Exercise is important for someone trying to lose weight, and it is always a good idea to include different exercises in your fitness regimen. Ankle weight exercises are ideal for resistance training since they add weight to your workout regimen, strengthen and tone your muscles, and burn calories. They are great for physical therapy or rehabilitation as well. Ankle weights are also incredibly popular, low-maintenance exercise equipment that is portable. So, let’s explore the benefits of ankle weight exercises for weight loss and how you can include these in your daily routine.

What is ankle weight?

Ankle weights are a common exercise accessory, particularly used for Pilates. They are made of small sandbags that wrap around your ankles. Think dumbbells for your feet. They typically weigh between 1 and 3 pounds, and you can wear them during your daily activities or use them as part of your exercise regimen.

Benefits of ankle weight exercises for weight loss

Here are some notable benefits of ankle weight exercises that help you get rid of the extra kilos:

1. Helps to lose weight

A study published in Science Direct Journal found that light resistance training with ankle-wrist weights and dumbbells produced encouraging outcomes. After the six-month study period, participants who utilised 1.1-pound ankle and wrist weights for roughly 20 minutes three times a week had reduced body fat percent.

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2. Improves balance

Ankle weights applied to the leg affected by the stroke helped the participants regain their balance in a 2014 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy that focused on stroke recovery. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of illnesses that affect the lungs and cause breathing problems, were the subject of another study published in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. According to the results, the individuals’ decreased muscle strength during their hospital stay may have been partially compensated for by using ankle weights.

3. Increases bone density

“Using ankle weights while exercising can help improve bone density, just like any other strength training regimen. Plus, osteoporosis, a condition that disproportionately affects women more than males and causes bones to weaken and shatter easily, can be avoided in large part by maintaining stronger bones. For this reason, the greatest workouts to increase bone mass and strength are ankle weight exercises, says fitness coach, Mickey Mehta.

4. Helps you walk better

A study published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found that for healthy persons, wearing ankle weights weighing 1 to 2 percent of their body weight could be an effective strategy to increase walking distance, speed, and cadence.

5. Increases muscle mass

According to a study published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, you can build more muscle by including weights in your exercise plan for your wrists and ankles. So, start incorporating ankle weight exercises now!

Also Read: 5 exercises to boost fat loss and muscle gain at the same time

5 best ankle weight exercises for weight loss

Here are some easy ankle weight exercises that will help you lose weight effectively.

1. Straight-leg donkey kick

• Begin by kneeling on a mat.
• Get on all fours with your palms flat on the floor.
• Now, put both of your elbows exactly beneath your shoulders on the mat.
• Stretch back your right leg so that your toes are on the ground. This is the starting position.
• With your right leg extended, lift it off the ground and kick it upward towards the ceiling.
• Lift it back up just before your right foot reaches the ground.
• Before switching legs, repeat this 10 times.
• Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions each.

2. Hamstring curl

• Get on all fours, placing both your elbows beneath your shoulders.
• Raise your right leg off the ground by extending it. This is the initial position.
• Stretch your leg and bend your right knee now and bring your ankle up to your hip.
• Extend your leg back to its starting position.
• Before switching legs, repeat this 10 times.
• Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions each.

3. Leg drops

• Wear ankle weights and lie on a mat.
• Bend your knees and raise your legs off the ground so that your thighs and lower legs form a 90-degree angle.
• Now lower your right leg gradually.
• Raise it back up until it almost touches the ground.
• Lower your left leg gradually and raise it just above the floor.
• Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions each.

4. Scissor kick

• Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms at your sides.
• Raise your legs 6 inches off the ground while maintaining a straight and united stance.
• Raise your right leg towards the ceiling and lower your left leg towards the floor while keeping your core engaged.
• Change legs, bringing your right leg down to the floor and raising your left leg towards the ceiling.
• Keep your legs straight and your feet pointed as you continue to alternate your legs in a scissoring action.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Also Read: Bid adieu to fat with the scissor abs exercise to tone your belly

5. Straight leg openers

• With your hands on the sides, lie down on a mat while wearing the ankle weights.
• Raise both of your legs to their maximum length.
• Now spread your legs as widely apart as you can. Your inner thighs will feel stretched.
• Put them back together now.
• Perform three sets of 10 reps each.

Are there any side effects of doing ankle weight exercises?

• Risk of injury: Using ankle weights might put more strain on your joints, especially your ankles and knees. This could make injuries more likely, particularly if good form is not kept when exercising.
• Imbalance: Using ankle weights might change your normal walk and balance, particularly if you already have balance problems or if the weights are distributed unevenly. This could make exercising more likely to result in falls or other mishaps.