Are you trying to burn more fat and tone your lower body? Include exercises like squat jumps in your workouts. Explosive exercises activate your bulky, fast twitch muscle fibers (like your glutes and hamstrings). Explosive exercises also burn more calories. A speedier, more intense workout will help you reach your goals quicker.
You can burn more leg fat (and overall body fat) with a good leg fat-burning circuit that includes jumping exercises. Bodyweight leg circuits are a tried and true method to burn more leg fat, increase strength/endurance and improve heart health. A 20-minute leg circuit workout will get the job done.
Your body will need adequate strength (including core strength) and speed strength (power) for you to avoid injuries doing these types of risky workouts.
If you only do running and jumping exercises, they will not give you the leg strength you will need to sculpt your legs. You should strengthen your legs with exercises like squats, step ups and lunges.
If you're having trouble sculpting your butt, hips and thighs then do more jump exercises. Bodyweight plyometric workouts are advanced workouts. You need to perfect jumping and landing techniques or you will injure yourself. And if you have knee and low back problems, high-speed jump training is not for you.
Try this plyometric workout (take little or no rest between exercises):
--jump rope, two feet, full speed, one minute
--squat jumps, 10, full speed
--lunge jumps, 10, full speed
--tuck jumps, 10, full speed
--jumping jacks, 30 seconds, full speed
Rest one minute between circuits. Do the circuit three times for 20 minutes of total workout time. Take more rest between exercises or circuits if needed.
Here are some other jump workout tips:
1. Jump rope for at least 10 minutes every day (if your knees and back allow). A 10-minute jump rope warm-up before your workout is ideal. A 20-minute interval jump roping session is one of the best fat-burners and body-sculptors available. Try it for cardio at least once a week.
2. Do at least one workout a week that includes mainly jumping exercises. Full speed jumps will give you more fat loss and weight loss.
3. Include at least one jumping exercise in your regular workout routine.
4. If you need a change up from jumping, run sprint intervals. Sprints are also top fat-burners and body-sculptors.
Happy jumping!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s sites:
My Fitness Hut http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com
Sports Fitness Hut http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com