Ankle weights are versatile fitness accessories that can enhance your workout routine and take your fitness journey to new heights.
Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting on your fitness journey, incorporating ankle weights into your workouts can add resistance, intensity, and challenge to your exercises. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about using ankle weights for a crazy-good workout, from the benefits and safety precautions to effective exercises and tips for maximizing results.
Benefits of Using Ankle Weights:
Before delving into how to use ankle weights effectively, let's first understand the numerous benefits they offer:
1. Increased Resistance: Ankle weights add extra resistance to your lower body exercises, making them more challenging and effective in building strength and muscle tone.
2. Improved Endurance: By increasing the load on your muscles, ankle weights help improve endurance and stamina, enabling you to push yourself further during workouts.
3. Targeted Muscle Engagement: Ankle weights allow you to target specific muscle groups, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, effectively isolating and strengthening these muscles.
4. Enhanced Cardiovascular Workout: Incorporating ankle weights into cardio exercises like walking or jogging can elevate your heart rate and calorie burn, maximizing the cardiovascular benefits of your workout.
5. Functional Strength Development: Using ankle weights can help improve functional strength, which translates to better performance in daily activities and sports.
Safety Precautions
While ankle weights can be highly beneficial, it's essential to use them safely to avoid injury. Here are some safety precautions to keep in mind:
1. Start Light: If you're new to ankle weights, begin with lighter weights and gradually increase the resistance as your strength improves. This gradual progression helps prevent strain and reduces the risk of injury.
2. Proper Fit: Ensure that your ankle weights fit snugly around your ankles without being too tight or too loose. Improperly fitting ankle weights can cause discomfort or restrict blood flow, leading to potential injury.
3. Maintain Proper Form: Focus on maintaining proper form throughout your exercises, even with the added resistance of ankle weights. Poor form can increase the risk of strain or injury to your joints and muscles.
4. Avoid High-Impact Activities: While ankle weights are suitable for many exercises, avoid using them during high-impact activities like jumping or running, as this can put excessive stress on your joints.
5. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to any signs of discomfort or pain while using ankle weights. If you experience any pain, stop immediately and reassess your technique or reduce the weight.
How to Use Ankle Weights
Before adding ankle weights to your routine, make sure you feel confident in your form for any exercise you plan to use with ankle weights, urges Goldblum. "Initially you want to do the [ankle weights exercises] first, without any extra resistance," she says. "Then add the ankle weights once you're comfortable with the exercises," as long as you're not experiencing any discomfort during your workout with ankle weights. Remember to maintain proper form throughout any movements, whether that means avoiding an overarched back or engaging your core.
Here are other tips from experts to keep in mind for your next ankle weights workout.
Choose the appropriate ankle weight for your workout.
First things first when learning how to use ankle weights: Make sure you're using the right weight load for the intended exercise. If you're walking with ankle weights, keep them light — three to five pounds max. Any more weight can alter your stride, placing stress on your low back and pelvis, says Olson.
For specific exercises (such as the aforementioned donkey kick), you can use up to five- to 10-pound weights on each leg, but the best ankle weight varies for everyone. "The perfect weight load for any exercise is one where the last two reps of every set are really hard to complete," says Perkins.
Interested in exercising with ankle weights? Pick up a set (such as these from Amazon: Buy It, $18, amazon.com) and secure them around your ankles for these three exercises, as demonstrated by Perkins in her Instagram video below.
Talk to your doctor before using ankle weights.
As with any new fitness routine, you should ideally get sign-off from your doctor or another medical expert before starting a regular ankle weights workout routine. "I advise students to check in with their health practitioner before starting anything new for the most specific and up-to-date medical advice aimed specifically for their optimal health," says Goldblum.
Gradually add ankle weights into your workout routine.
Once you're confident in bodyweight-only exercises, you're cleared to start working out with ankle weights in small doses. But instead of strapping ankle weights to your feet 24/7, gradually build up your ankle weight exercises over time, advises Goldblum. "I would recommend starting gently, consistently, and doing low-impact exercises — such as going for a 20-minute walk with one-pound ankle weights to start," says Goldblum.
Low-impact workout modalities, such as barre and Pilates, are especially well-suited for ankle weights, says Leavell. "With slow, really controlled and concentrated movements, just adding that extra piece of resistance can completely change your practice," she says. Eventually, you can work up to wearing your ankle weights a few times a week for low-impact-style exercise.
The 5 Best Ankle Weights Exercises
To help you get the most out of your ankle weights, Goldblum, a BALA ambassador, recommends this set of exercises. Make sure your weights are strapped securely around your ankles for a snug (but not overly tight) fit — that way, you're not distracted by them slipping during your workout.
Standing Leg Extension
A. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, balancing on your right foot with your left leg bent at 90-degrees and left toes pointed. Place hands on hips or against a wall for easier balance.
B. Extend left leg behind you with toes pointed until you feel a gentle stretch in hip flexor. Squeeze hamstring and glute at full extension. Avoid overarching low back or lifting left leg higher than is comfortable.
C. Bend left knee and return to starting position, engaging core to lift knee. For a modification, ball of left foot lightly touches the ground in between reps. Repeat on both legs.
Standing Abductors
A. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on hips, toes pointing forward.
B. Bend right knee to bring right foot in line with left ankle or left knee.
C. Extend right leg straight out to your right side as you squeeze and lift with outer leg and glutes.
D. Lower right leg with control and return to starting position with right knee bent. For a modification, ball of right foot lightly touches the ground in between reps. Repeat on both legs.
Three-Legged Dog to Single-Leg Plank
A. Begin in downward dog: Start on all fours in a tabletop position. Lift hips up and back, gently straightening legs to move into downward dog.
B. On an inhale, extend left leg back up toward the ceiling by shifting shoulders back and squeezing glutes. Hands stay in place on the mat.
C. On an exhale, pull torso and shoulders forward into high plank on right leg only; shoulders stacked over wrists and hips square to the ground. Engage core and imagine pushing the floor away to prevent shoulders from sinking into shoulder joints. For a modification, left foot lightly touches the ground in between reps. Repeat on both legs.
Donkey Leg Kicks
A. Start in tabletop position with shoulders stacked over wrists and hips stacked over knee.
B. Maintaining the 90-degree bend in left knee, lift left knee up until it's in line with left hip; sole of left foot should face the ceiling.
C. Lift left leg one inch, squeezing glutes and engaging core to avoid opening up toward left side.
D. Lower left leg one inch with control. Imagine rotating inner left thigh in and up to the ceiling to engage hamstrings. Repeat on both legs.
Total Body Ankle Weight Complex
A. Begin in a variation of tabletop position, with hands on the mat slightly in front of your shoulders.
B. On an inhale, extend left leg straight back and press your hips away from your shoulders; the result should be similar to a modified three-legged dog.
C. On an exhale, shift forward while bending left leg forward and toward left elbow. Bend arms slightly for a half modified push-up.
D. Extend left leg back out to repeat the movement. Repeat on both sides.
Tips for Maximizing Results
To get the most out of your ankle weight workouts, consider these tips for maximizing results:
1. Combine with Bodyweight Exercises: Incorporate ankle weights into bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and leg lifts to increase intensity and challenge your muscles further.
2. Focus on Control and Range of Motion: Maintain control throughout each exercise, focusing on the full range of motion to ensure maximum muscle engagement and effectiveness.
3. Progress Gradually: As your strength and endurance improve, gradually increase the weight of your ankle weights to continue challenging your muscles and avoiding plateaus.
4. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to ankle weight exercises and adjust the intensity or duration as needed to prevent overtraining or injury.
5. Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to seeing results with any fitness regimen. Incorporate ankle weight exercises into your routine regularly and stay committed to your fitness goals.
Conclusion
Using ankle weights for a crazy-good workout can elevate your fitness routine and help you achieve your strength, endurance, and aesthetic goals. By understanding the benefits, practicing safety precautions, incorporating effective exercises, and following tips for maximizing results, you can harness the full potential of ankle weights to take your workouts to the next level. Remember to listen to your body, stay consistent, and enjoy the journey towards a stronger, healthier you.
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