Ankle and Wrist weights can add additional pressure to any
work out as well as prepare you for greater strength and speed in other
sporting arenas. Ankle and wrist weights are great for kenpo, yoga, dance, and movement
sports but also come with some additional risks for those engaging in repeated cardio
exercise. Ensure you know when and where to wear your extra weights to develop
higher levels of fitness activity.
Extra weight means the body has to work harder to complete activities.
Weight increases both muscle gain and the physiological effort required to complete
activities. The body will adjust quickly
to the change of effort. When engaging in yoga, kenpo (including other martial
arts), or dance this extra weight will strengthen your ability to effectively
complete these complex moves when the weights are removed.
For example, in yoga the extension of the leg or arm may
benefit from the extra weight. However, the exercise has little to no negative
stress impact and is primarily based on isometrics. This means that the extra
weight doesn’t create impact stress on the body by placing additional load on
joints and ligaments. When the weights are removed the level of effort is less.
Obviously the extra weight will also raise the cardio
benefits of engaging in these activities. The heart rate will increase to pump
more blood to ensure that the muscles are fed properly under this new weight.
The more activity your heart engages in, the more successful you will be in
improving your overall health.
The downsides occur when completing cardio exercises such as
running, walking, and sprinting. According to biomechanical and computer
modeling the extra weight quickly increases the risk of injury (1).
It is argued that the risks of permanent
injury far outweigh the benefits and should be avoided.
The problem results when the body engages in the same motion
over and over thereby creating repetitive tears in the muscles and prolonged
wear on the ligaments and joints. The risks also exist for those who do not use
weights but rises substantially when extra weight is applied. If you are adamant
about the use of weights during repeat cardio exercises option for the 1-3 pound
range (2).
Using weights provides extra benefits for those engaging in
martial arts, dance, yoga, and similar form style sports. The weight will help
strengthen the major muscles and require the body to build the tertiary muscles
to deal with the extra stress. The fitness gain is beneficial when the form
exercises require enough strength to hold one’s position for prolonged periods
of time. Avoid using such weights for your general cardio routines to lessen
the chance of injury and forced time off of your other activities.
