ankle weights

today i bought a pair of ankle weights that i plan to use on my daily walks as i want to tone my legs. does anyone know anything about the benefits of using these ankle weights? btw they are only 5 pounds

Sorry to tell you, but next to zero benefit, but do increase your risk of doing injury to your joints. I really don't recommend using them on your walks.

If you want to do something useful for your legs, squats, lunges, deadlifts, and stepups are the way to go.

I agree with amethyst.  Don't wear them on walks, you'll hurt yourself.  What you could do is go for a walk, then do what Amethyst recommended while you're warmed up.  You could even hold your ankle weights in your hands while you're doing it.

It's funny how people dissuade the use of ankle weights, but promote and encourage "good" shoes. "Good" usually meaning really beefy, tons of padding which means they weigh more...

My combats boots weigh a few pounds and my joints are fine... Can someone tell me the difference? If the OP uses lighter ankle weights, is it OK then?

BTW- OP, I suggest not using them either.

Why are heavy boots o.k. and ankle weights are not? Because of how the weight is distributed around and under the foot as opposed to on top of the foot.

And bad boots, bad shoes can cause just as much damage as an ankle weight if they fit poorly or have padding in areas that put strain on your knees or ankles because of how they may force the foot to come down on the ground.

Ankle weights are usually best used for targeted floor exercises to strengthen various leg and butt muscles.

For walking/jogging if you would like to increase the weight you carry by far the best is to wear a weighted vest (we're talking a vest with evenly distributed weights sewn into it).

Original Post by hedgren:

Why are heavy boots o.k. and ankle weights are not? Because of how the weight is distributed around and under the foot as opposed to on top of the foot.

Lol, people say they are bad for joints, usually referring to your knees and/or hips. Which means if the weight is below the knee it doesn't matter if it's on top of the foot, under it, or connected to the side of it. Simple physics...

Either way, I agree no one should wear them for walking or running, especially 5lbs.

Original Post by bmx419:

Original Post by hedgren:

Why are heavy boots o.k. and ankle weights are not? Because of how the weight is distributed around and under the foot as opposed to on top of the foot.

Lol, people say they are bad for joints, usually referring to your knees and/or hips. Which means if the weight is below the knee it doesn't matter if it's on top of the foot, under it, or connected to the side of it. Simple physics...

Either way, I agree no one should wear them for walking or running, especially 5lbs.

...or pink.

Get a refund on the ankle weights.

During your walks...do a set of 15/each lelg walking lunges...then continue your walk. Try getting in 3 sets of those.

And, BMX, when I think of 'good' shoes - for fitness that is - I never think heavy. I think light and very little cushion..don't know why you attribute the word 'good' to 'heavy' fitness shoes?

BMX hates shoes.

... or thinks that anyone is recommending combat boots to runners.

Hiking boots are heavier than your average running sneaker, but I'd wager that the ankle support they provide outweigh the negatives of increased weight.

I'm all for minimal running shoes, for the record, as long as you get your feet accustomed to the switch.

Original Post by fitnessgirll:

And, BMX, when I think of 'good' shoes - for fitness that is - I never think heavy. I think light and very little cushion..don't know why you attribute the word 'good' to 'heavy' fitness shoes?

 Yea, maybe just for gym shoes. I would hope that most would agree, the more minimal the better. 

I was referring to running shoes though. If I went to a running store, and I have, they would try to sell me some super stability/ motion control monster shoe. That weigh like 14oz.

Rosieblue, I don't hate shoes. They're just overrated. There is no empirical research suggesting they reduce and/or prevent injuries. Do some research on barefoot and there's a big difference in research. If anyone reads updated podiatry journals, one will see they are beginning to recognize this unconventional wisdom.

For the record, I do my most of my runs in racing flats, the others barefoot. That's for military regulation though.

Original Post by bmx419:

It's funny how people dissuade the use of ankle weights, but promote and encourage "good" shoes. "Good" usually meaning really beefy, tons of padding which means they weigh more...

My combats boots weigh a few pounds and my joints are fine... Can someone tell me the difference? If the OP uses lighter ankle weights, is it OK then?

BTW- OP, I suggest not using them either.

What boots are you using? My feet were destroyed by the Mark II (Korean War issue) cause Canada sucks for soldier's footwear. Almost every combat arms soldier I know and many others have broken feet and have been forced to go to tactical boots etc. The new boots are much better but we should never had to endure the Mark II's for so long.

Original Post by dabrock:

What boots are you using? My feet were destroyed by the Mark II (Korean War issue) cause Canada sucks for soldier's footwear. Almost every combat arms soldier I know and many others have broken feet and have been forced to go to tactical boots etc. The new boots are much better but we should never had to endure the Mark II's for so long.

 Honestly, I don't know. lol. There is no brand on them, it's my same pair from basic training. The soles are made by Vibram, but not the rest of it.

When I think about the definition of "tactical" and look at my boots, I don't see a correlation. Though, I'm sure they're better than something from the Korean war. I need/want to buy a new pair.

ETA: I think my current pair is Belleville.

Not familiar with Belleville boots -- are you sure they aren't Matterhorns? Those are the ones I see at your PX on deployments. The ones I went to were Magnum Storm II but most have been getting Magnum Stealths, which suck because they are sponges in the rain. Other's have gone out and got their own Danners, Matterhorns or 5.11 tactical boots. 5.11 don't stand up to the field so most infantry go for Danners or Matterhorns instead.

The Matterhorns look very similar, but the sole of the Belleville matches mine perfectly. I'm thinking about buying some Corcorans just for work.

Those Danners look TOUGH and they should be for the price.

Sorry, for getting so off-topic OP.

Original Post by bmx419:

Rosieblue, I don't hate shoes. They're just overrated. There is no empirical research suggesting they reduce and/or prevent injuries. Do some research on barefoot and there's a big difference in research. If anyone reads updated podiatry journals, one will see they are beginning to recognize this unconventional wisdom.

For the record, I do my most of my runs in racing flats, the others barefoot. That's for military regulation though.

I was just teasin'. 

Original Post by bmx419:

Original Post by hedgren:

Why are heavy boots o.k. and ankle weights are not? Because of how the weight is distributed around and under the foot as opposed to on top of the foot.

Lol, people say they are bad for joints, usually referring to your knees and/or hips. Which means if the weight is below the knee it doesn't matter if it's on top of the foot, under it, or connected to the side of it. Simple physics...

Either way, I agree no one should wear them for walking or running, especially 5lbs.

The way I had it explained to me - and I have no idea if this is true, I'm not a biomechanics specialist - is that the location of the weight around your ankle joint throws off the mechanics of the ankle/Achilles tendon and the flexing of your foot itself when running so that you increase instability at the ankle joint and increase the chance of a rolled ankle. So it's not the knee/hip joint, it's the ankle joint itself specifically due to the placement of the weight with ankle weights.

 Sod knows though, all I know about running as a sport I've learned from the runners in the Fitness forum ;)

Well, ankle weights can create a strain on the joints and cause injury to the ligaments and tendons in the leg. Using ankle weights during any kind of aerobic exercise can result in acute and chronic overuse injuries such as tendinitis. Also, since women tend to have slimmer and more flexible ankles, adding ankle weights to aerobic exercises increase the risk of sprained ankles or worse, torn ligaments.

For example, think about Aerobic classes like Step...this type of class uses open chain movements. This means that your foot is in a free position, subject to shearing forces. The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is very sensitive to these shearing forces. Therefore, adding weight may likely cause a tear.

Just say NO to ankle weights!