Fitness

Why Are Ankle Weights So Popular? We Asked Fitness Pros

Real talk: Do they live up to the hype?

by Courtney Leiva | COMMENT

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How Do I Use Ankle Weights? Although there aren't any ankle weight-specific exercises available at this time, Hickey says these weights can be used to add a bit of resistance to your workouts.

"The best thing about ankle weights is that you don't need to change anything about the way you are already working out," he says. "What they do is simply add a little bit of resistance to your exercises, without you having to worry about holding (or switching out) weights." Ankle weights can also be incorporated into any #WFH lifestyle, according to personal trainer Grady Bridges: "Since ankle weights are soft weights that function like a thick ankle bracelet, you can definitely wear them under loose-fitting sweat pants, or around the house all day," he explains.

There are a lot of potential benefits, too. For example, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences revealed that ankle-wrist weight training can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases over time. Study participants experienced overall improvement in waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and skeletal muscle percentage.

Image via Astarot/Getty

SEE NEXT PAGE: Are There Any Downsides to Ankle Weights?

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