Should I Wear Ankle and Wrist Weights to Build More Muscle and Burn More Calories When I Run?

Research shows that the use of extra weight on the arms or legs while walking (no studies on running could be located) can add to the calorie expenditure. In one study of walking with walking sticks, calorie expenditure increased by an average of 23% compared to walking without the sticks. In a similar study where subjects walked on a treadmill with arm levers, calorie expenditure increased by 55% above walking without the levers. However, the extra weight has the potential to throw off your natural gait, particularly during running where the forces are magnified, and theoretically could increase the risk of injury to the joints, or at the very least cause neck and shoulder strain. As for ankle weights, the same risk of throwing off the gait applies. If the legs are carrying extra weight at the ankles, then the stress could transfer to the knees and lower back as the weight pulls on these joints. My suggestion is that if you want to carry extra weight to burn more calories, you should wear a weight vest. The vest will cause the extra weight to be distributed evenly on the torso and supported at your hips, thereby causing your legs, and not your lower back, neck, or other vulnerable joints to do most of the extra work.