Ankle Weight Exercises: 5 Best Workouts Good for Weight Loss

5 easy yet effective ankle weight exercises for weight loss that you should try!
Ankle weight exercise is a challenging and effective method for increasing strength, endurance, and general health. Here are the most effective ankle weight exercises for weight loss.

Exercise is essential for anybody attempting to lose weight, and it is always a good idea to incorporate a variety of activities into your fitness routine. Ankle weight exercises are great for resistance training since they add weight to your routine, build and tone your muscles, and burn calories. They are also ideal for physical treatment and rehabilitation. Ankle weights are another extremely popular, low-maintenance training equipment that is portable. Let’s look at the benefits of ankle weight exercises for weight reduction and how to include them into your daily routine.

 

Also Read: How to Get a Full-Body Workout Using Ankle Weights

What is the ankle weight?

Ankle weights are a popular training accessory, particularly for Pilates. They consist of little sandbags that wrap around your ankles. Consider dumbbells for your feet. They generally weigh between 1 and 3 pounds and can be worn for regular tasks or used as part of a workout routine.

Ankle Weight Workouts

Advantages of ankle weight workouts for weight loss

Here are some noticeable benefits of ankle weight workouts to assist you lose the excess kilos:

 

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Exercises like “dead bug” help strengthen your core. Picture sourced from Freepik

1. Helps you lose weight.

A research published in the Science Direct Journal indicated that mild resistance training using ankle-wrist weights and dumbbells provided positive results. After six months, those who used 1.1-pound ankle and wrist weights for around 20 minutes three times a week had a lower body fat percentage.

Ankle weight workouts might assist you in losing weight. Image credit: Adobe Stock.

2. Improves balance.

In a 2014 research published in the Journal of Physical Therapy, ankle weights applied to the stroke-affected leg helped individuals restore their balance. Another research published in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention focused on people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of disorders that damage the lungs and create breathing difficulties. According to the findings, the participants’ lost muscular strength during their hospital stay may have been somewhat compensated for by utilizing ankle weights.

3. Improves bone density by exercise using ankle weights

Similar to other strength training methods. Furthermore, osteoporosis, a disorder that affects women more than men and causes bones to weaken and shatter easily, may be prevented in great part by keeping stronger bones. According to fitness instructor Mickey Mehta, ankle weight exercises are the best workouts for increasing bone mass and strength.

4. Helps you walk better.

A research published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation discovered that for healthy people, wearing ankle weights weighing 1 to 2% of their body weight might be an effective technique for increasing walking distance, speed, and cadence.

5. Increases muscular mass.

According to a research published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, adding weights to your wrist and ankle training routine will help you create more muscle. So, start implementing ankle weight workouts right now!

5 most effective ankle weight exercises for weight loss

Here are some simple ankle weight workouts to help you reduce weight efficiently.

1. Straight-leg donkey kick.

• Begin by kneeling on the mat.
• Get on all fours and place your palms flat on the floor.
• Now, place both of your elbows just behind your shoulders on the mat.
• Stretch back your right leg till your toes are on the ground. This is the starting position.
• With your right leg extended, lift it off the ground and kick it up toward the ceiling.
• Lift it back up just before your right foot touches the ground.
• Before switching legs, repeat this ten times.
• Perform three sets of ten reps each.

2. Hamstring Curl

Ankle Weight Fitness

• Get on all fours and place both elbows beneath your shoulders.
• Raise your right leg off the ground by extending it. This is the beginning position.
• Stretch your leg and bend your right knee, then pull your ankle up to your hip.
• Extend your leg back to its original position.
• Before switching legs, repeat this ten times.
• Perform three sets of ten reps each.

3. Leg dips.

Resistance Training

• Wear ankle weights and lay on a mat.
• Bend your knees and elevate your legs off the ground until your thighs and lower legs create a 90-degree angle.
• Lower your right leg gently.
• Raise it back up to almost touch the ground.
• Lower your left leg gently, then lift it slightly above the floor.
• Perform two sets of ten reps each.

4. Scissor kick.

• Lie on your back, legs straight, arms at your sides.
• Raise your legs 6 inches above the ground, keeping a straight and unified posture.
• Raise your right leg towards the sky and drop your left leg to the floor, keeping your core engaged.
• Change legs, lowering your right leg to the floor and elevating your left leg toward the ceiling.
• Keep your legs straight and your feet pointed as you alternate your legs in a scissoring motion.
• Repeat the required number of times.

5. Straight Leg Openers

Lay down on a mat with your hands at your sides, wearing ankle weights.

Weight Loss Exercises

• Raise both your legs to their full length.
• Now spread your legs as wide apart as possible. The inside thighs will feel stretched.
• Put them back together now.
• Perform three sets of ten repetitions each.

Are there any adverse effects from practicing ankle weight exercises?

Ankle Weight Fitness

Risk of injury: Using ankle weights may increase strain on your joints, particularly your ankles and knees. This may increase the likelihood of injury, especially if proper form is not maintained throughout exercise.
Imbalance: Using ankle weights may alter your natural walk and balance, especially if you already have balance issues or the weights are distributed unevenly. This may make exercise more likely to result in falls or other catastrophes.