In the pursuit of a healthier and happier lifestyle, every choice we make matters. Why not make these choices both functional and fashionable? Our ankle wrist weights are designed to blend seamlessly into your home fitness routine. From HIIT to barre, these weights are more than just fitness accessories; they’re tools that can take your health and fitness journey (as well as your yoga, Pilates and sculpt) up to new heights.
Functional Style That Moves With You
With a sleek and stylish design, these weights elevate your aesthetics while they intensify your workout. The elasticated velcro bracelets provide a secure fit, ensuring that your focus remains on your exercises and not on readjusting the weights. The velcro strap also enables you to remove and add the triangle weights individually so you can adjust the weight to your own strength level and fitness goals.
Gone are the days of uncomfortable sandbags. Our weights, in a variety of colours. are engineered with your comfort in mind. The soft silicone ensures a gentle contact with your skin, preventing irritation, even during prolonged use. Say goodbye to distraction and discomfort, these weights are your companions for a seamless and enjoyable workout experience.
‘The stretch velcro makes these super comfortable to wear and to workout in. The weights are made from a smooth material so cause no rubbing or irritation to the skin. They can be easily taken off to adjust the overall weight.’ Alicia, Barreesthetique.
What are the Health Benefits of Ankle Wrist Weight Exercises?
Although seemingly small and unassuming, ankle weights can really add to your strength training routine and create enough resistance for an effective workout. There are numerous benefits of adding ankle wrist weights into your home fitness routine, and working out at home can enhance your ability to maintain consistency and stay on track with your health and fitness goals.
1. Muscle toning and sculpting: The added resistance from wrist ankle weights intensifies your exercises, helping you to target specific muscle groups more effectively. When using the weights your muscles must work harder, increasing the lean mass of muscle over time. This leads to better muscle definition and toning in your legs and glutes. Maintaining and building muscle is a key area to focus on, particularly as we age.
2. Increased strength: Ankle wrist weight exercises challenge your muscles to work against resistance, which contributes to increased muscle strength and challenges the cardiovascular system. Strengthening your lower body muscles enhances overall functional fitness and reduces the risk of injuries.
3. Calorie burn and weight management: Introducing resistance to your workouts with ankle weights elevates your heart rate and increases the energy expenditure of each exercise. This aids in burning more calories and contributes to weight management.
4. Improved bone health: Weight bearing exercises, such as those involving wrist ankle weights, are beneficial for bone health. These exercises encourage bone density management and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a key area to focus on particularly as we age and during perimenopause and menopause.
5. Enhanced balance and stability: Engaging your muscles against resistance enhances your proprioception and balance. This is particularly important for stability in daily activities and injury prevention, therefore greatly beneficial for future proofing your health and fitness as you age. Try and incorporate balance exercises into your fitness routine.
6. Lower body fat: There is a study which shows that participants who wore ankle weights three days a week for at least 20 minutes showed ‘significant improvements’ in their waist circumference, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle percentage (Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences).
Ankle Wrist Weight Exercises for Your Wellbeing
Ankle wrist weights can help improve your wellbeing and everyday health and fitness with two pieces of kit in one! A fantastic way to train the upper and lower body with a small weight that can be easily stored away. Some great exercises to do would include;
Leg lifts and extensions: Add resistance to leg lifts and extensions to strengthen your lower body muscles, promoting better stability and balance, shown to be important for a longer life!
Arm raises and punches: Incorporate these weights into your arm exercises to boost your upper body strength, tone your muscles and release some stress! You also do not need grip strength to be able to get your arm workout done which is a benefit for anyone with a hand injury or mobility condition.
Walking: Strap on these weights for an extra challenge during your walks. You will engage more muscles, burn more calories, and intensify your cardio sessions, but remember to keep good form throughout your activities to prevent injury. Research in the Journal of Applied Physiology has found that adding light weights to a 4-mile-per-hour walk has a similar intensity as running at 5 miles per hour, which is a big win!
Pilates, yoga, and barre: Elevate your barre workout, yoga flow and Pilates routines by wearing these weights. They will intensify your stretches and poses, helping your build flexibility and muscle endurance.
Dance workouts: Turn up the fun factor in dance workouts by adding these weights, either around your ankles or wrists, or both! Your moves will become more dynamic, enhancing your coordination and rhythm.
You can find lots of guidance, examples, and home workouts to get started on our Instagram (@ampwellbeing) and You Tube channel (@ampwellbeing) or sign up to our emails for exclusive workouts and downloads.
Your 30-minute Ankle Weight Home Workout Plan
These exercises are designed to tone and sculpt your legs and glutes, complete each exercise with a rest in between sets for a 30-minute lower body workout.
1. Squats with Leg Lifts
Stand with your feet hip-width apart with the ankle weights on. Perform a regular squat by bending your knees and lowering your hips. As you return to the standing position, lift your left leg straight to the side, engaging your outer thigh. Repeat on the other side. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each leg.
2. Donkey Kicks
Start on all fours with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips and the weights strapped around your ankles. Keeping your knee bent, lift your left leg toward the ceiling, focusing on your glutes. Lower the leg back down without touching the floor and then lift it again. Complete the set on one leg before switching to the other. Aim for 3 sets of 15-20 reps on each leg.
3. Fire Hydrants with Leg Extension
Begin in the same all-fours position with the ankle weights on. Lift your left knee out to the side while keeping your foot flexed. From there, extend your left leg straight out behind you, engaging your glutes. Bend your knee and return to the hydrant position. Do a set on one leg before switching to the other. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each leg.
4. Glute Bridge with Leg Lift
Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place the ankle weight just above your ankles. Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keeping your core engaged, lift your left leg off the ground while maintain the bridge position. Lowe the leg and repeat with the other leg. To intensify the move even more, lift your toes off the ground and dig your heels in during the bridge position.
5. Standing Glute Kickback
Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and the weights strapped around your ankles. Shift your weight onto your right leg and lift your left leg, straight back, engaging your glutes. Lower your leg and repeat on the other side. You can hold onto a stable surface for balance if needed. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps on each leg.
Your 30-minute Wrist Weight Home Workout Plan
These exercises are designed to tone and sculpt your arms, shoulders, and upper body. Carry out each exercise for 20 seconds, rest and repeat 3 times, resting in between sets. Complete each exercise and you have added a 30-minute upper body workout into your day.
1. Shoulders
Raise your arms with bent elbows to the side, in line with the shoulders in a box position with your upper arms parallel to the floor and your forearms pointing upwards to the sky, palms facing forward. Close your arms together with your palms now facing each other in front of your body. Return the arms to the side and then raise the arms straight up above the head. Return to the start position and repeat.
2. Reverse fly
Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart and squat down into a chair position with your arms extended out in front of you, pointing down to the floor, palms facing each other. Squeeze the shoulders and back and raise the arms out of the side, palms facing the floor.
3. Arm circles
Hold both arms out straight and move in small circles for 20 seconds, rest and repeat 3 times. Then reverse the circles and start again in the opposite direction!
4. Triceps kickbacks
Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart and squat down into a chair position with your arms extended out behind you in line with your back. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and then extend your arms back behind you again, engaging your back and core muscles for stability.
5. Ballet arms
Stand with your feet together in a ‘v’ position and arms at your sides. Raise the arms in front of the body to shoulder height, maintaining a soft bend in the elbows with the palms facing your chest and fingertips touching. Keep your shoulders relaxed and the squeeze the shoulder blades together and engage your muscles while extending your arms out to the sides. Pause and draw the arms back in front of the chest until the fingertips touch. Repeat for 20 seconds, rest and repeat 3 times.
Remember to maintain proper form and engage the targeted muscles throughout each exercise. Gradually increase the intensity by either adding more reps or sets.
Our favourite ankle wrist weight FAQs
Can I use ankle wrist weights in water?
One of the best features of our ankle wrist weights is their versatility. They are designed to enhance a wide range of exercises, allowing you to tailor your routine to your fitness goals. From strength training to cardio workouts, these weights will add a new dimension to your home fitness programme. Even better, they are water and sweat proof so are easy to keep clean and can be used in the swimming pool to aid rehabilitation and strength work.
How heavy should I start with the ankle wrist weights?
The best weight level to choose will vary from person to person depending on strength level, experience, and joint health. Consider your current fitness level, your preferred fitness workouts and your fitness goal when selecting your ankle wrist weights. Remember to start light and gradually increase your resistance as you become stronger, a good guidance is to start with 1-2lb per leg. However different exercises will call for different weights and therefore they will always be of use in your home gym or studio kit. The Amp Wellbeing ankle wrist weights come in 2lb (1lb per weight) and 4lb pairs (2lb per weight) to cover a variety of exercises and workouts, they are also adjustable so you can remove some of the triangle weights to start with a lighter weight in total and then build the weight level back up.
Are the ankle wrist weights adjustable?
Yes, as mentioned above the velcro strap enables you to remove and add the triangle weights individually so you can adjust the weight down and back up to match your own strength level and fitness goals or to suit the workout you are doing.
How do I prevent injury with wrist ankle weights?
The extra weight will add a level of stress to your joints, which in moderation is beneficial but be mindful of keeping good form and using them in conjunction with other fitness methods for a full fitness solution.
While injury risk is low when using wrist ankle weights, as a beginner try starting the exercises with just your bodyweight and then incorporating the weights as you get stronger, increasing the weight gradually as you improve fitness and strength in those exercises. If you feel any pain or are recovering from an injury, always check with a professional before starting any routine.
Remember to roll your shoulders back and down to prevent them from rounding up towards your ears during movements and maintain a slight bend in your elbow when your arms are extended to prevent hyperextension or injury.
How often should I wear ankle wrist weights?
We recommend using the ankle wrist weights a few times a week for short periods at a time during your workouts, so you are not overloading the joints on a consistent basis.
Let us know if you have any other questions!
Our summary on ankle wrist weights
Ready to strengthen your arms, legs, and glutes with a budget friendly piece of home gym kit? You will use your ankle wrist weights for your home workouts on repeat and the best thing about them is they are small, portable, and easy to store away. Ankle wrist weights are a brilliant addition to your conditioning routine, buts don’t be fooled, they are a tough addition which will make you work!
Incorporating ankle wrist weights into your home fitness routine isn’t just about exercises; it’s about embracing a lifestyle that prioritises your health and wellbeing. With regular use, you will notice improvement in your strength, endurance, and overall fitness level. Plus, the added resistance can contribute towards increased calorie burn, helping you achieve your weight management goals. With consistent effort and the exercises recommended, you’ll be well on your way to toning and sculpting your legs and glutes, all while enjoying the comfort and style of your ankle weights, from your own home gym.
Shop your new home gym ankle wrist weights here.