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Jumping Jacks Around the World

First Lady Michelle Obama leads Jumping Jacks
First Lady Michelle Obama leads a group of 400 local children on the South Lawn of the White House to help break the Guinness World Records title for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period, Oct. 11, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Yesterday, something special happened. People around the world joined together towards the same goal: to set a Guinness World Record® for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period. The challenge was to have more than 20,000 people from around the world do jumping jacks for one minute.

Joined by National Geographic Kids Magazine, First Lady Michelle Obama had the chance to launch the effort to break the record from the South Lawn of the White House:

I get to do a lot of cool things, but this is really exciting. I never thought in my entire life that I would be here today to break a Guinness World Record. Woohoo! And I’m here doing it with all of you and that makes it even more fun, because the whole country -- the world is going to see just how much fun we can have not just breaking a world record but also doing some exercise, right? Because that’s one of my big things. “Let’s Move” is about kids eating healthy and moving and staying active, so you all are ready for life and for all the challenges that you’re going to face.

And what we’re going to show people today is that moving is fun, right? You can do it just dancing around in your backyard. You can get moving if you’re walking your dog. Or you can get moving doing some jumping jacks, right? There are so many ways to keep moving.

First Lady Michelle Obama greets children
First Lady Michelle Obama greets children on the South Lawn of the White House after they did jumping jacks to help break the Guinness World Records title for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period, Oct. 11, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Check out the full video from the South Lawn Let's Move! Jumping Jacks event: