe for most fitness levels, take some precautions before adding them to your routine.

If you have lower-body injuries or persistent knee or ankle pain, consult your physician or physical therapist about suitable alternatives.

Land softly and use a cushioned or carpeted surface. If you experience pain or discomfort while performing jumping jacks, stop and seek professional advice about safer options.