Ankle weights - how heavy can you go?

[kimyenchu]

Hello,

I have a pair of 1kg (2.5lbs) ankle weights that I've used for many years for floor exercises like in Legs & Glutes, Butts & Gutts. I've been thinking lately that I need to step up with these as well. Do you know how heavy you can go with ankle weights? The heaviest I've seen sold in shops is 2kgs (5lbs), but I think I could use heavier, maybe 3kgs (6.6lbs), 4kgs (8lbs) or even 5kgs (10lbs) for outer and inner thigh work. Does anyone use heavy weights or is the maximum we should use is 5lbs for safety reasons? I would like your opinions before I buy.

Thanks.

Yen

 

[chefkate]

DH & I have 10 lb. adjustable ankle weights in our weight room. You can add to/take away in 1 lb. increments. I don't like to add too much weight to my ankle, thinking about stressing my knee with the added weight. Maybe try holding a dumbbell at your thigh to increase the weight?

 

[kimyenchu]

Kate,

What is the heaviest ankle weight you would use? I agree with you about weights being too heavy would stress the knees. I think I would probably go up to 3kg (6.6lbs) and no more.

Yen

 

[chefkate]

Well, my workouts the last few months have changed due to my preggo status (I have to be more careful with all of the extra hormones/loose ligaments) but I seem to remember using 5 pounds for some stuff. It just depends on the exercise for me. If my inner ankle is turned up, not so heavy, If it's "pizza press" style, heavy it up baby!:7

Good luck!

 

[kathryn]

I would not use heavy ankle weights (over 5#) on the ankles for lying inner and outer thigh work, as it puts pressure on the knee in a lateral fashion, which is not the normal plane of movement of the knee. For some people, even 5# might be too much.

I WOULD use heavier weights with standing hamstring curls (up to 20# or more as you work up to it), 'pizza press' moves and the like, or put those heavier weights ABOVE THE KNEE for inner/outer thigh work. (One exercise I didn't mention is seated quad extensions, because they are not safe for everyone's knees, as the move can create sheering force on the knee joint).

Another use for heavier ankle weights is to hook them together (some brands do that, like Ironwear) to use as a weight belt.

Whatever you get, make sure they are adjustible, as you won't use the same weight for different moves. And make sure they can fasten above the knee, as you won't want to go heavy on side-lying moves with the weight on the ankle.

HTH!

 

[netsnotes]

I have 10lbs weights. They work well for me. Even though I can take the weights out I don't. I keep it constant through each exercise.

Annette Bethel