Star Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Star Jump
- Begin in a relaxed stance with your feet shoulder width apart and hold your arms close to the body.
- To initiate the move, squat down halfway and explode back up as high as possible. Fully extend your entire body, spreading your legs and arms away from the body.
- As you land, bring your limbs back in and absorb your impact through the legs.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Star Jump
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Depth Jump Leap
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads.
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2
Side Standing Long Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads.
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3
Single-Leg Stride Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads.
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4
Stride Jump Crossover
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads.
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5
Split Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, needing no equipment.
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6
Standing Long Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, needing no equipment.
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7
Dumbbell Seated Box Jump
An intermediate compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, using dumbbells.
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8
Linear Depth Jump
An intermediate compound plyometric exercise that works the quads.
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9
Rocket Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, needing no equipment.
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10
Scissors Jump
A beginner compound plyometric exercise that works the quads, needing no equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do star jump work?
Star Jump primarily works the quads. The calves, glutes, hamstrings and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for star jump?
None. Star Jump is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Star Jump: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Star Jump is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of star jump?
Depth Jump Leap, Side Standing Long Jump, Single-Leg Stride Jump train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my star jump reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; star jump can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Star Jump with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.