The Benefits of Ankle Weights: How to Use Them for a Better Workout at Home!
There are many benefits of ankle weights as home gym equipment. However, you should not overdo it.
And also never do household chores wearing ankle weights!
| Increased Muscle Strength and Size | – Ankle weights provide additional resistance, leading to greater muscle activation and growth.<br>- They specifically target the muscles in the lower body, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. |
| Improved Balance and Coordination | – Wearing ankle weights challenges your body’s stability, which helps improve balance and coordination.<br>- It can also enhance proprioception and spatial awareness. |
| Increased Cardiovascular Endurance | – Ankle weights increase the intensity of cardiovascular exercises, such as jogging or aerobic routines, resulting in improved endurance.<br>- The added resistance forces your heart and lungs to work harder. |
| More Intense Workouts | – Ankle weights make your workouts more challenging and demanding, helping you push your limits and break through plateaus.<br>- They add an extra level of difficulty to exercises like lunges, squats, and kickbacks. |
| Increased Core Strength | – Wearing ankle weights engages your core muscles to stabilize your body during movements, which helps strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles.<br>- It adds an element of resistance to core exercises, making them more effective. |
| Ankle weight exercises can target and isolate muscle groups | – Ankle weights allow you to focus on specific muscle groups, such as the inner and outer thighs or the calves, by adding resistance to targeted exercises.<br>- They help isolate and strengthen specific muscles, enhancing muscle definition and symmetry. |
| Accelerating weight loss | – Ankle weights increase the calorie burn during workouts, aiding in weight loss and fat burning.<br>- They boost the intensity of exercises, leading to a higher metabolic rate and increased energy expenditure. |
| Adding more challenge to your workouts | – Ankle weights provide a way to progress and challenge yourself in your fitness routine.<br>- By continually increasing the weight or difficulty level, you can keep pushing your limits and making progress. |
| Ankle weights are extremely versatile | – Ankle weights can be used in various types of exercises, including aerobic workouts, strength training, Pilates, yoga, and even during everyday activities.<br>- They are adjustable and come in different weights, allowing you to customize the resistance according to your fitness level and goals. |
1. Increased Muscle Strength and Size
Using ankle weights increases muscle strength and size due to the added weight and resistance they provide.
The increased resistance forces your muscles to work harder, which results in them becoming stronger over time. Additionally, wearing ankle weights can increase muscle mass in the calves, quads, and glutes. A study done on 89 people confirms that using dumbells or ankle weights improves body composition.
2. Improved Balance and Coordination
Using ankle weights can help improve balance and coordination by challenging your stabilizer muscles.
For me, this worked great. I could see that I was walking and moving faster.
I just used ankle weights for some aerobic exercises probably once a week only.
Regular practice with ankle weights can help improve balance and coordination by strengthening the stabilizer muscles that are responsible for keeping you upright.
But do not overdo as Lee from Naruto does it.
3. Increased Cardiovascular Endurance
Studies show wearable weights do increase cardiovascular endurance. While I do no support running wearing ankle weights, I would only briskly walk or do jumping jacks with them.
I believe you should do it too.
However, this is not the best way to improve cardio though, running outdoors or indoors is the best option.
4. More Intense Workouts
Ankle weights increase the intensity of workouts by increasing the calories burned and building muscle.
High knees with ankle weights?
Walking with ankle weights?
All will burn more calories and make the workout intense. In this way you can expect to do a better, quicker workout without wasting time in your home gym.
5. Increased Core Strength
Using ankle weights increases core strength by forcing the core to work extra hard. The added weight forces the abdominal muscles to contract more strongly in order to keep the body balanced and stable.
Do a few reps of leg raises on a pull-up bar with ankle weights and you will see!
Ankle weights can also be used for leg lifts, V-ups, and bicycle crunches to target lower abs and oblique muscles.
You do not need any fancy ab exercise bench, just these ankle weights would do great in your home gym.
6. Ankle weight exercises can target and isolate muscle groups
You can add ankle weights to lower-body strength exercises such as single leg lifts, barre moves, glute workouts, and yoga poses, you can increase the burn while targeting specific muscle groups more effectively than without weights.
So in a way, you can isolate muscle groups and it will serve as a low-impact workout.
I used ankle weights to do leg lifts, which helped me strengthen my smaller leg muscles.
7. Accelerating weight loss
Using ankle weights is an effective way to increase the intensity of a workout and burn more calories.
I haven’t used ankle weights for weight loss but some aerobic exercise wearing ankle weights might do some good to remove your body fat.
8. Adding more challenge to your workouts
Adding ankle weights to your workouts increases the challenge by making leg exercises more difficult.
This adds an extra layer of difficulty to each lift, step, and pulse, forcing you to exert more effort in order to complete them with proper form.
By wearing aquatic ankle weights while swimming, you can create additional resistance which adds another level of challenge to your routine.
Ultimately this makes your workouts more challenging and can bring out your competitive spirit.
9. Ankle weights are extremely versatile
Ankle weights are versatile pieces of equipment that can be adjusted to fit the ankle or the wrist.
They are great for adding resistance to your strengthening routine.
But these will not replace your dumbbells.
How to use ankle weights for a better workout?
Talk to your doctor before using ankle weights.
It is important to talk to a doctor before using ankle weights because they can have potential health benefits, but they may not be suitable for everyone.
A doctor can provide specific and up-to-date medical advice tailored specifically for each individual’s needs, including any risks or side effects associated with the use of ankle weights.
Choose the appropriate ankle weight for your workout.
1. Select an ankle weight that is between 1% and 2% of your body weight.
2. Wear the ankle weights for short periods of time at first, gradually building up from there if you plan on walking or jogging with them.
3. Do different exercises to activate your hips, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves with the help of the ankle weights such as leg lifts, glute lifts, and leg rotations.
Gradually add ankle weights to your workout routine.
- Start with light weights and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger.
- Add ankle weights to your existing workout routine, such as squats, lunges, step-ups and multi-plane leg raises.
- Wear the ankle weights while performing your exercises for added resistance and variety in your routine.
- Incorporate slow movements into your exercises so that you don’t strain yourself with too much weight too quickly.
- Monitor how much weight you’re using by listening to how hard it’s becoming to complete certain motions or lift certain amounts of weight with ease; this will help you gauge how much-added resistance is appropriate for each exercise movement or set of repetitions performed in that particular exercise session.
What types of exercises can be done using ankle weights?
The types of exercises that can be done using ankle weights include walking, jogging, skipping, running, lunges, squats and calf raise. Additionally, ankle weights can be used to add extra resistance to strength-training exercises such as push-ups or squats.
[Top skipping rope in India to shed some fat off]
FAQs
Are there any risks associated with using ankle weights?
Using ankle weights can have some risks associated with it.
The extra weight added by the ankle weights can add stress to joints and muscles, which in moderation is beneficial but should be used with caution in your home gym workouts.
Ankle weight workouts should not be a priority!
If used improperly or without proper precautions, using ankle weights can lead to overuse injuries such as pain in the ankles, knees, and hips.
And anyone who uses ankle weights should check with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise routine if they are recovering from an injury or new to fitness.
How can ankle weights be used to tone and strengthen the body?
- Select an ankle weight that is light enough for you to use comfortably.
- Attach the ankle weight to your ankles or wrists and begin doing exercises such as walking, running, lunges, squats etc..
- Increase the weight gradually as you get stronger over time and continue exercising regularly with it on hand to maintain strength gains.
- Start with lighter weights in the initial stages until you get used to using them regularly in your workouts for best results in toning and strengthening muscles around your ankles area.
- Train with a professional trainer in the beginning stages if needed for guidance on how best to use ankle weights for maximum benefits from them during workouts sessions
Are there any safety precautions when using ankle weights?
When using ankle weights, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind:
- Ankle weights can add stress to joints, so be mindful of how much weight you use and how often you use it.
- Beginners should start out using lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as they get stronger from using their own body weight.
- If you experience pain in your ankles, knees or hips while using ankle weights, stop immediately or decrease the amount of weight used until the pain subsides.
- It is important to check with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise routine if you are pregnant or recovering from an injury
Are there any special considerations when using ankle weights?
When using ankle weights, there are a few special considerations to keep in mind:
- Injury risk is low when using ankle weights, but they can still add stress to your joints. Be mindful of the extra weight and use them in conjunction with other fitness methods such as dumbbells, body weight training and cardiovascular exercise.
- Beginners should try incorporating ankle weights as they get stronger from using their own body weight. Increase the weight slowly to avoid overuse injuries.
- If you have any pain in your ankles, knees or hips then it may be best to avoid using ankle weights or decrease your weight load.
- If you are pregnant or have any medical conditions that affect your ankles/knees/hips then check with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise routine involving ankle weights.
Should I walk with ankle weights?
Research suggests that wearing ankle weights while walking may do more harm than good.
The added weight can put unnecessary strain on your joints and muscles, increasing the risk of injury.
My personal experience is also the same.
It’s also important to note that ankle weights are not necessary to achieve a good workout while walking. Regular, brisk walks can still provide a range of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart conditions, easing joint pain, boosting your immune system, and improving your mood.
The Last Rep!
The benefits of ankle weights are undeniable.
They have the power to transform your workout routine, sculpt your lower body, boost your endurance, and improve your overall fitness.
Strap on those ankle weights, embrace the challenge, and get ready to elevate your fitness game like never before.
They can be used in various fitness activities, both inside and outside the gym.
Whether you prefer dance workouts, Pilates, or even yoga, ankle weights can add that extra spice and intensity to your routine, making every move count.
They are portable, easy to use, and offer a wide range of weight options to suit your fitness level and goals.
