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Before stepping out for a walk, don’t just tie your shoelaces. Wear ankle weights to boost the intensity of your exercise. They are weights attached to a broad strap that nicely wraps around the ankle. The straps come in black and bright colours, but they are not a fashion accessory. They can make the walking movement harder, as they add resistance to the workout. The increased resistance can help you lose weight and improve your leg and hip muscle strength. Clearly, walking with ankle weights can help you achieve your fitness goals.
They are a fitness training tool used to intensify any exercise by building resistance, improving endurance and impacting overall performance. “Usually available as adjustable worn straps, these ankle weight straps are intended to provide extra weight resistance during a training session,” says fitness expert Aman Puri.
So, you can try walking with ankle weights for more resistance. The wearable weights are fabricated and filled with metals and sands. They come in multiple colours and variable weights according to the individual’s need. These weights specifically target the hip, thigh and leg muscles.
While the usual walking has benefits, wearing ankle weights may be better for you. Walking with ankle weights may be more effective than normal walking exercise, as per research published in the Journal Of Exercise Rehabilitation in 2017. Here are some benefits of walking with ankle weights:
Walking with ankle weights can help to improve the strength of your lower body, especially your legs and hips. “With additional weight, muscles start working hard. This leads to their toning and strengthening, particularly the hamstring, calf and quadricep muscles,” says Puri.
These weights do more than adding versatility to your daily walking regime. Walking with ankle weights can help to improve stability and balance. “This combination can help to overcome the chance of falls by improving coordination and stabilising muscles around the ankle, hip and knee,” says the expert.
Walking with ankle weights can be good for your joints. Regularly using them can help to improve your overall joint strength, according to research published in Gait & Posture in 2020. The improved resistance can help to improve joint movements especially ankle, hip, and knee joints.
Wearing ankle weights during walking can help to burn calories and manage weight. “Your body will require extra energy when you walk with the tied weights,” shares Puri. This can stimulate energy production from the stored body fat, and lead to calorie burning. “Walking at 2 miles per hour for 30 minutes with ankle weights can burn approximately 70 to 80 calories,” says the expert.
Wearing these weights around ankles can be beneficial for your heart. It can help to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, according to research published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences in 2016. Walking with ankle weights puts more weight on your legs, which demands extra effort. “This increases blood circulation and increases oxygen uptake,” says the expert. It is the process of taking in oxygen and making use of it to supply energy to your organs and tissues. “When it increases, it improves heart rhythm, and heart health,” says the expert.
“Wearing ankle weights while walking can stimulate bone growth, which can help to prevent the risk of developing bone diseases like osteoporosis,” says the expert. Wearing these weights can help to build the muscles that support the joints, especially the knee, hip and ankles.
If you are at risk of developing bone loss, adding light ankle weights into your walking routine can be a good way to maintain bone health. “Combine it with a diet rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to support an increase in bone density,” suggests Puri.
It is crucial to use ankle weights correctly during walking to prevent injuries.
Although these weights are beneficial, there may be some downsides:
“People with injuries, pregnant women and the elderly must check with a doctor for safe usage to avoid any injuries,” says Puri.
Walking with ankle weights is a good way to add resistance to your workout. Start with lighter weights to prevent injuries. People with arthritis or other health conditions need to consult an expert before using these weights.
Take a PollTake a PollYou can wear ankle weights for 15 to 30 minutes. Using them for a long time can potentially strain your muscles or joints. If you plan to use ankle weights regularly, use lesser weights or wear them for short durations only.
Beginners are always suggested to start with lower weights so that they don’t strain the muscles and joints unnecessarily. Ideally, 0.5 to 1 kg ankle weights are recommended for daily usage. You may gradually increase weight to 1.5 to 2 kg for strengthening muscles and enhancing endurance when involved in sports or professional training or burning more calories.
Using ankle weights while walking makes the gluteus medius muscles work harder which helps to tone the butt. However, the involvement of the gluteus maximus muscle is not completely there during walking. Incorporating other exercises with walking such as lunges, squats, kickback and leg raise with ankle weights on can benefit if toning the butt is your target.
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