Jumping Jack

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This article is about the physical exercise. For other uses, see Jumping jack (disambiguation).

A Jumping Jack, or side straddle hop in the American military, is a physical exercise performed by jumping to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead and then returning to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides.

More intensive versions include bending down and touching the floor in between each jump.

It is also commonly known as "star jumps", especially to children of Commonwealth nations.

While fitness expert Jack LaLanne does not take credit for inventing the jumping jack exercise or its name, he does take credit for having popularized it as part of the exercise routine he promoted on decades of television programs. ^[1]

[edit] References

^ Here is the relevant text from Jack LaLanne's own FAQ:

14. Was the "Jumping Jack" exercise named after Jack?
The two schools of thought on the "JUMPING JACK" are that the exercise name evolved because the movement necessary to do the exercise makes the human body look like a "JACK" (the kind you used to play with as a child with a small bouncing ball). However, both Jack La Lanne and the name above evolved together and if the exercise was not named after him, he certainly made the "JUMPING JACK" world famous as his trademark through his 34 years on television and we believe historians will credit him with the name as well.