These ankle weights will supercharge your workout – and they’re reduced

Level up the intensity of your workouts with these handy weighted bands

These can be used for strength training as well as aerobic exercises (iStock/The Independent)

If you want to work harder and burn more calories without spending more time exercising, one option is to up the intensity of your workouts. To do this in a gentle way, ankle weights could help. These weighted bands that slip around your ankles can significantly amplify the intensity of various exercises, leading to improved strength, endurance, and muscle tone. This means you don’t need to speed up your session, do more reps or push yourself to the absolute limits. Just 0.5kg or more can make a real difference.

One of the primary benefits of using ankle weights is the increased workload they place on the lower body muscles, particularly the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. This added resistance can help to build and tone these muscles more effectively than bodyweight exercises alone. Additionally, because the weights are worn around the ankles, they can also engage stabilising muscles, improving balance and coordination.

Another bonus is that ankle weights can be used for both cardio fitness and strength training. They are particularly beneficial for aerobic exercises such as walking, running, and cycling. When worn for these activities, they can increase the cardiovascular challenge, helping to boost heart rate and enhance calorie burn.

In strength training, ankle weights can intensify exercises, including leg lifts, glute bridges, and donkey kicks. This added resistance helps to enhance muscle activation and growth. If you’ve had a recent injury, ankle weights can be valuable for rehabilitation as they allow for a gradual resistance increase and targeted muscle strengthening.

If you’re interested in trying out a pair to supercharge your workouts, here’s everything we know about the Myprotein weighted ankle belts (was £18, now £12.99, Myprotein.com) and how you can use them for muscle strengthening.

Myprotein ankle weights: Was £18, now £12.99, Myprotein.com

(Myprotein)

These ankle weights are adjustable, so comfortably fit ankles of all sizes. The premium material is designed to feel smooth and soft next to the skin, with no rubbing or chafing, so that you’re not thinking about them when they’re on.

Each weight weighs 0.5kg, which is recommended for anyone new to ankle weights, as they can change your form because they force you to work harder.

They can be used during aerobic activities, such as walking, jogging, or running, and they will elevate your heart rate more quickly and sustain it at a higher level, leading to greater calorie expenditure. Even low-impact exercises like walking up stairs or brisk walking can become more challenging and effective.

Incorporating Myprotein ankle weights into strength training routines can also enhance muscle activation. Leg lifts, glute bridges, and donkey kicks become more demanding if you wear ankle weights, promoting muscle growth and increased metabolic rate, meaning that you burn calories faster, even when at rest. At just £13, these are a budget-friendly way to supercharge your sessions.

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Looking for more strength training suggestions? Here’s everything you need to know about Myprotein’s resistance bands