Jumping jacks are one of the most underrated exercises in the fitness world. Simple yet incredibly effective, this childhood favorite has stood the test of time, proving that a full-body workout doesn’t always require fancy gym equipment or complex routines.

However, beneath this simplicity lies a powerhouse of benefits that go beyond just warming up your body. For those new to fitness or seasoned athletes looking to add variety to their workouts, jumping jacks offer a full-body workout with the convenience of requiring no equipment and minimal space.

Jumping jacks are often remembered as the go-to activity during elementary school gym classes, but their value far exceeds what we were taught back then. In fact, they're a type of calisthenic plyometric exercise that engages the entire body, providing a great cardio workout while also benefiting several other key aspects of physical fitness.

How to Do Jumping Jack The Right Way

When done right, jumping jacks increase heart rates, make one's feet more resilient and hardy, bring about better agility in the hip, and strengthen bones to support bone density. They are fantastic exercises to burn calories fast over a quick cardiovascular session to stimulate blood flow with the muscles into action in several minutes. But first, let's go back to the basic form of jumping jacks. To maximize the benefits and avoid possible injuries, make sure that you perform the movement with correct posture.

• Stand erect with your legs together and arms relaxed at your sides.
• Jump your feet out to the sides while simultaneously lifting your arms over your head. Keep a slight bend in your knees to absorb the impact gently.
• Jump your feet back together while bringing your arms back down to your sides.
• Always stay light on your toes, maintaining a soft bend in your knees. Try to move in a fluid, controlled manner to minimize the risk of injury.

Jumping jacks can actually be modified with regard to anyone's fitness levels. For novices, step-to-step will do with elevation of arms because they do not jump. Alternatively, advanced levels can add their squat or have higher jumps such that it gives a "power jack."

Benefits of Doing Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are an excellent addition to any fitness routine, providing a host of benefits that address several aspects of your health and fitness.

1. No Equipment Required

One of the things I like best about jumping jacks is that they use absolutely no equipment aside from your body weight. This means that they are also one of the most versatile and accessible exercises you can do just about anywhere: in your house, in the park, or in a hotel room while traveling. A good supportive pair of shoes and a flat surface is all you need to get started.

2. A Great Warm-Up

Jumping jacks are excellent in priming the body before going into more strenuous workouts because they raise your heart rate, increase core body temperature, and mobilize key joints such as your hips and shoulders. Dynamic movement gets the body ready for both cardio and strength training exercises, so it's an important part of any warm-up routine.

3. Enhanced Cardiovascular Fitness

Jumping jacks are great cardio exercises. Their fast movements will make you breathe hard as they improve cardiovascular endurance and also the health of your heart. Over time, you will note that your endurance increases as you include them in your workout sessions. You may also vary them to suit your fitness level through increasing the reps or your speed.

4. Strengthening Your Lower Limbs

Jumping jacks are a plyometric exercise. This is because it is explosive. It does repeated jumping that can build your foot, ankle, calf, and knee resiliency. As time passes, this can improve the way you absorb impact and rapidly develop force to lower your risk of injury during other activities like running or jumping.

5. Increased Mobility of Hips and Shoulders

Sitting for long periods of time causes stiffness in the hips and shoulders. Jumping jacks help counteract these effects by promoting hip adduction (moving your legs toward your midline) and abduction (moving them away from the body). Similarly, lifting your arms overhead works your shoulders, improving range of motion and flexibility. These movements keep your joints mobile and reduce the side effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

6. Increasing Bone Density

Jumping jacks can also help you improve your bone health. The CDC identified osteoporosis as a major health concern for all adults, especially the older ones. Weight-bearing exercises such as jumping jacks stimulate bone growth and improve bone density to increase chances of reducing the risk of fracture and osteoporosis in the later years of life.

Do Jumping Jacks Actually Improve Strength?

Jumping jacks are an excellent activity for beginners who need to lay a foundation. It works the legs, core, and shoulders simultaneously, giving it a full-body workout. For those at more advanced levels of fitness, though, it may not really build much muscle. To actually build muscle strength, resistance training through weight lifting will be necessary. However, jumping jacks still have an important role in improving endurance and general fitness.

How Many Calories Do Jumping Jacks Burn?

If you're interested in how many calories you can burn doing jumping jacks, a 150-pound person can expect to burn about 9 calories per minute doing them. While calorie burning is a nice bonus, it's very important to look at exercise as a tool for overall health and not just as a means to lose weight. Doing physical activity that you like, such as jumping jacks, helps foster a balanced approach to health and fitness.

Jumping Jacks Variations to Mix Things Up

As you get more into your fitness routine, you can vary your jumping jacks to increase the intensity. For instance, add power jacks, where you add a squat before jumping up as high as you can, will increase the intensity. You can also add other variations such as star jumps or even use a trampoline for a fun twist on the classic jumping jack.

Adding cardiovascular fitness to your workout arsenal, building strength in your lower limbs, and improving joint mobility while taking up a minimal amount of time with no additional equipment requires only jumping jacks. If you're just beginning your journey towards becoming fit or if you're looking for a fun way to add some zest into the old routine, it's pretty hard to get much better than jumping jacks. With so many benefits to gain, why not jump into your fitness routine today and experience the power of this classic exercise for yourself?

Yoga is a great exercise known for reducing stress and improving overall well-being. But can it also help with thyroid problems? The thyroid is a small gland in your throat that makes hormones vital for your metabolism, body temperature, growth, and even brain development in children. When your thyroid isn't working right, it can affect both your physical and mental health. This article explores how yoga can be a helpful addition to traditional thyroid treatments.

Poses You Can Do

While yoga generally promotes overall health, some poses specifically target the neck and throat area, where the thyroid is located. Stretching and strengthening this region might improve blood flow, though there's no definite proof that these specific poses benefit the thyroid more than others.

It's important to only hold poses as long as you feel comfortable. Many of the poses described below are for those with some yoga experience. You can make them easier with props or by practicing under the guidance of a certified yoga instructor. You can try each of these poses at home with a yoga mat.

Supported Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)

This advanced pose puts you upside down. Avoid it if you are new to yoga, have high blood pressure, heart issues, glaucoma, or are pregnant. Lie on your back, lift your legs straight up, and push onto your shoulders, supporting your hips with your hands. Keep your body straight and core strong.

Plow Pose (Halasana)

This advanced pose builds core and arm strength, plus spine flexibility. Start like the shoulder stand. Bring your legs over your head to rest your toes on the floor behind you, keeping your lower back supported. If breathing gets hard, slowly stop. A prop under shoulders can make it safer.

Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

This advanced pose stretches your body in the opposite direction after other poses. Don't do it if you have high blood pressure, neck injuries, or glaucoma. Sit, place hands under buttocks, lean back on elbows, and gently drop your head back, lifting your chest.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This pose is great for strengthening your back. Lie on your back, bring feet close to hips. Press palms into the floor and lift your hips toward the ceiling. You can use your hands on your lower back for support if needed.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This pose helps make your back and neck more flexible. Lie on your stomach with palms under shoulders. Press into your palms and lift your head and chest off the mat, arching your back. Drop your head back if comfortable.

Boat Pose (Navasana)

Sit with legs out. Lean back slowly, keeping your core strong and back straight. Lift your bent knees, then straighten legs to form a V-shape. Raise arms in line with shoulders. Hold, breathing deeply. Slowly lower arms and legs.

Upward Bow Pose / Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)

This pose deeply stretches your chest, back, and neck. Lie on your back, bend knees, and place hands by your head. Press feet and hands, lifting hips and then your head until arms are straight. Hold and breathe.

Supported Headstand Pose (Sirshasana)

This is a very advanced pose for experienced yoga practitioners, always do it with a teacher at first. Kneel, interlace fingers, and place head on mat. Lift knees, walk feet closer, then slowly lift both feet up, balancing on forearms.

Memory loss is an issue many people believe they will only have to face when they are older. However, diseases like dementia can happen to anyone, while it happens very rarely to people at a young age, the choices you make at these formative years have a great impact on your mind. Studies have shown how people who eat too much processed foods, do not engage in social activities and many other unhealthy habits, increase their chances of dementia and other cognitive degenerative diseases.

Just as some choices can increase the chances, there are also habits that can decrease the chances of you getting these diseases.

One of the best ways to decrease your chances of cognitive decline at an early age is by incorporating healthy habits into your life, like eating more plant-based and unprocessed foods, fixing your sleeping habits as well as exercising

A new study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests that regularly riding a bicycle could be a key factor. Research published recently indicates that using a bike for getting around might reduce the risk of dementia by 19% and Alzheimer's disease by 22%.

How Cycling Helps Your Brain

The study also hinted that cycling might even help increase the size of a brain area crucial for memory. Experts explain that cycling is a moderately intense workout that also requires balance. This need for more complex brain activity, compared to simply walking, might be why it's more effective in lowering dementia risk. It's not just about adding exercise to your routine; it's about making active travel part of your daily life. Choosing to bike instead of drive for short trips can significantly contribute to your well-being.

Large Study Shows the Link

To reach these conclusions, researchers analyzed health data from almost 480,000 people in a long-term health study in the UK. Participants shared how they most often traveled, excluding commutes to and from work. Over an average of 13 years, more than 8,800 participants developed dementia, and nearly 4,000 developed Alzheimer’s.

The findings showed a lower risk for both dementia and Alzheimer’s among those who cycled or who combined cycling with other forms of travel like walking, driving, or public transportation. The research team noted that promoting active travel, especially cycling, could significantly benefit public health by offering an accessible and sustainable way to maintain brain health in middle-aged and older adults.

Cycling's Impact on Brain Structure and Genetics

Brain scans (MRIs) further supported the findings, showing that cycling was linked to a larger hippocampus, which is a part of the brain important for forming memories and learning.

However, the benefits of cycling seemed to be strongest for people without a specific genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's (the APOE E4 genetic variant). For these individuals, cycling was associated with a 26% lower risk of dementia and a 25% lower risk of Alzheimer's. The protective effect of cycling was less clear for those with the APOE E4 gene.

Interestingly, the study also hinted that driving a car offered some protection against dementia when compared to using public transportation like buses or subways. This suggests that even less active forms of travel might have some brain health benefits over passive modes.

Important Considerations and Future Advice

It's important to remember that this study observed a connection, but it doesn't directly prove that cycling causes healthy brain aging. Still, the message is clear: anything that gets you outdoors and active is beneficial for your brain. It's not just the physical movement, but also the balance and the way it engages different parts of your brain. If you're able to ride a bike, it's recommended. If not, walking is still highly encouraged. The key takeaway is to choose an active way to move your body whenever possible.

Do you often worry about twisting your ankle? Are you experiencing foot pain, balance issues, or decreased mobility as you get older? These could all be signs that your ankles are weak. While you may not notice it as much, ankles are a big part of our balance and strength foundation. They support our movements, whether it is walking, running, stretching, or even simple flexing.

When our ankles grow weak, things and situations start changing, however you may not realize it may be due to your weak ankles. You may be getting into situations like twisting your ankles more often, experiencing pain during normal movements, etc. The Cleveland Clinic explains that weak ankles have a great effect on your knees and hips. They explained that deficient ankles cause more strain on your knees as well as the internal rotation of your hips, ultimately making it difficult to walk. However, it can be improved.

Yoga Poses for Strong Ankles

The good news is that you can actively work to strengthen these crucial ankle muscles and the connective tissues around them. This effort will not only help prevent injuries but also significantly improve your balance and overall movement. Here are some yoga poses you can do to improve your ankle health.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

This pose involves kneeling and arching your back, reaching for your heels. It strengthens the front of the ankles and feet while also improving overall stability and flexibility in the lower body. As you press your shins and tops of your feet into the ground, your ankles engage to support the pose.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Imagine sitting in an invisible chair. This pose deeply engages the muscles in your calves and ankles as you lower your hips. It builds strength in the entire foot and ankle complex, improving stability and endurance, which are crucial for preventing ankle rolling during daily activities or sports.

Child's Pose (Balasana)

While primarily a resting pose, Child's Pose can gently stretch the top of your feet and ankles, especially if you sit back on your heels. It helps to release tension and improve flexibility in the ankle joint, which is important for overall ankle health and reducing stiffness.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

This seated pose involves stacking your knees. While the main focus is on the hips, the feet and ankles are gently stretched and aligned. It encourages external rotation in the ankles and can help release tension, improving overall ankle mobility and preventing common stiffness that can lead to injury.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

Standing on one leg while wrapping the other around it, Eagle Pose is a powerful balance pose that significantly challenges and strengthens the stabilizing muscles around your standing ankle. It builds incredible ankle stability, proprioception (your body's awareness in space), and improves overall balance, making your ankles more resilient against twists and sprains.

Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

A simple cross-legged seated pose, Easy Pose might seem basic, but it's foundational for ankle flexibility. It gently stretches the ankles and feet, improving comfort in seated positions and maintaining mobility in the joint. This consistent gentle stretching helps prevent stiffness that can contribute to weak ankles.

Eight-Angle Pose (Astavakrasana)

This advanced arm balance requires significant core and arm strength, but it also heavily relies on strong and flexible ankles to hook around the arm and support the body's weight. It dramatically builds strength and control in the entire ankle joint, demanding high levels of stability and engagement.

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)

This standing balance pose involves extending one leg forward or to the side. It greatly challenges the stabilizing muscles of your standing ankle. Holding this pose strengthens the ankle's ability to maintain balance and withstand shifts in weight, crucial for preventing common ankle injuries during movement.