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.

 

Summer is a wonderful time of year to take care of our ourselves, rest and spend time with family and friends. But it can also cause anxiety overdrive; trying to get 'beach body ready' or worrying about wearing summer dresses and shorts. To stop negative self talk restricting our enjoyment of this time of year, lets look at some ways to get your confidence back so you are excited and ready for summer!

 

Eat to Nourish Your Body

Eating a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight and feeling confident in your body. A healthy diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. These foods provide the nutrients our bodies need to function properly and also ensure we look our best.

For example, protein helps support strong, toned muscles as it provides amino acids that are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Vitamins A and C help with collagen production to maintain skin elasticity and a youthful appearance by keeping wrinkles at bay. And omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, can help reduce inflammation in the body and improve skin and hair health.

Processed foods and sugary drinks, on the other hand, can lead to inflammation and bloating - not ideal when we’re about to hit the pool and bare all. A diet high in these types of foods can also increase the risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. So it’s best to try and limit these foods and leave them as a very occasional treat.

Alongside a heathy diet, don’t forget to stay hydrated! This is especially important during hot summer months. When we become dehydrated we are more likely to experience constipation and bloating, as well as fatigue. Not exactly confidence boosting feelings. Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day, and consider adding some lemon or cucumber slices for a refreshing twist.

Get Moving

Physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle, whether it's morning yoga practice, a gym session, home workout, or an evening run. But remember, exercise is not all about getting the perfect bikini body. It’s important for long term health and fitness which will in turn help you feel confident in your body and self.

Not only will exercise help you maintain a healthy weight and tone up, but it can also have a positive impact on mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. This is because exercise releases feel-good endorphins and helps lower stress hormones and inflammation in the body, which is proven to contribute to depression. Studies have also shown that regular exercise can improve sleep quality, boost energy levels, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

To achieve a balanced and comprehensive workout that helps to improve overall fitness and health, try to incorporate both cardiovascular exercises such as running, swimming or cycling, with strength training such as lifting weights, squats and push-ups. Cardio can improve heart health, increase endurance, and burn calories. While strength training can help to build muscle, improve bone density, and increase metabolism.

AMP’s hot pink fitness bars are a great summery addition to your home strength workouts, providing that extra bit of resistance to help sculpt and tone your body. If you’re after something a little heavier, why not try the weighted triangle dumbbells instead?

 

 

 

Practice Mindfulness

Summer is a time to relax and enjoy life, but it can also be stressful at times if you’re not feeling body confident. Practicing mindfulness is a great tool for helping manage stress and anxiety and can improve your overall well-being and happiness. To put it simply, mindfulness is a mental state of awareness that involves paying attention to the present moment, acknowledging and accepting one's thoughts, emotions, and sensations without reacting to them or getting caught up in them.

Mindfulness can be practiced through various techniques, such as meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans. Yoga is a great way to incorporate mindfulness into your life as it involves deep controlled breathing patterns, focus on your bodily movements and can help bring you out of your head. Plus, it’s great for toning and body strength, helping you feel good inside and out.

 

Get Enough Sleep

Getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night can contribute to better body confidence in a number of ways. Firstly, it helps us feel more refreshed and energised so we can attack our days with vigour and do all the activities that will help us achieve better confidence.

Secondly, a lack of sleep increases levels of stress hormones and anxiety, which can dampen our body confidence. Similarly, sleep is essential for regulating our mood and emotions and helps us feel positive and happy.

Additionally, sleep can also have a direct impact on our physical appearance. Getting enough sleep can help regulate metabolism and appetite, reducing the risk of weight gain. Sleep also supports good skin health because during sleep, the body produces collagen which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines to promote a healthy, glowing complexion.

 

Practice Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential for feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin as it

helps build a positive relationship with your body. Make time for self-care activities such as taking a relaxing bath, doing a pamper session with face masks and other lotions and potions, or practising a hobby you enjoy.

These activities can help reduce stress, help us feel love for ourselves and improve overall well-being. If you have an event coming up and you’re not feeling confident about your body, make sure to set aside some time to focus on doing the things that help you feel your best.

Summary

With the warm weather and sun shining, summer is a great time to focus on health and wellness. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, practising mindfulness, getting enough sleep, and engaging in self-care activities are all essential for feeling comfortable and confident in our own skin.

Remember, our bodies are unique and beautiful in their own way, and these tips are simply to help us feel our best so we can enjoy all the fun summer activities with confidence and happiness. By making small changes and building healthy habits over time, we can achieve our goals and feel our best all year round.

Let us know your tips for body confidence!

If you’re looking to add a little intensity to your home workouts, resistance bands might just be what you’re looking for. They are a great way to build muscle and tone-up your body because they add tension and resistance to any exercise movement.


You can use resistance bands in a variety of ways, looping them around different parts of your body and attaching them to different anchor points, such as a door frame or bedpost. They also come in different resistances so you can alter the difficulty of your workouts and are suitable for all fitness levels.


Here, we explain a few of the main benefits of working out with resistance bands and share a few examples of effective moves to include in your workouts.

Benefits of using resistance bands

1 Portable

One of the major benefits of using resistance bands is their portability. Because they are so lightweight and take up very little room in a bag, you can take them with you wherever you go, whether that’s work trips or holidays! This makes them great for people who are constantly on the move and means you will never have to miss a workout.

2 Effective at building muscle mass and tone

Resistance bands are extremely effective at increasing muscle mass and tone because they add tension and load to movements, both of which are necessary for building muscle. Unlike weights which remain equally heavy through an entire rep, the tension of resistance bands increases as they’re pulled apart, which makes muscle work harder.

According to research, working out with resistance bands is equally effective at building muscle as working out with conventional resistance training equipment such as weight machines and dumbbells.

3 Reduces injury risk

Resistance bands place a very small amount of force on joints, meaning there is less chance of injury compared to weight training. You can also increase resistance without increasing injury risk. As such, this makes resistance bands a great option for elderly people, or anyone with existing injuries or joint pain.

4 Works multiple muscle groups

Because resistance bands are so versatile, you can train at specific angles in order to target certain muscle groups. For example, it is much easier to work the smaller muscle groups, which may otherwise get neglected in your workouts. You can also target several muscles at the same time, enabling you to get a full-body workout.

What’s more, the constant tension requires muscles to work extra hard and activates stablizer muscle groups to control the movement, improving balance, stability and core strength.

3 examples of exercises with resistance bands

1. Lateral Raise

How to do it:

• Start by standing with the right foot stepped forward infront of the left, flat on the floor with the middle of a resistance band lopped underneath the arch. Keep your left heel slightly raised off the floor.
• Grasp one end of the resistance band with either hand with your arms at your side.
• Raise both arms outward until they are parallel with the floor and return slowly to the starting position.
• Repeat for both sides

2. Banded front squat

How to do it:

• Stand on the middle of a resistance band with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hold one end of the band in either hand and bend your arms to bring your hands to your ears.
• Keeping your arms in this position, engage your core and sink your hips back into a squat.
• Extend your legs to return to the starting position.

3. Side plank high pull

How to do it:

• Start in a side plank position with a resistance band underneath your hand on the floor.
• With your other hand, grasp the other end of the band and bend your elbow to pull it away from the floor. Make sure to remain in a stable plank position.
• Repeat on both sides.

Summary

Resistance bands are a great way to add intensity to your workouts. They are effective at building, strengthening and toning muscle and offer numerous other benefits including a reduced risk of injury, portability, versatility and they are great for targeting multiple muscle groups. Once you start using them, it’s likely they’ll become a staple piece of equipment for your home workouts!

AMP offer latex resistance bands in five different strengths, from extra light to extra heavy, depending on how challenging you want your workouts.

Or, try the adjustable fabric bands which allow you to alter the intensity of your workouts by adjusting the length of the band.

Which bands do you prefer? Let us know.

Strength training is often overlooked and regarded as something you should only do if you want to add bulk. But increasing your strength offers countless benefits to your health and physical performance, as well as being able to tone up for that long, lean look. And it isn’t all about the heavy lifting.

Working out with light weights is proven to be equally effective at increasing muscle mass and strength. Lighter weights are also suitable for all ages and abilities, and you don’t even need to head to the gym! You can easily incorporate them into any home workout - you will be surprised how much difference it makes to your results by adding just a few pounds.

In this article, we explain why working out with light weights is an important part of a healthy exercise regime and provide some light weight high-rep exercise examples to get you started. But first, let’s take a look at what exactly is strength training and how it benefits the body.

What is strength training?

Strength training, also known as weight training and resistance training, involves performing exercises using your own body weight or equipment to put your muscles under tension, with the aim of building muscle mass, strength and endurance. Strength training can take numerous different forms depending on what your goals are, whether that’s to get bigger muscles or improve your posture.

Examples of weight training include:

• Using your body weight and gravity in specific movements, such as pushups, squats, plants, and lunges.
• Free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, wrist and ankle weights, or even objects around the house!
• Resistance bands that are made of rubber and provide resistance when stretched.
• Weights machines with adjustable loads.
• Suspension equipment that contains ropes or straps that allow you to use your body weight and gravity to create resistance.

Why strength training is important

Gaining strength benefits everyone, as it can help you perform your daily tasks much easier - suddenly, lugging your kids around or carrying heavy shopping bags isn’t so strenuous! Strength training can also improve your posture, flexibility and balance, and can help make your bones stronger, all of which are particularly beneficial to older people and can reduce the risk of injuries or falls.

Strength training can also boost your metabolism to help you maintain a healthy weight. This is because it promotes fat loss and increases lean muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest. Building more lean muscle also means you will appear more toned and defined, something many people desire.

But the benefits of strength training go far beyond building muscle. Not only does it benefit your physical appearance and performance, it also improves many other aspects of health. Multiple studies have found that strength training can benefit heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, boosting blood circulation and strengthening the heart and blood vessels.

Strength training can also help keep blood sugar levels in check and lower the risk of diabetes. This is because muscle requires glucose to power its metabolism, which helps remove glucose from the blood. It also increases insulin sensitivity, allowing cells of the body to use blood glucose more effectively, reducing overall blood sugar levels. One study found that over a 10-year period, women who engaged in weight training were 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

What are lightweights?

Many people believe strength training involves slogging it out at the gym lifting overloaded weights. This is actually not the case. Working out with light weights is one of the best ways to incorporate strength training into any workout and is also a very effective way to gain strength and muscle. Light weights can help add that little extra challenge to help you see results.

But what counts as a light weight? Essentially, it’s any weight that feels light to you - we all have different strength abilities. Things like dumbbells (2-4 pounds) such as AMP's fitness bars (in peach, black or neon pink) or kettlebells are common choices for a light weight workout (AMP Peak strength triangle provides a great, easy to use, alternative).

 

There are also types of light weights you can attach to your body to increase the resistance on your muscles and turn up the heat. We recommend trying AMP’s adjustable ankle or wrist weights

Simply adding a small amount of extra weight can significantly increase the intensity of your workouts and increase your strength and muscle tone faster. But you don’t have to restrict yourself to wearing these solely during strength training workouts, you can wear them during any fitness activity, such as walking, yoga, pilates or running. You can even wear them as you go about your everyday activities to create a regular workout without any extra time or effort needed. House in need of a spruce? Put these on and suddenly your cleaning chores turn into a mini workout!

Sounding good so far? Keep reading to find out more about the benefits of working out with light weights and why they should be an essential part of your exercise regime.

The benefits of working out with light weights

1. Easy and convenient

   Lifting light weights is the easiest way to build muscle - you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home! All you need is a set of light weights and your own motivation.

   Light weights are also easily transportable, so are perfect for those who are constantly on the move. If you are away from home a lot, it’s likely that gym visits are infrequent. And we all know that a regular exercise routine is important for achieving results. Light weights mean you can stick to an exercise regime no matter where you are. Plus, if you purchase weights that attach to your body, you can incorporate a workout into your everyday life with ease, no time out of your day required.

   

2. Better all round workout

   If all you use are heavy weights, you are likely to develop muscle imbalances and only target larger muscle groups. This is because when the weight is too heavy, larger muscles take over and overpower other smaller muscles. Working out with light weights targets smaller muscles too, as they are able to manage the loads themselves without relying on the big muscle groups.

3. Builds muscle

   Contrary to popular belief, lifting heavy does not necessarily equal the most muscle gain. Studies show that effort is equally important as load and that lifting with light weights is also an effective way to build muscle. According to one recent study, training to the point of muscle failure promotes greater muscle hypertrophy (an increase and growth of muscle cells) when lifting low loads than lifting heavy loads.

4. Better range of motion

   If you’re lifting extremely heavy loads, the chances are you won’t be able to perform the exercise through the full range of motion. This can negatively impact results. For example, one study found that participants who performed 12 weeks of strength training with a full range of motion achieved greater gains in muscle strength and size than those who only used movements with a short range of motion.

5. Builds muscle strength

   When we think of building muscle strength, our minds tend to automatically picture deadlifts and overloaded barbells. But interestingly, research has found that lifting light weights for many repetitions is as efficient at increasing muscle strength as lifting heavy weights for fewer repetitions.

6. Builds endurance

   Exercising with light weights involves sustained smaller movements and develops your slow twitch muscle fibres, which are important for endurance activities. As a result, you can seriously ramp up your stamina and muscular endurance

7. Reduces risk of injury

   

   Lifting heavy loads might seem impressive and make you feel like the hulk, but even the slightest mistake or incorrection in form can lead to serious injury. And once you have sustained an injury, you are more at risk of injuring yourself again. Lifting heavy also puts a lot of pressure on your joints and body.

   Switching to working out with light weights allows you to work on achieving the correct posture and form so that you can lift properly, and carries a much lower risk for injury. Often referred to as functional workouts.

8. Great for all ages

   It is often believed that strength training is only for bodybuilders and gym bunnies, but this is completely not true. In fact, strength training with light weights is suitable for all ages and abilities!

   Are you new to strength training and don’t feel confident with lifting heavy weights? Then start out small and build your way up to bigger ones, if that is what you desire. Working out with light weights is less daunting and can help you remain motivated to stick to your exercise regime. But light weights aren’t just for beginners, even the most experienced weight lifters can benefit from lifting lighter loads to work on their endurance and other aspects of fitness.

   The convenience and transportability of light weights make them ideal for young professionals and middle-aged parents who want to build effective at-home workouts - no gym membership required! Working out with light weights can easily be squeezed in around other life commitments.

   Light weights are also especially beneficial for older people. As we age, our muscles start to deteriorate, balance is lost, bones weaken and we become frailer. These are all factors that increase the risk of falls and injuries, which can be serious. Working out with light weights can help you maintain a basic level of fitness and strength, well into your older years, and help you stay healthy, mobile and injury-free. Regular strength exercises can also help keep chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes at bay, which is even more important the older we get.

How to use light weights to achieve results

Light weights are all about endurance and exercising muscles to the point of failure. For best results, you will want to perform a high number of repetitions - 12 or more reps. And, when we say light weights, we don’t mean light enough that you don’t feel anything. You should choose weights that are heavy enough that they still challenge your muscles. Ideally, at the end of your set, you should be struggling to complete your last rep.

Setting goals can help you maximize your training and motivate you to stick to your exercise regime. Decide what would like to achieve and create your routine accordingly. Setting an exercise schedule can also help you stick to it.

Once you have built up more muscle strength, you will likely be bossing your reps using the same weight. At this stage, you can switch to a slightly heavier weight to keep seeing results, a technique known as progression. This is an extremely effective way of building muscle mass and strength. 

But equally, once you have reached your goals, there’s no need to push yourself further and start lifting heavy weights if you don’t want to. Stick with regular workouts with light weights to maintain your physique and continue to reap the benefits.

Examples of light weight high-rep exercises

To help you get started, below are five great at-home exercises you can perform with lighter weights.

1. Lateral raise

   This exercise is great for targeting all the muscles in your shoulders as well as your triceps.

   How to do it:

   Start by standing with a weight such as a light dumbbell in each hand at your side. You can also wear wrist weights.

   Lift your arms up and out to your side, until they are at shoulder height, keeping your hands slightly in front of you.

   Hold here for a few seconds and lower back down slowly.

   Repeat for 12 reps.

2. Renegade row

   This one combines a push-up, row and plank and is perfect for strengthening your arms, chest, back and ab muscles. If it’s too difficult, you can modify it to make it easier by dropping your knees to the floor.

   

   How to do it:

   Begin in the high plank position, arms straight, with a weight in each hand.

   Lower your body down into a push-up and press back up.

   Follow this by bending your right elbow to lift your hand up until it meets your chest, and lower it back down.

   Repeat on the opposite side for 12 reps.

3. Superman

   This exercise gives your back, arms, shoulders, glutes and legs a good workout. Plus, you get to feel like a superhero doing it!

   How to do it:

   Lie on your stomach with your legs stretched out straight and your arms extended infront of you - pretend you are trying to make yourself as long as possible.

   Hold a weight in each hand, or attach weights to your ankles and wrists to intensify the exercise.

   Engage your core and raise your chest, arms and legs off the ground, holding for a few seconds before releasing back down.

   Repeat for 12 reps.

4. Overhead squat

   Our favourite, you’ll feel the effects of this one in your legs, glutes, core and shoulders

   How to do it:

   Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand, a single weight or weights attached to your wrists.

   Extend your arms up above your head, keeping your palms facing forward, and tense your core to begin your squat.

   Send your hips back and lower your bottom half towards the floor, keeping your knees behind your toes, arms in line with your ears and chest upright.

   Lower as far as you can, ideally until your thighs are parallel with the floor and then slowly rise back up.

   Repeat for at least 12 reps.

5. Weighted glute bridge

   This is a great beginner’s exercise that works on strengthening your back, glutes, hamstrings, calves and abs.

   How to do it:

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Place a light weight just above your hip bones and hold it in place.

   Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to lift your hips upwards.

   Aim to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top and pause for a few seconds before lowering slowly back down.

   Repeat for at least 12 reps.

Conclusion

Strength training is an important part of any exercise regime and can benefit people of all ages. Increasing your muscle mass and strength can help improve balance, posture, mobility, flexibility, heart and bone health, blood sugar levels, and weight management.

But in order to reap these benefits, you don’t even need to lift heavy! Working out with light weights is equally effective and also has some great advantages. They are much easier and more convenient to use, meaning you can fit a workout around your busy life. Light weights also provide a better all round workout, help you work on your form and technique, and build endurance. Older people will particularly benefit from using light weights, as they help reduce the risk of falls and injuries, and generally help keep you fit and healthy.

To see results with lightweights, you must perform a higher number of repetitions to the point of muscle failure. Try our exercise suggestions using light weights and see how you get on, we'd love to hear from you when you do!