Ankle Weights

Sports medicine and fitness experts have found that abdominal exercises can be far more effective when ankle weights are used. It is common for individuals to add a specific ab workout to the end of their regular exercise routine. While this is a good way to increase the strength of your abdominal muscles, it is not the most effective way to strengthen these muscles.

As mentioned above, it has been proven that using ankle weights in conjunction will traditional ab exercises can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your workout routine. According to one fitness expert, an ab workout is not effective if you do not feel fatigued at the end of it. With this being said, how can you insure that you are fatigued at the end of your ab workouts? The answer is simple- incorporate ankle weights into your regular exercises to add more resistance!

Ankle Weight Basics

Ankle weights are small pouches made out of heavy-duty material, which are then filled with heavy materials, like metal bars, pellets or sand. This is done to add weight to the pouches. Almost all ankle weights are designed to be attached to your ankles by a Velcro strip. They are intended to be securely strapped on throughout any type of workout. There are many benefits associated with the use of ankle weights during a workout session. The benefits include increased intensity, leverage and comfort.

These weights come in a variety of styles and weight, ranging from 1 lb. per ankle to 5 lb. per ankle. You can find ankle weights at an sporting goods store. It is recommended that you research the product to see what style and weight will meet your needs before you purchase any.

Most Effective Ab Exercises

Here are the most effective exercises that can be used to improve your ab workout with the use of ankle weights:

Reverse Crunches

Reverse crunches are a great way to work the lower abdominal muscles. After doing this exercise for a few weeks you will notice that it does not challenge you much anymore. You can make this exercise more challenging by adding ankle weights to the exercise.  The most important thing to remember when doing this exercise is that your tailbone must come up off the floor for it to be effective. Follow these steps to do this exercise correctly:

1. Attach the weights around your ankles in a secure manner.
2. Lie on the floor or mat with your back to the ground.
3. Your knees should be slightly bent with your feet flat on the floor.
4. Lift your legs up in a way that your knees move towards your abdomen. You should feel your lower spine start to curl up towards the ceiling.
5. Hold your legs at the furthest point of the motion for two seconds.
6. Lower your legs back down to the starting position.
7. Repeat 20 times. Do three sets of 20.

Leg Raises

Just as the name of the exercise implies, leg raises require you to use your abdominal muscles to raise your legs into the air while lying on the floor. It is common for people to do this exercise incorrectly because the correct form requires a lot of abdominal strength. Do not arch your back when doing this exercise. Follow these steps to execute the leg raise exercise correctly:

1. Attach the weights around your ankles in a secure manner.
2. Lay flat on the floor with your backside to the ground.
3. Your legs should be extended straight out in front of you.
4. With a slight bend in the knees, slowly raise your legs towards the ceiling. Do not let your legs behind or move apart from each other.
5. Hold the position for two seconds once you have reached the highest point you can go.
6. Lower your legs back down to the starting position. This motion must be controlled and slow as well for this exercise to be effective.
7. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Do two sets of leg raises per day.

Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches with ankle weights are the most difficult exercise on this list of abdominal exercises. This exercise requires abdominal strength and stamina. Only do as many repetitions as you can with correct form. Doing this exercise incorrectly will not produce any results. Follow these steps to do this exercise correctly:

1. Place the ankle weights around your ankles.
2. Lay on the floor with your backside towards the ground.
3. Lift your hips and knees up so that your thighs make a 90 degree angle with your abdomen. This is the starting position for this exercise.
4. Simultaneously extend one leg straight out in front of you, pull the other knee towards the opposite elbow and move that elbow towards the knee being pulled back.
5. Hold that position for two seconds and then return to the starting position.
6. Do the same movement but with the opposite leg and elbow.
7. Do two sets of 20 repetitions.

Ankle Weight Considerations and Safety

Obviously, ankle weights can be a great way to make your ab workouts more intense and effective, but before incorporating these weights into your workout there are some things you should take into consideration.

The added weight from the weights may cause more stress on your lower back when doing ab exercises. Be sure that you are using your actual abdominal muscles throughout these exercises, rather than your back muscles. If you feel a strain or any type of pain in your back use lighter ankle weights or eliminate the ankle weights from your workout all together. Using weights that are too heavy will result in injury.

These are, by far, the most effective ways incorporate ankle weights into your ab exercise routine. Doing the exercises listed above on a daily basis is likely to result in a toned and muscular abdominal region. Get started today and you will see your body begin to transform in a matter of days.