Push Up Jack is a full body strength and cardio exercise that focuses on your arms and chest while also strengthening your core and boosting your heart rate. If you learn how to do Push-Up Jack you are learning one of the best overall core and cardio combo moves around. After you have had enough jumping, squatting and lunging, it is great to get down on the floor and focus high intensity exercise more into the upper body and core. There are a variety of body-weight exercises to choose from and focusing your workouts on bodyweight moves gives you an opportunity to practice functional fitness and the ability to workout any time and anywhere.
Push-Up Jack takes a traditional push-up to the next level. Make sure you master the push-up before adding the jack to it. Once you have the ability to do at least 10 full push-ups, you should be able to start incorporating some push-up jacks into the mix. Be sure to rely on the strength of your core for most of the move. This will be the ticket to keeping your back long and your body from sagging.
Push-up Jacks are difficult! Once you master a few of them you are going to be proud of your progress! And you should be! Try them in our workout: 4 Simple Moves For a Full-Body Tabata Workout.
Use the links below to quickly navigate this guide:
- How To Do A Push Up Jack
- What Muscles Does A Push Up Jack Work?
- Benefits of A Push Up Jack
- How Many Calories Does A Push Up Jack Burn?
- Other Exercises Similar To A Push Up Jack
- Incorporating Push Up Jacks Into Your Workouts
How To Do A Push Up Jack
As you lower into the push-up, your legs jump out to the wide position. As you push your body back up to a plank your legs jump back in together. If you find this isn’t possible at first, try a single-leg version with no impact. So now when you lower down just tap one foot out to the side and switch feet on your next repetition.
Here are the steps to performing Push-Up Jack:
A) Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your feet together, and your body in a straight line.
B) Lower to a pushup while jumping feet to a wide position. Keep abs tight and back straight.
C) Jump your feet back together as you straighten your arms to return to start.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”BqUaYQB7″ upload-date=”2019-02-22T19:14:11.000Z” name=”Push-up Jack” description=”Here are the steps to performing Push-Up Jack:
A) Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your feet together, and your body in a straight line.
B) Lower to a pushup while jumping feet to a wide position. Keep abs tight and back straight.
C) Jump your feet back together as you straighten your arms to return to start.”]
What Muscles Does A Push Up Jack Work
Push Up Jacks is an awesome upper body and core strength move that works your chest, back, shoulders, arms, abdominal muscles, lower back and stabilizers. Push Up Jacks is also a great way to get your heart rate up!
Benefits of Push Up Jack
There are many reasons you should incorporate Push Up Jacks into your workouts. Here are just a few:
Stronger Upper Body
Push Up Jacks are very challenging for you upper body but can only be done correctly once you have learned how to do a basic push up. Once you are able to perform a basic push up, the Push Up Jack will become your next challenge. It is not easy, but it is definitely a great goal to strive for!
Stronger Core
Push Up Jacks challenge your entire core. As your body is lowering down into a push up, the feet jump out challenging the abdominal and lower back muscles to pull in and tighten to keep your torso straight. Without pulling these muscles in the lower back sags and will hurt. You may be surprised at just how intense this core challenge is!
Cardio Challenge
Push Up Jacks are a challenge not only to your muscles but also to your cardiovascular system. The jumping of the feet during the push up makes your heart rate go up and your blood gets pumping! This move will get your breathing heavy!
How Many Calories Do Push Up Jacks Burn
People often ask how many calories they are burning in their workouts. Most exercises will generally burn about 100 calories for every 10 minutes you are working at moderate to high intensity. Push Up Jacks are no different. Bottom line – the harder you work, the more calories you burn. Push Up Jacks are intense and will get you working hard, fast!
Other Exercises Similar to Push Up Jacks
If you like Push Up Jacks and the results you get from it, here are a few more exercises you might want to try.
Incorporating Push Up Jacks Into Your Workouts
Push Up Jacks is an amazing exercise all on its own! However, you could also incorporate Push Up Jacks into other workouts to mix them up. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Use Push Up Jacks in a Core Strength Workout
Push Up Jacks work both upper body and core, but this short workout will focus primarily on your core. Try these 8 bodyweight exercises to flatten your belly and give you a stronger low back.
8×12 Bodyweight Core Workout
Below are 8 bodyweight moves. Do each move for 12 reps (per side if needed).
After a short warm up, go straight to the first move and work your way through the list without taking a break until the end.
Push Up Jacks
Use Push Up Jacks in a HIIT Workout
High Intensity Interval Training or “Hiit” is well-known by trainers to be the best way to get in your cardio with record time and record results. By doing exercises for 20 seconds at a very high intensity and then resting for 10 seconds, your heart rate stays elevated creating a higher calorie burn and stronger heart. Here is a great Hiit Workout that uses Plank Jacks.
10 Minute Hiit it Hard Workout
Warm up by marching or jogging lightly for 1 minute.
Continue warming up by doing 1 minute of a basic jumping jack.
Go directly to these four moves in a row- 20 seconds as hard as you can for each with 10 seconds rest in between. Repeat the series.
Push Up Jacks
(repeat)
Rest for 30 seconds then go to the next block of 4 moves using the same pattern
Plank Jacks
Use Push Up Jacks in an Upper Body Challenge
Push Up Jacks create strong arms, especially when combined with other challenging upper body moves. Try Push Up Jacks in this awesome Upper Body Challenge workout that you can do at home with a simple pair of dumbbells and body weight.
Upper Body At Home Challenge
Grab a medium pair of dumbbells and go from one move directly to the next
Arnold Press – 10 reps
Tricep Dips – 12 reps
Shoulder Tap Push Ups – 12 reps
Bicep Curl Cross Behind Lunge – 12 Reps (alternating)
Push-Up Jacks – 12 Reps
Overhead Shoulder Press – 12 Reps
Overhead Pulls – 12 Reps
Renegade Rows – 12 Reps (alternating)
Here are 3 more workouts that incorporate Push Up Jacks:
Ultimate Upper Body Hiit Workout
15 Push Up Variations You’re Going to Want to Try
20 Minute Upper Body Challenge
Targets: chest, arms, shoulders, back, core
