Why Wear Ankle Weights?

Ankle weights are a common tool used to help anyone get in better shape. Also, athletes use ankle weights to train to gain strength and performance agility. During practice, they wear the weights and have to get used to the feeling of lugging them around. They take the weights off to perform, and it's much easier since their legs feel lighter.

Convenience

• A benefit of ankle weights is that they are convenient: You simply strap them on when you want to start training your legs, go about your day as you normally would, and then when you're done, just take them off.

Increased Body Weight Resistance

• Certain exercises such as dips and pull-ups only require the use of body weight. With ankle weights, you can gradually increase resistance, which results in building muscle mass and having the look of tone.

Free Weight Resistance for Legs

• An ankle weight for your leg is the equivalent to a dumbbell for your arms. Ankle weights effectively give your legs the benefits of a free weight workout. Some examples of free weight leg exercises are the standing leg curl, and seated leg extension.

Agility

• By attaching free weights to your legs, you force them to work harder. Training with the weights requires more energy and burns more calories. Then, when you perform without the bulk of the weights, your legs will spring into action, and you will be quicker and more agile.

Stamina

• Lugging weights around your ankles all day will force your muscles to get used to exerting more force for long periods of time. When you take the weights off, your muscles will still be used to working harder for longer periods of time. Your legs will move much quicker while exerting the same amount of force that they are used to.