Legs · Bodyweight
Half Jumping Jack
How to do the half jumping jack, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand tall, then jump your feet out to the sides while raising your arms only to shoulder height instead of overhead. Jump back to the start and repeat at a steady pace to warm up and raise your heart rate. Land softly on the balls of your feet.
- 1Feel your calves and hips spring you in and out
- 2Stay light on the balls of your feet on every landing
- 3Keep a steady, rhythmic pace through the set
Common mistakes
- Don't land flat-footed or with stiff knees
- Avoid hunching your shoulders as the arms rise
- Don't let the rhythm get sloppy as you tire
Muscles worked
The half jumping jack mainly works the calves, with the quads, glutes, hamstrings, side delts, adductors, hip flexors, and tibialis anterior assisting.
- CalvesPrimary
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Tibialis AnteriorSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the half jumping jack for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More calves & shins exercises
- How to do the ankle cars
- How to do the ankle circles
- How to do the ankle rocks
- How to do the resistance band ankle mobilization
- How to do the calf press
- How to do the calf raises with hold
Last reviewed June 2026.