Ankle Weights And Exercise Machines

Oct 10 by GuestPoster

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There are so many different small things that you can add to your life to help you get more fit and healthy. Exercise machines and small equipment, such as ankle weights, can add variety to your workout and make working out at home easier.

Ankle weights

Ankle weights are added in a person’s body so as to boost calorie burn as well as muscular strength. Both wrist and ankle weights have been discovered to be a very good cardiovascular advantage since the person performing them is using more exertion. It is thus advisable to practice this only if you do not have any joint problems and you are healthy.

Ankle Weights Benefits

There are various pros and cons of ankle weights.

For instance, it is not very advisable to walk with this type of weights since they can damage your joints as well as tendons. These weights can also lead to an increase in the gravitational effects due to the added weight thus requiring more weight exertion. This extra effort can make you feeble and more prone to injuries.

Ankle weights also cause additional strain to joints (knees) as well as pulled muscles and worn out ligaments.  Walking with ankle weights can lead to balance destabilization thus increasing risks of falling or tripping.

Ankle weights exercises

With that being said, ankle weights are a great way to add resistance to an exercise in the weight room or at home to make your workout more challenging and lose more calories. They are great for the so-called “open chain exercises” – where your legs are not fixed to the ground and can move freely thought the air.

For example, standard leg raises for the lower abdominals can be made more challenging simply by adding ankle weights or any type of weight or resistance for that matter.

Knee extension. The knee extension is an exercise you can do with an ankle weight to strengthen the quadriceps muscle in the front of your thigh. Sit on a chair or weight bench, with your feet down in a relaxed position. Slowly straighten your knee, pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat. Doing this exercise slowly and controlling the movement is very important.

Leg curls. Lay down on the floor or a bench facing down and your ankle weights on. Straighten your legs with the knees together. Bend the legs at the knee, bringing the feet toward the buttocks. With the ankle weights, you should feel a stretching in the hamstrings and the buttocks. Return the legs to their straight position. Repeat.

See the video below for more ideas. When doing the exercises, keep your movements smooth and controlled, and be careful not to snap or lock your knee into extension.

Types of Exercise machines

In order to perform the physical exercises, exercise machines are widely used.  They can be computerized or natural spring devices.  Most of the exercise machines integrate an apparatus for the work exerted by a person during the exercise known as an ergo meter.  Examples of exercise machines include;

1. Weight machines – This are utilized for weight training. They employ gravity as the resistance source and have simple devices that convey the resistance to the person using them.
2. Rowing machine – This are used to perform a full body exercise. They also boost stamina and help in toning of muscle tissues. Being ideal for people of any age, rowing strengthens cardiovascular system thus increasing your fitness and health.
3. Exercise balls – This are used to treat low back pains as well as to strengthen and develop body muscles.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post that does NOT necessarily represent the opinions of our editorial team.

More Ankle Weights Exercise Ideas: How to Train With Ankle Weights

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