What are wearable weights?

The most common type of wearable weight is an ankle or a wrist one. They look like tennis sweat bands but bigger and puffier, thanks to the additional weight. Ankle weights are usually attached with velcro and weigh between 1 and 3 pounds while wrist ones slide on over your hand. There are also weighted body vests which are a little bit more robust than wrist or ankle weights and can weight up to 18 pounds! If you’re not sure where to start, try adjustable wearable weights so you can build along with your strength.

Do wearable weights work

People sometimes use wearable weights on their ankles for a walk or a run to increase the intensity of the workout. Yes, additional body weight can strengthen your joints and improve your mobility and flexibility without too much stress on the body, thanks to the lower mass of the wearable weights. However, it is advised to wear the weights for specific exercises in the gym instead, as opposed to more “natural” activities like walking or running, since the weights alter which muscle is being used, and if you are not used to it, it could create extra tension or cause an injury.

Benefits of wearable weights

Not only good for joint health, the additional small mass can also strengthen your muscles, which in turn support your body’s health and can help reduce pain from weak musculature. 

Wearable weights can also increase the active heart rate and even boost oxygen consumption, optimizing your workout! When you add the weights, you sometimes engage other parts of your body than you normally would, so it’s good to switch it up sometimes and try the wearable weights to see what difference they can make. 

In short, wearable weights are a fun way to spice up your workout, pay closer attention to what muscles are engaged, and improve joint health, and even your oxygen intake!