The Modified Jumping Jack For Older Adults
Today’s Topic Highlights:
The jumping jack is a classic and highly effective conditioning exercise. However, older folks with joint problems often cannot handle the impact of jumping. That’s where the single leg modified jumping jack comes into play.
One of the most widely unnoticed downsides of so-called “cardio machines” is that none of them prepare you for the realities of the physical world.
We must have control over our lateral motion in order to move with balance and confidence.
The single leg modified jumping jack improves balance and limb coordination, as well as both aerobic and anaerobic cardio capacity.
As you can tell by the background of my farm, this exercise can be performed anywhere. There is no reason for gyms to be the only exercise environment!
The jumping jack is a classic and highly effective conditioning exercise. A staple of the US military, jumping jacks are a fantastic way to improve your cardio capacity with no equipment. However, older folks with joint problems often cannot handle the impact of jumping. That’s where the single leg modified jumping jack comes into play.
Before we dive into the details of the modified jumping jack, let’s take a moment to shed light on one of the most widely unnoticed downsides of so-called “cardio machines”. None of them prepare you for the realities of the physical world.
We must have control over our lateral motion in order to move with balance and confidence. Ellipticals and treadmills provide no lateral movement at all. This only serves to further decondition our already atrophied ankle ligaments, which increases the risk of ligamentous injury.
Most non-contact ankle injuries occur in the frontal plane. The frontal plane is the side-to-side direction of motion that governs our lateral stability. This is the nature of the jumping jack motion (sideways) and a big reason why it is valuable as a functional movement. The legs and arms extend out laterally each time you jump and land. In addition to elevating the heart rate and triggering a mild sweat, the jumping jack also challenges the tendons and ligaments of the knees and ankles.
An added benefit of doing bodyweight-only exercises like this at home is that they build a sense of agency and confidence. Knowing that you can intensely elevate your heart rate in any environment at a moment’s notice is very empowering. Agency and confidence are strong internal motivators. Anything that strengthens these underappreciated intangibles is a plus.
Below is a tutorial on how to perform the single leg modified jumping jack. Follow the instructions and accompanying pictures to learn the correct exercise form. As you can tell by the background of my farm, this exercise can be performed anywhere. There is no reason for gyms to be the only exercise environment!