It’s no exaggeration to say that Pilates is well and truly popping off right now. The workout of the moment, it promises to boost your core strength, muscle definition, and tone, either from a studio or the comfort of your own home. And the stand-out tool that celebrities and influencers alike seem to be raving about for upping tension and levelling up your sweat sessions? Ankle weights, of course.
I won’t lie to you – as a runner who strength trains to injury-proof her body, I’ve not been the most consistent with my Pilates practice over the years. While I totally understood the appeal, I’d never quite found the right studio or online platform to inspire me to keep at it. Not to mention, I found the 101 different types of Pilates – from Reformer Pilates, to wall Pilates, to vertical Pilates, to Tower Pilates – somewhat overwhelming.
Last year, that changed, however, when I noticed that my favourite workout platform FIIT had rolled out Pilates sessions at home. Without the time pressure of having to head in-studio and with workout lengths of ten, 25, 40 or 60 minutes, mixing up my sessions suddenly felt attainable and appealing, rather than something I didn’t have time for.
I was immediately hooked and fell in love with the slow, low burn you can get from the sessions (Pilate stereotypically incorporates micro moves, which in turn work muscle groups I don’t usually target with my running or weight-based strength training). By far the best bit of my Pilates discovery, though, was the BetterMe ankle weights that I started using for my workouts around a month in.
I’d been sceptical about ankle weights before, despite seeing the likes of Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Aniston use them for their sessions. I couldn’t wrap my head around how such a small amount of weight could improve my fitness. Ankle weights typically range from 0.5lb to 3lb in weight, with my BetterMe version clocking in at 1lb in total, while I lift anywhere from 10kg to 50kg at the gym.
But how wrong I was – as you’ll discover below, the small but mighty weights really can be invaluable for levelling up your home workouts. But for more on why they’ve become one of my absolute wellness essentials, you’ll have to keep scrolling.
Keen to read more about the best ankle weights on the market? Our guide will come in handy. Plus, we’ve got guides to the pros of using ankle weights for walking, the many benefits of ankle weights, and a full Bala Bangle review, here. More interested in Pilates generally? Don’t skip our guides to how often you should do Pilates, the best Pilates exercises plus how MC UK staffers fared trying Pilates toe taps every day and leg circles every day, here.
What are the BetterMe ankle weights?
According to Victoria Repa, certified Pilates instructor, health coach, and CEO of BetterMe, the BetterMe 1 lb Adjustable Weight Bands are a simple, effective and attainable tool for adding resistance to your home workouts. “Unlike traditional fixed-weight ankle weights, our bands allow users to adjust the weight, making them adaptable for different fitness levels and workout intensities,” she explains.
Plus, as Repa points out, so you can choose how much weight you’d like to use each session depending on your energy levels.
They’re also non-slip, durable, and wipe clean, meaning they promise to last the long run and be an investment for life. Repa adds: “Their soft, skin-friendly fabric and secure fit ensure they stay in place during movement, while the compact and stylish design makes them easy to store.”
Do note: in terms of storage and care, their website recommends wiping with a damp cloth post-use, keeping water away from the velcro straps and air drying after use, too.
BetterMe Adjustable Weight Bands
Specifications:
– Iron covered in soft silicone
– Weight: 1lb
– Wipe with a damp cloth after use and keep water away from Velcro.
What are the pros of wearing ankle weights?
According to Paola Di Lanzo, Pilates instructor and founder of Paola’s Body Barre, there are loads of benefits to incorporating ankle weights into your weekly workouts. “Ankle weights are a really great way to add resistance to bodyweight exercises, helping to strengthen and tone the legs, glutes, and core without needing additional equipment,” she explains. “They can make Pilates and barre movements more challenging, leading to increased muscle engagement and endurance.”
Because they provide constant resistance, they also help improve stability, balance, and coordination, she goes on, by forcing the muscles to work harder during controlled movements. Repa explains: “Ankle weights can significantly enhance workouts by adding extra resistance, which helps engage muscles more deeply and improve endurance. They’re particularly effective for strengthening the lower body, especially the legs and glutes, and can also be incorporated into both cardio and strength exercises.”
They can be a useful tool for those struggling with injury or rehabbing old injuries, too. “Ankle weights support low-impact strength training, allowing for gradual strength progression without excessive strain on the joints,” Di Lanzo concludes.
In studio, the instructor incorporates both wrist and ankle weights into their workouts to add extra spice and boost intensity. “The added resistance makes exercises more challenging and energy-demanding,” she shares.
Research backs up the effectiveness of the workout tool, too, with ankle weights first being researched in the early 1990s. While it’d be useful to see more research on ankle weights specifically, one 2016 Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences study found that people who used resistance bands and ankle weights grew a kilogram of muscle mass over the 12-week trial.
However, both experts emphasise that fitness levels vary, so it’s important to start gradually with any new fitness tools and listen to your body.
A close up of the BetterMe ankle weights
(Image credit: Future)
Anything to be mindful of when using the BetterMe weights?
With ankle weights generally, both experts warn that they can pose risks if used incorrectly or excessively. “The added weight can increase the strain on your hip, knee, and ankle joints, which can lead to discomfort or injury, especially if used during high-impact exercises like running or jumping,” shares Di Lanzo.
Plus, they can promote poor movement mechanics, encouraging excessive momentum rather than controlled muscle engagement, which can reduce effectiveness and increase injury risk, she goes on.
To minimise risks, ensure proper form during exercises to prevent overuse injuries, and avoid wearing them for prolonged periods to reduce the risk of muscle fatigue and discomfort. Her top tip? Head in-studio for a session with the tool before giving them a go at home without an instructor.
Top tips for using the BetterMe ankle weights:
According to the BetterMe website, you should bear the below in mind before starting your ankle weights workouts:
- The combined weight of the equipment should be 1% to 2% of your body weight (and never more than 3%).
- To improve the quality of movement, consider wearing ankle weights for slow, steady walks outside.
- Don’t wear ankle weights all day – start with the minimal weight and increase it gradually if needed.
- For wide-range exercises, use lighter weights.
- Aim for three sessions of 20-minute sessions or more a week to achieve results and give your joints the time to get used to such training.
I’ve been using the BetterMe ankle weights for the best part of 14 months: why I’m a fan
While the viral Bala Bangles get global attention, I’ve grown pretty fond of my BetterMe weights for a number of reasons. They’re seriously easy to use, wipe clean, simple to store, and also come in an array of cute colourways (always a plus point).
Essentially weighted bands that you secure around your wrists or ankles, the BetterMe design gets my vote as they’re comfortable, versatile and compact for easy storage. They’re made from iron yet covered in soft silicone to make sure they sit comfortably against your skin while still providing an ample amount of resistance for your sweat sessions.
I’ve tried a fair few ankle weights in my time, and many designs either have painful velcro straps that irritate your skin or dig in, distracting you from your workout, or are just a set amount of weight, offering you less flexibility for your sessions. Not with the BetterMe weights, though – you hardly notice they’re there (until you really notice they’re there halfway through your session).
Only cons to note? While there are hardly any negatives to the BetterMe design, there are a few things to note before you consider investing. The first, arguably minor, point, is that all of the individual weights sit on a piece of material that you secure via velcro to your ankle or wrist. This makes the weight adjustable, but does also means that they can slip off and be a bit of a faff to wriggle back on. Of course, this is on purpose to ensure you can tailor your weight to each workout, but the weights aren’t the easiest to slip on and off – worth noting as a slight quirk of the design.
Secondly, the 1 lb weight option is perfect if you’re a beginner or if you’re at entry-level with your ankle weight workouts, but it isn’t the best for progressing your strength training. As someone who’s strength trained for years and been consistent with my Pilates workouts for around fourteen months, I wish I’d opted for a slightly higher weight option. That way, you can take off some of the weights when you’re feeling a lower weight workout or add more on if you’re up for pushing yourself.
Now, question – will you be giving ankle weights a go?