5 ankle weight exercises for weight loss | XpertsReviews.com

Exercise is important for someone trying to lose weight, and it’s always a good idea to include different exercises in your fitness program. Ankle strength exercises are ideal for resistance training because they add weight to your workout routine, strengthen and tone your muscles, and burn calories. They are also perfect for physiotherapy or rehabilitation. Ankle weights are also incredibly popular pieces of exercise equipment that are low maintenance and portable. So let’s explore the benefits of ankle strength exercises for weight loss and how you can include them 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. Consider 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 program.

Benefits of ankle strength exercises for weight loss

Here are some notable benefits of ankle strength exercises that help you shed extra pounds:

1. Helps Lose Weight

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

Read also: Weight Loss Tips: Incorporate These 5-Minute Exercises into Your Busy Schedule

2. Improves balance

Ankle weights applied to the stroke-affected leg helped participants regain their balance in a 2014 study published in the Physiotherapy Journal which focused on stroke recovery. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of diseases 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’ decrease in muscle strength during their hospital stay may have been partially compensated for by the use of ankle weights.

3. Increases bone density

“Using ankle weights during exercise can help improve bone density, just like any other strength training program. Additionally, osteoporosis, a disease that disproportionately affects women more than men and causes bones to weaken and fracture, can be largely prevented by maintaining stronger bones. For this reason, the best workouts for increasing bone mass and strength are ankle strength exercises, says fitness trainer Mickey Mehta.

4. Helps you walk better

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

5. Increases muscle mass

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

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

5 Best Ankle Strength Exercises for Weight Loss

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

1. Straight Leg Donkey Kick

• Start by kneeling on a mat.
• Get on all fours with your palms flat on the floor.
• Now place both of your elbows exactly under your shoulders on the mat.
• Stretch your right leg so that your toes are on the floor. This is the starting position.
• With your right leg extended, lift it off the floor and kick it toward the ceiling.
• Lift it 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 with both elbows under your shoulders.
• Lift your right leg off the floor, 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 down on a mat.
• Bend your knees and lift your legs off the floor so that your thighs and lower legs are at a 90-degree angle.
• Now gradually lower your right leg.
• Raise it until it almost touches the ground.
• Gradually lower your left leg and lift 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 floor while maintaining a straight, even posture.
• Raise your right leg toward the ceiling and lower your left leg toward the floor while keeping your core engaged.
• Switch legs by bringing your right leg toward the floor and lifting your left leg toward the ceiling.
• Keep your legs straight and your feet pointed as you continue to alternate your scissor legs.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Read also: Say goodbye to fat with the scissor abs exercise to tone your stomach

5. Straight leg openers

• With your hands at your sides, lie down on a mat while carrying the ankle weights.
• Raise both legs to their maximum length.
• Now spread your legs as wide as possible. Your inner thighs will be stretched.
• Put them back together now.
• Perform three sets of 10 repetitions each.

Are there any side effects associated with ankle strength exercises?

• Risk of injury: Using ankle weights can put more strain on your joints, especially your ankles and knees. This could make injury more likely, particularly if good form is not maintained when exercising.
• Imbalance: Using ankle weights may change your normal walking and balance, especially if you already have balance problems or if the weights are unevenly distributed. This could make exercise more likely to lead to falls or other accidents.