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Ankle weights are weighty because they contain metal bars, pellets or sand. They are fastened, usually with Velcro, around your ankles, to help you get more benefit from your exercise regimen. Straps are adjustable. The weight is spread evenly around your ankle, in pouches. Some have elastic sides instead of Velcro fasteners. Your ankle weights can double as hand weights if you want them to.
A little ol' walk becomes something more when you head out wearing ankle weights. Start out slow, and in fact don't start out at all unless and until you've been going for walks for some time and are a pro. You can end up with tendon and muscle strain if you jump into things too soon. If you wear a pair of 2-pound ankle weights when you go for a walk, they'll make the effort expended roughly equivalent to what you'd get from a 4-pound backpack, but without the back strain. Movement that wouldn't have made much of a difference before you introduced the ankle weights will now increase the challenge of body weight resistance activity, and increase the payoff in strengthening muscles.
Ankle weights make your muscles work harder. They consume more energy and burn up more calories. Even after you take off the weights, your muscles will continue to work harder for a time. A leg lift has more oomph when you're wearing ankle weights. Slow down that leg lift a bit from what you're used to, because the extra weight can make you more vulnerable to injuring yourself. Knee lifts will strengthen the muscles in your knee area, and increase your balance even more if you're wearing ankle weights.
Swimming with waterproof ankle weights can make a great workout even better. Once again, though, don't start out as a newbie in the water trying to sport the ankle weights. Only add ankle weights to your swimming gear after you have become fit in the water.
Ankle weights can be purchased in a variety of sizes, ranging from 1 pound up to 20 pounds. Novices should stick with the 1 to 2 pound weights. If you are more fit, you can safely use heavier weights. If you're a beginner, keep in mind that while ankle weights can be a great tool, when you don't know what you're doing, or you try to barrel ahead too fast, you can do real damage to the tendons and muscles in your lower appendages. Ankle weights can be hard on your joints, and you may be more vulnerable to injuring yourself. If ankle weights are overused, they can lead to joint hyper-extension even after you take them off.
Jody Smith is a freelance writer for EmpowHER.com.
Sources:
What Are the Benefits of Wearing Ankle Weights?
http://www.ehow.com/about_5071095_benefits-wearing-ankle-weights.html
What Are Good Uses for Ankle Weights?
http://www.ehow.com/about_5317683_good-uses-ankle-weights.html
Why Wear Ankle Weights?
