legit use for ankle/wrist weights?

i just found out my sister got some of these 4 christmas an she dont want em, is there anything u can use them for? I know their useless for most things, but how about skipping with them on? running maybe? suggestions appreciated

 

Running, punching out with them on to increase speed with punches. Really just your usual excercises with them on. You do have to be quite careful though. Over doing it can do bad rather than good

 

What bad can it do?

 

To the original poster - yeah, skip with them on.

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25298&page2

 

Possible good uses include...

Paperweights
Doorstops
errrr... ornaments?

 

In another post Ye Old Yoda stated they are good for paper weights or door stops! DO NOT use them when skipping, or running, or punching you'll pull or yank something out of place.

 

Ye Old Yoda?

 

I suspect you're older then me mate!

 

The only use I can think of is wear them when you're walking around the house, not doing anything. It'll certainly help a little.

 

You suspect correctly.

5 Years older

 

You can do forms with wrist and ankle weights. I wouldn't do them at full speed/power. Do them in slow controlled movements.

 

Why? Do you really think 1 or 2kg resistance - applied in the wrong direction (i.e. against gravity) will do ANYTHING to improve your technique?

 

Ankle weights are rarely of any value and can be quite damaging. This is what Yoda is getting at, but since he is being glib about it, the message may not get across to some of the more naive or uninformed people on the board. With ankle weights (or holding light dumbbells in your hands to punch; the other persistant old wives tale) the resistance is normally of no benefit because it is going in the wrong direction.

When you perform a front kick or a jab, the plane and force of the movement is in a pressing motion out from the body. The resistance from the ankle weights is going straight down instead of along this plane. At best, this resistance would just stress the stabilizer muscles and not the prime movers or synergizers. Hence, no real benefit to the movement. In addition, since these movements are properly performed as an explosive motion, or snapped at the extension, the extra resistance on the muscles whose function is to balance out the motion and keep you from injury is not the brightest idea.

Without getting too technical, using light weights to develop more speed is another common workout myth. Research shows that the way our bodies recruit muscle fibres is based not on the speed of the motion, but on the intensity (weight) of the load. In other words, the idea of lifting a light weight really fast to build speed doesn't work because no matter how fast the weight is moving, if it's a light weight (thais is relative to whatever your strength is), you are using slow twitch muscle fibers to lift it. Only when it is a heavy weight does you CNS recruit fast twitch fibers. How heavy the weight is determines which of the three types of fast twitch fibers are recruited.

Back to the ankle weights, the only real benefit I have ever seen from them is for the practice of slow motion, vertical kicks. Sometimes forms competitors will practice their high, lead leg kicks with a very slow cadence and hold the lock out. In this instance, the ankle weights would be pretty much staying in the powerline and the hip flexors and other supporting muscles may be actually weak enough at these positions for this to be not only of value, but this may be about the only exercise that will directly effect and add resistance to this skill.

 

Yes I do, that's why I posted it.
As far as gravity goes, its a given, you are always fighting against gravity.

 

Read Kwan Jang's post above.

 

I don't think I really need to add any more.

 

already read it. I don't 100% agree.

I love how people quote "research" and then leave no references.

If you re-read my original post you will see that I said slow controlled movements.

By the way, all resistance training is considered "harmfull" if done incorrectly.

 

I've used them in the past to do certain leg & glute exercises/extensions but never to kick or punch with. I personally don't feel that they are any more damaging than lifting weights incorrectly if used in a proper manner.

Just recently I've received a notification by AFPA regarding the current trend of using ankle weights & wrist weights in aerobic kickboxing classes which I would NEVER even think of doing in the class that I teach due to all the reasons outlined here in this statement.
http://www.afpafitness.com/articles/Kickboxhandwts.htm

 

Look at that, a well thought out post with actual "research" to back it up. Thank you KickChick.

 

You know - sometimes 2 or 3 decades of actual experience in the field backed up with a professional qualification in a health & fitness trainining discipline can also count as "research"