[Don't!] Jump for My Love

The Pointer Sisters may want you to jump for their love, but what if you just can’t do it? Maybe you have knee issues. Maybe high impact exercises aren’t your bag. Maybe jumping makes you lose control in certain areas. Maybe you’re a white man. Whatever your reason, here are some simple swaps for jumping exercises to make sure you still get a good burn:

Jump squats turn into squatting with a calf raise: When you jump, you are essentially doing a calf raise to push off of your toes and get into the air. So, take the power out of the move and just go up on your toes instead.

Tuck jumps turn into a squat with a knee drive: Use the momentum you use to stand up from a squat to raise one knee toward your chest. Bring your arms down to meet your knee. Go back into the squat and alternate knee raises.

Jumping jacks turn into a stepping motion: Alternate your feet to either step in or step out. Coordinate the arms to create a smooth transition.

Lateral hops become lateral steps: Whether you’re doing a leap (torso upright) or a skater jump (torso bent over), simply step side to side. Be sure to cover as much ground as possible to really work your thighs.

Single leg hops become calf raises: Do this long enough and you will feel just as much burn, trust me. Keep the foot that’s off the ground tucked behind the ankle of the supporting foot to increase the balance challenge and better engage your core.

Hopping moves in plank because stepping moves: Just because you’re horizontal doesn’t mean you can’t modify. Walk your feet side to side, walk into a pike, slow down your mountain climbers. Be sure to maintain a good plank position no matter how you modify.

So now you know…no need to jump for one’s love. Instead, just step in the name of it…

Click here for my Youtube video showing the above modifications!