Benefits of wearing ankle weight

**jas1121** · 07-29-2007, 02:25 AM

I wanna ask, what are the benefits of wearing ankle weight while
1.Jogging / running/sprinting
2. Playing badminton.

I don't think its beneficial in badminton and may cause injury during badminton, But how about running? does it develop strength?

**chickenpoodle** · 07-29-2007, 03:25 AM

i think ankle weights for running is still risky.
running with a tire is probably more beneficial.
you put on a belt that is tied to a tire, and you run, dragging the tire behind you, very popular in training with sports like (american) football.

**jerby** · 07-29-2007, 05:42 AM

it's not a scientific fact (experts aren't all out of it, iirc) but ankle weights are said to change your gait (sp?).
because all the weight is on your limbs, you move in a different way, which is not benificial for any sport.
Other problems: your joints. Because you don't plant your feet well (especially on a hard surface) changes are you'll damage your ankles, knees and hips with heavy, uncoordinated steps.

My advice: buy 2-4 ankleweights and use them like a belt... But still I don't think you'll have much benifit. Runnign for 20mins when your 75kg isntead of 72kg, I must say I'm rather sceptical.
Now, if you would do uphillsprints, in loose sand, You'd be training badminton specific...But I doubt you'll need the weight

**ants** · 07-29-2007, 09:33 AM

Vest with weights does much better job than ankle weights. Ankle weights are a little risky for badminton players.

**LazyBuddy** · 07-29-2007, 12:57 PM

Personally, I think ankle weight is ok if just for strength training in a slower pace exercise, such as daily walking. As other posters mentioned, it's kinda risky to use it during any intensive exercise.

**stumblingfeet** · 07-29-2007, 05:36 PM

Generally, the use of ankle weights for training is very limited and is a waste of money.

**Gollum** · 07-29-2007, 05:43 PM

Ankle weights are excellent for rehabilitating certain profiles of knee injury. But they are used in a controlled fashion, with small movements only.

Using them to make your fitness or court training more "hardcore" is asking for trouble. Injury prevention is far more important, and the footwork will be distorted anyway.

**stumblingfeet** · 07-30-2007, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by jerby

Now, if you would do uphillsprints, in loose sand, You'd be training badminton specific...But I doubt you'll need the weight

you find yourself downhill and within mounds of sand when you play badminton? Wow, badminton must be different in different countries

**jerby** · 07-31-2007, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by stumblingfeet

you find yourself downhill and within mounds of sand when you play badminton? Wow, badminton must be different in different countries

yes, yes, in holland all gyms are located on high sand dunes....

**chessymonkey** · 07-31-2007, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by jerby

yes, yes, in holland all gyms are located on high sand dunes....

And who loses the game gets to become dinner for sandworms

**illusionistpro** · 07-31-2007, 12:43 PM

i've trained for a season with ankle weights, but it was for soccer. I trained for about a month last year for general fitness with them again, and it doesnt give enough benefits for the damage they do. Your form is terrible. It forces you to control your form a lot so muscles that stabilize your stride will be worked but it also kills your joints. You dont gain a whole lot of speed overall. There are better weights such as weight jackets that help much more significantly. I believe ankle weights are worn for walking purposes. One team mate in highschool used to wear them all day before our matches and would take them off when we started to warm up. After that he said he felt like and quick.

**jas1121** · 08-01-2007, 06:23 AM

thanks for all the replies. I do use ankle weight and walk in school, i guess i wont be needing them for jogging and badminton.

**iamSudd3n** · 08-06-2007, 09:27 PM

This is my experience during my teen days, (without ankle weights) I usually jog for 2 kilometers the last 150 meters is to run as fast as i can and the result was it increase my stamina, agility and my jumping ability (for basketball)but not as high as i wanted to. And then i'm trying to realize during that 150m stretch, i feel my whole legs and feet are heavy. So, it give me the idea of using ankle weights. But when i tried using it sometimes i cannot even finish the 2km stretch, i even jog slower than my usual speed and i cannot even do the 150m run. When i removed the weights it's just the same feeling and results and it didn't add anything to my jumping and it hardens my calf. So I just went back to my regular jogging ways.

But I was always thinking how to improve on my jumping ability. One time I tried again my ankle weights on a treadmill, but this time i just wear them for 5 minutes, remove it before i get tired and the last 10 minutes will be jog or running. After removing the weights, i felt different when i was doing the 10 minute jog. I didn't get tired, instead of jogging i finished the whole 10 minute to running. That 10 minutes was a great feeling that i know it solves my problem. B4 i cannot even reach the basketball ring with one hand with this kind of training I achieved that goal plus it improves agility, speed and stamina.

So i'm suggesting try your ankle weights for 2 minutes for starters, then remove and after removing it try anything you want, jump, run, skip rope till you're deadly tired. You will feel the difference.

**iamSudd3n** · 08-06-2007, 09:41 PM

i forgot to mention, I just started playing badminton with my coach last dec 2006, I don't have a decent clear or smash. So I tried the same concept to my arm. Put a cover to my racket for 1 set or 2 and remove it then 3 set or more till my hand get tired at full speed. My coach was shocked when i reach that goal that fast. But it doesn't mean u will became pro coz in badminton it's more on control. This training just add me more power to my arm. Speed don't know yet coz i cannot even defend a smash.

**martin8768** · 08-06-2007, 10:15 PM

i wear ankle weights off the courts and i think its safer this way, i just wear them all day and take them off only when i play tennis and sleep, i jog,walk, eat watch tv, etc with them on hopefully when my baddy season starts i will see a improvement, but i have also been doing lunges and squats soo i can't isolate and say that for sure ankle weights are super. good luck

**Wonger8** · 08-07-2007, 07:23 PM

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE ONE CAN PURCHASE WEIGHTED VESTS IN HONG KONG? i heard ankle weights were bad so i wanna get the weighted vests

**williamboo** · 08-17-2007, 08:04 PM

i tried ankle weight before when i was still training, i wear it all day like martin..i take it off when i m at home, i think my ankle weight was around 1kg i think. It's not a good idea to use it on badminton but still depends how heavy the ankle weight is.