Increase Your Endurance
If you're looking to make running easier for yourself, try ankle weights. Adding these weights to your workouts can help increase your endurance. Your body will become acclimated to the extra weight, and will have to work harder to finish. So when you finally decide to run without them, you'll find that more than likely you're faster than you were before. The strength that you gained while training with the ankle weights will translate into faster running speeds and more endurance.
Improve Your Balance
Ankle weights are excellent at helping you increase your balance. This is because of the strength that builds in both your legs and ankles. The more you use them, the more your body becomes acclimated to having to maneuver with the added weight attached to your legs. Stability is gained, which leads to an increase in balance.
Tone Your Lower Body
Strong, toned legs are achievable with ankle weights. These weights specifically work all the different muscle groups in your lower body, which helps you achieve muscle tone. Exercising while using ankle weights tones your legs by adding definition, so your leg muscles look more sculptured and sleek. As your body becomes used to the weights, you'll notice that you're using and toning muscle groups that you normally would not utilize much when exercising without the weights.
Burn More Calories
You will burn more calories when you walk while wearing ankle weights than you would if you walked without them. Because ankle weights vary in weight (anywhere from 2 to 10 lbs.), you can increase the amount of calories you burn by increasing the weight as the exercise becomes easier. Some health enthusiasts find that working out with a lower weight helps them walk for longer periods of time and aids them in strengthening their legs and burning calories. It's a more intense workout for your body, which translates into more calories burned during your exercise session.
