Can Ankle Weights Make Legs Larger?

Many people strap on a pair of ankle weights during cardio activities, such as walking or bike riding, hoping to add intensity to the workout and perhaps build a little extra muscle. While these weights can indeed help your legs get bigger, the experts tend to agree that they're not ideal for that purpose.

  1. Weight-Training Basics

    • Weight training involves lifting your muscles against gravity with added resistance. When you weight train, your muscles experience tiny tears that then become the sites for new muscle tissue to grow. Since the ankle weights have added weight, they are, in theory, a way of building muscle and making your legs larger.

    The "To Fatigue" Problem

    • The ideal method of weight training is to work your muscles to fatigue toward the end of a 10 to 12-repetition set of strength exercise. If your muscles feel tired and it's difficult to complete the set, you've probably worked those muscles to a proper intensity. With that in mind, it might be easy to see why ankle weights are not ideal for building muscle and getting a beneficial strength-training workout. Ankle weights typically weigh only a few pounds, which is usually not enough to cause your muscles to feel fatigued toward the end of a set of leg lifts or lunges.

    The Joint Problem

    • Ankle weights are not only less effective than a dedicated strength-training routine, but they also can do damage. If you're using them during cardio, they're going to put a lot of stress on your joints. The joints of the ankles and legs get hit the hardest. Think of it this way: If you injure yourself or experience joint pain by using those ankle weights, there's a chance you'll have to sit out the next few workouts. This means you'll be taking steps backward in your quest to get fit, tone up or build leg muscle.

    Better Alternatives

    • If you're wearing those ankle weights in the hopes of making your workouts more intense, consider other ways to do that, which won't potentially do damage to your joints. Speed up your workout or look for hills that you can climb. If you walk right now, try jogging a bit. Work out with a friend to add some competition into your routine. As for building muscle, the way to get beneficial results is to do dedicated weight or body-weight exercises, instead of strapping on those ankle weights in an effort to do double-duty. Since you only need to do one set of 10 to 12 repetitions to fatigue instead of endless sets and repetitions, a strength-training routine that incorporates all major muscle groups won't take as long as you might think. Try setting aside 30 minutes two days a week for a total-body strength training routine.