An average person can burn about 8 calories per minute doing jumping jacks at moderate intensity (i.e. 20 jumping jacks per minute). The calories burned doing jumping jacks could go up to 16 per minute if you exercise at a high intensity i.e. doing about 35-40 jumping jacks per minute. This is a rough estimate because the calories burned doing an exercise depend on many factors such as age, gender, current weight, and modifications of the workout (if any). Use our jumping jacks calories burned calculator below to find out what you can expect from your workout session. If you have specific fitness goals i.e. burning a certain number of calories per day, etc. this calculator can help you stay on track.
Keep reading to find out why our jumping jack calories burned calculator is more accurate than other basic calorie estimators and what you can do to burn more calories while doing the same number of jumping jacks per minute.
💡 Quick Tip: Jumping jacks are excellent cardio workouts but they could be strenuous for your knees and ankle. Make sure you wear well-cushioned workout shoes such as Under Armour Charged Assert 9 shoes to reduce the impact. Also, never exercise on hard surfaces such as concrete or wooden floors. Use an exercise mat to get even more cushioning and protection.
Under Armour Charged Assert 9 shoes
Our jumping jacks calories burned calculator
Our jumping jacks calories burned calculator formula
As I said above, our calculator is not merely a calorie estimator. It uses a tried and tested scientifically-proven formula. The formula is based on the MET value of an exercise, so it is more accurate and relevant. There is no guesswork. When you choose the right intensity, you will get the most accurate number.
The exact jumping jack calories burned may vary though depending on your age and gender. Unfortunately, there is no formula available that can consider these factors. That's why we have left them out too. But, don’t worry, the variation won’t be too much.
Here is the formula that we have used in our jumping jacks calories burned calculator.
Calories burned (per minute) = (body weight in kg x MET x 5) ÷ 200
📖 Related Article: If jumping jacks is your go-to exercise to lose weight, improve cardiovascular health, and get a well-toned body, you might be interested to find out if 1000 Jumping Jacks Per Day is a Good Fitness Routine.
Metabolic Equivalent of a Task (MET)
MET is basically the ratio of work metabolism to resting metabolism. When you are resting i.e. sleeping or simply lying on the bed doing nothing, the MET value is 1. When you sit, the MET value increases to 1.3 and when you stand, it becomes 1.6. Walking at a slow pace has a MET of 2.2. Brisk walking can have a MET value of 3 to 6 depending on your speed. Running has a MET value of 8-9. Basically, everything you do has a MET value, which depends on the intensity of a task. If you know the MET value of a task or exercise, you can find out the number of calories you can burn doing it using the above formula.
MET value of jumping jacks can range between 8 and 14 depending on the intensity at which you are exercising. If you don’t know what MET value you are exercising at, don’t worry, simply select the intensity level in our jumping jacks calories burned calculator to get the most accurate result.
💡 Quick Tip: If you are suffering from knee problems, doing too many jumping jacks may not be good for you. But, if you still choose to do this full-body exercise, you may use Bodyprox Patella Tendon Knee Straps to protect your knees from pain, strain, tissue damage, stiffness, etc.
Bodyprox Patella Tendon Knee Straps
What can you do to burn more calories doing jumping jacks?
A 15-minute high-intensity jumping jacks workout can help you burn about 250 calories. No wonder why jumping jacks are said to be one of the fastest ways to get rid of excess body fat. However, it is not that easy. Unless you are an already active person with excellent cardio health and stamina, doing jumping jacks at a high intensity for 15 minutes may not be possible for you. Don’t worry; there are quite a few things you can do to get the maximum benefit from your workout.
Add weights to jumping jacks
Weighted jumping jacks are more challenging than the standard ones and have a higher MET value, which could be between 10 to 16 or more depending on the amount of weight you are using. They can help you burn 1.5 to 2 times more calories than standard jumping jacks. Simply hold Amazon Basics Vinyl Coated Hand 1 lb Dumbbell in each hand and exercise as usual. Keep increasing the weight gradually. Make sure you do not use heavy weights. Going heavy can make you lose your balance. Plus, it may not be good for your back and knees. Stick to 2 lbs max in each hand unless you are a well-built person.
📖 Related Article: Combining HIIT with weight training is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and gain more lean muscles. Read this article to find out if you Should Do HIIT Before or After Weights.
Add resistance to your workout
Placing Vergali fabric resistance band or Gritin latex Resistance Loop Bands around your legs while doing jumping jacks can help you further intensify your workout and burn more calories.
Resistance jacks are safer than weighted jacks but they could be tricky because if you do not maintain the proper position of your legs, the bands may slip. Start with the lowest resistance and as you get stronger, increase the resistance. Resistance jumping jacks are excellent exercises for targeting your booty muscles.
Fire up your workout by using both resistance bands and weights, but be very careful not to lose your balance.
Do modified jumping jacks
Squat jacks are great calorie burners. They can help you burn twice the number of calories because of their higher MET value. Plus, they can be great for your leg muscles. Burpee jacks are challenging but highly recommended for those who want to lose weight fast. Some other high-intensity calorie burner jumping variations that you can try are press jacks with a kettlebell or medicine ball, split squat jacks, plyo jacks, crossover jacks, oblique jacks with weights, and push-up jacks. Want to really challenge yourself? How about battle rope jumping jacks?
Jumping jacks calories burned FAQs
How many jumping jacks are needed to burn 100 calories?
You need to do about 450-500 jumping jacks to burn 100 calories. No one can tell you the exact number because the rate at which calories burn depends on many factors other than the intensity of the exercise. Some factors are age, gender, and weight. Although 500 jumping jacks sound like too much work, it would take hardly 3-4 minutes if you exercise at a moderate intensity.
How to burn 1,000 calories a day by jumping jacks?
To burn 1000 calories, you may have to do 5000 basic jumping jacks and 3500-4500 weighted, resistance, or modified jacks. This may be a great way to lose weight but 5000 jumping jacks a day can leave your knees sore and damaged. You should combine it with other forms of exercise.
Is it OK to do 1000 jumping jacks?
Yes, it is, provided you do it right. If you are a beginner, you must start with 100 a day and gradually increase the number. Doing 1000 jumping jacks is highly recommended for weight loss but it may not help you build muscles. We have already written a detailed article on ‘Is 1000 Jumping Jacks Per Day a Good Fitness Routine?’.
How accurate is our jumping jacks calories burned calculator?
I have already mentioned above that we have used the most popular and scientifically-proven formula so you can expect a high level of accuracy. However, please note that it can only provide a rough estimate like all other calculators. The exact number could vary slightly depending on your age, weight, gender, and a few other factors.
Wrap up
I hope our jumping jacks calories burned calculator helps you stay on track and achieve your fitness goals. We have also created many other calculators such as squats calories burned calculator, Calories Burned Shoveling Snow Calculator, Calories Burned Skiing Calculator, Reverse BMI Calculator, Navy Method Body Fat Calculator, etc. All our calculators use accurate and scientific formulas so there is no guesswork. If you are trying to track your calories or are curious to know what you can expect from a specific activity, they can be of great help.
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