Fitmama Strong Favourites: Reverse Jumping Jacks
Reverse Jumping Jacks
Do you want to be active and feel strong and energetic as you move through your day?
Then try one of our favourite moves. It’s an exercise you can incorporate into your day as a quick movement break or include as a new move in your personal workout.
Today, we’re highlighting the REVERSE JUMPING JACK, with a few variations depending on the level you're ready for!
why do we love this exercise?
This exercise is great for both cardio and lower body strength. It also works on upper body range of motion. We love that even the low impact version will get your heart rate up, if you quicken the pace. We also like this variation of the jumping jack because the squat movement slows down the jump and allows an extra moment to stabilize your pelvic floor, before moving on to the next jump.
How to do this Exercise
This exercise can be done as a low impact or high impact exercise. The low impact version is an easy one to incorporate your baby!
Thanks to Sue from Fitmama Strong Ottawa for the video demo!
Options for Intensity:
Level I - Low Impact
Start by standing tall like a pencil with your arms reaching up over your head and your palms touching together at the top (or as close as your range of motion permits!)
plant your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart
as you squat down, sweep your hands down the side with your arms extended and reach one hand to your opposite foot
in your squat, push your butt back and keep your weight on your heels
return to you starting position, a tall pencil with wide legs and repeat with the other hand reaching for the other foot-inhale as you go into your squat, exhale as you come back up.
Level II - High Impact
this level involves a jump
start like a pencil, with your arms overhead (palms touching, or as close as you can get them) and legs together
as you jump your legs out in jumping jack fashion, you'll push your butt back into a squat and reach your hand towards your opposite foot.
jump your feet back together as you sweep your hands back up to above your head
repeat on the other side
make it harder by going faster, squatting deeper or using light weights in your hands
inhale as you jump into your squat, exhale as you jump out of your squat
How to Incorporate your Baby:
Involving your baby is similar to the low impact version, but you'll be holding your baby either facing you or facing away from you (depending on what your baby prefers). You'll want to be sure your baby has good neck control first!
start by standing tall like a pencil - holding your baby up high above your head
plant your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart
as you squat down, bring your baby down towards your right foot
in your squat, push your butt back and keep your weight on your heels
return to you starting position - pencil with wide legs - and repeat on the other side
inhale as you go into your squat, exhale as you rise up and lift your baby above your head
This exercise is a great way to play with your baby! If your baby is facing you, you can make faces, sing a song, or count out loud. Your baby doesn’t care what you’re saying, they just want to hear your voice. Try doing it in front of a mirror with baby facing the mirror, especially if your mirror isn’t a full length one. They’ll love watching themselves appear and disappear!
I love that Sue's Baby "Daisy" was so keen to participate!
When to avoid this exercise:
You'll want to avoid the high impact version of this exercise if you're in the early weeks or months of recovering from birth. Once you've built up strength and have regained some of the stability in your joints, you should be able to slowly progress to the high impact option.
If you're pregnant and have pelvic girdle pain or pubic symphysis, you'll want to keep your stance narrow, as a wider stance will aggravate the pubic symphysis and cause you pain.
Interested in joining us? Our community is a great way to meet other new parents. Fitmama Strong Durham has been operating in-person classes in the Durham Region since 2010 and we’ve been offering Online classes online from our virtual studio since 2020. Our community is a thriving and welcoming space for you and your littles.
We offer Prenatal Fitness and Prenatal Yoga classes, on-demand from our virtual studio through a special series. Our 30 minute live, online Express classes include a Prenatal friendly Yoga class.
If you’re new to Fitmama Strong Online, try one of our 3 Class Passes! You can use them at any of our Express classes on our live, online schedule. It doesn’t matter if you’re pregnant, your baby was born 6 weeks ago or 6 years ago, we have something for all of our members! Already been to Fitmama Strong classes? Attend and in-person series or grab a monthly membership and keep moving with us. Please note that our New to Fitmama Strong 3 Class Pass cannot be used at our in-person series of classes.
Finally, we offer in-person Stroller Fitness and Babywearing Fitness in the Durham Region and Ottawa locations. We can’t wait to have you join us!
We can’t wait for you to #startwithus and #growwithus. Join us Online or at one of our in-person classes!
#jointhemotherhood #whichfitmomareyou