6 benefits of wearing ankle weights, according to fitness professionals

• Wearing ankle weights while walking or working out can have a big impact on your fitness routine.
• Benefits include improved balance, more burned calories, and the ability to build muscle quicker.

If you're looking to up the ante on your morning walks or weekly Pilates class, consider incorporating ankle weights into your routine.

Ankle weights provide an easy way to raise the intensity of your workouts and can make an impact in terms of building muscle, burning calories, and improving overall balance.

A 2017 study published via the National Library of Medicine analyzed the walking behaviors of 27 non-injured people (11 men and 16 women) who wore ankle weights of different sizes. The study found that "diverse amounts of weight loading can be effective for enhancing" how people walk, including distance, cadence, and speed.

A similar study conducted in Japan in 2022 showed that wearing ankle weights allowed older folks to strengthen their lower limb muscles which could aid in reducing their risk of falling. Another study found ankle weight training to positively impact body composition while reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Those are just a few of the benefits of using ankle weights in your weekly fitness routine.

They're also incredibly cost-effective, ranging anywhere from $20 to $50, depending on the brand. Compared to wearing something like a weighted vest, which can cost upwards of $100 without any included weights, they're a far cheaper investment.

To get the lowdown on all things ankle weights, I spoke to three fitness professionals who shared everything from the benefits you can expect and how exactly to use them while working out.

1. You'll build muscle mass quicker

Let's start with the obvious: increasing the weight on your body can help build muscle more quickly.

But don't just take it from us, certified personal trainer and founder and owner of Expert Fitness, Nathan Lloyd, says that "one of the top benefits of wearing ankle weights is that it can help you build muscle mass and strength.

"The more you lift and carry, the stronger your muscles will become, so wearing ankle weights while performing exercise is a great way to [do this]," he says. "When you wear ankle weights, it's like doing extra reps of your normal workout. You use more muscle groups to complete the same movement, so your muscles have to work harder."

Lloyd added that since you're working harder, it increases the amount of energy your body uses to complete the action, so you "burn more calories and build more muscle mass in less time."

2. You'll burn more calories

Calorie intake is an important part of anyone's fitness routine, no matter if they want to lose, maintain, or gain weight.

"While you may think ankle weights are just for building muscle or burning fat, the truth is they can also help you burn calories," Lloyd says. "When you wear ankle weights, you increase your center of gravity and increase your weight load on the ground, which increases your body's metabolic rate."

Medical term: Metabolic rate refers to the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest, including while you sleep, sit, or lay down.

And added weight also forces your body to work harder in order to keep up with the increased pressure, Lloyd adds.

"As a result, more calories are burned during exercise than without ankle weights."

According to Dr. Tom Seabourne, Professor of Exercise Science at Northeast Texas Community College, wearing 5-pound ankle weights may increase your calorie burn by as much as 25%. For instance, someone who weighs around 150 pounds and goes for a brisk, 45-minute walk would typically burn around 193 calories. With ankle weights, that same person could burn up to 48 more calories during the same walk.

3. You can improve your balance

Llyod says that adding some weight to your legs can actually aid those who play sports that require a lot of coordination. It can also be beneficial for those who practice yoga and need help maintaining difficult poses.

The more you wear them, the better your balance and coordination becomes as your body gets used to the added weight.

"Ankle weights can help improve your balance and posture by forcing you to use more muscle groups in order to keep your posture upright and balanced," Lloyd says. "This can lead to greater muscle endurance throughout the day and a reduction in injuries associated with poor posture."

4. You'll add versatility to your workouts

If you're new to working out or just starting to learn the basics, ankle weights can help you add complexity and challenge to your budding routine.

"It may seem obvious but resistance equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells require you to physically hold the weight to complete the exercise," says Ashley Iwanick, yoga instructor and owner of Collective Studios. "Since ankle weights adhere to your body, it expands the types of exercise and planes and range of motion you can add resistance to and move through."

Iwanick says that this is especially helpful with a range of leg exercises like lateral leg lifts, rainbow leg lifts, or even just walking.

"Since your legs extend in these exercises, it can be tricky to add any additional load since there's nowhere for the weight to be securely held," she says. "Ankle weights allow you to move freely [with nothing in your hands] and in many different directions."

5. You'll target specific muscle groups in your legs.

We all have trouble spots that can be difficult to target with traditional weights. Whether you're trying to bulk up your glutes or tone your calves, Iwanick says ankle weights make it easy to add resistance and work those stubborn muscles.

"The added resistance to leg exercises breaks down and targets smaller muscle fibers that aren't as easily accessed through exercises that are completed with a heavier weight, such as the squat or deadlift, or that may become dormant or weak from inactivity," she says.

She adds that by physically placing a weight on your ankle, you may also deepen your mind-body connection, "drawing your mind to the actual muscle groups being worked."

"This can help you tone and strengthen not only your legs and glutes but secondary muscles like your core," she says.

6. You'll enhance your cardio workouts.

Increasing your heart rate is an essential part of anyone's fitness regimen, regardless of what your goals are. To take your cardio up a notch, personal trainer and owner of Cross Trainer Home, Christian Mitchell, suggests adding ankle weights.

Whether you're walking, running, or hitting the elliptical machine, the added weight forces you to work harder and helps build your cardiovascular endurance. Mitchell says that by working your body harder, you can also burn more calories and increase aerobic capacity.

He adds that there's a secondary benefit to strapping on ankle weights, too. "You'll increase your speed, agility, and endurance."

"The added weight challenges your body, requiring it to engage more muscles and increase your body's stability," he says. "This can help you become more efficient in your movements while also preventing injuries."

Insider's takeaway

Whether you're trying to reach a weight-loss goal, bulk up, or just add variety to your workout routine, ankle weights can help change the way you move and have a big impact on your fitness.

Not only do they allow for a greater range of motion and are able to engage with specific muscles, but they can also increase your endurance, build muscle quicker, and help burn more calories.