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Ankle weights - looking for some robust ones

repurrrepurr Posts: 8
edited September 2017 in Training, fitness and health
Hi,

I use ankle weights when training and use 1.5kg ones per leg. I've tried a number of different makes (everlast, york fitness and JLL) all of which have not lasted particularly long. The stiching on the closure loop stretches and rips the ankle weight cover which causes the sand or small metal discs to leak out. I've tried to patch the holes up, sadly to no avail.

Has anyone used other ankle weights and can recommend a motre robust brand.

Thanks

R

Posts

  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Don't bother. There's no benefit.
  • TonyJamsTonyJams Posts: 214
    I can't see the benefit for cycling, just push harder on the climbs. If you're training for MMA or kickboxing fair enough but there's plenty of scope to train with heart rate on a bike before getting into other gizmos like ankle weights.
  • thebikerdude93thebikerdude93 Posts: 15
    I have always wondered about ankle weights.. sounds like an injury waiting to happen though.
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Is this a wind up?
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • bristolpetebristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    I'm calling bollix on this. I've never heard of any pro even from the Kelly era doing this. What's the point - you're balanced by the other leg going down anyway.

    I'd never recommend them for runners either. Impact is not what you want. Your cardiovascular system is always the weakest point.
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    bristolpete wrote:
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
    You made that up..
  • bristolpetebristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Imposter wrote:
    bristolpete wrote:
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
    You made that up..

    I was his coach.

    I made that bit up.

    It is true.
  • paul64paul64 Posts: 278
    No idea if there's any benefit for cycling but you've reminded me of my intensive martial arts training 30 years ago and the looks I got from my master when practising front kicks (fast snapping technique) and a disc flew out and loudly hit a wall. I was wearing sand-filled ankle weights by the following session...
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    bristolpete wrote:
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
    Even if true (I doubt it though) it does not mean it makes any sense. Athletes, including pro cyclists, do all sorts of dumb stuff in the mistaken belief it has a beneficial impact.

    A little basic physics will tell you the weights are essentially cancelling each other out such that the rising weight is offset by the opposite leg falling weight and no net additional energy is required to maintain a given rotational velocity.

    There is a little extra energy required to accelerate the additional rotating mass, but the additional energy demand is tiny compared to that required to accelerate the whole bike/body system, and don't forget that the additional rotational inertia also means it decelerates less quickly once up to speed (although again the numbers are very small).
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • fat daddyfat daddy Posts: 2,605
    All that said

    Wearing 1kg ankle weights do nothing ... but saving 300g by getting carbon fibre shoes .... well that shaves minutes off your strava times :D
  • bristolpetebristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    bristolpete wrote:
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
    Even if true (I doubt it though) it does not mean it makes any sense. Athletes, including pro cyclists, do all sorts of dumb stuff in the mistaken belief it has a beneficial impact.

    A little basic physics will tell you the weights are essentially cancelling each other out such that the rising weight is offset by the opposite leg falling weight and no net additional energy is required to maintain a given rotational velocity.

    There is a little extra energy required to accelerate the additional rotating mass, but the additional energy demand is tiny compared to that required to accelerate the whole bike/body system, and don't forget that the additional rotational inertia also means it decelerates less quickly once up to speed (although again the numbers are very small).

    People rode bikes before you don't forget. Interesting reading though. Kelly did use weights. Tweet him and ask.
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    It's still bollix though even IF he did do it (and I've never read that he did)
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,015
    bristolpete wrote:
    People rode bikes before you don't forget. Interesting reading though. Kelly did use weights. Tweet him and ask.

    To save us from having to get in touch with mr Kelly directly, could you give us a link to your source, or at least provide some other context for your claim?
  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    bristolpete wrote:

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.

    Altitude?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • mamba80mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    Imposter wrote:
    bristolpete wrote:
    People rode bikes before you don't forget. Interesting reading though. Kelly did use weights. Tweet him and ask.

    To save us from having to get in touch with mr Kelly directly, could you give us a link to your source, or at least provide some other context for your claim?

    i mean how could this even begin to work? the ankle weight would snag on the crank arms/chain stay, i think they may have been more interested in Cortisone
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    bristolpete wrote:
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    bristolpete wrote:
    Sean Kelly was famed for wearing ankle weights off race season / training.

    This is not new, nor absurd. It may seem so to newer cyclists, but it has been done before, at a very high level.
    Even if true (I doubt it though) it does not mean it makes any sense. Athletes, including pro cyclists, do all sorts of dumb stuff in the mistaken belief it has a beneficial impact.

    A little basic physics will tell you the weights are essentially cancelling each other out such that the rising weight is offset by the opposite leg falling weight and no net additional energy is required to maintain a given rotational velocity.

    There is a little extra energy required to accelerate the additional rotating mass, but the additional energy demand is tiny compared to that required to accelerate the whole bike/body system, and don't forget that the additional rotational inertia also means it decelerates less quickly once up to speed (although again the numbers are very small).

    People rode bikes before you don't forget. Interesting reading though. Kelly did use weights. Tweet him and ask.
    I have no need to tweet some old retired pro to confirm whether or not he did dumb stuff. It doesn't make it any less dumb.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • Alex99Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    Is this a wind up?

    I can think of more fun ways to get heavier
  • OnTheRopesOnTheRopes Posts: 460
    Ankle weights? Nonsense, buy some heavier shoes if you must. Even if Kelly did use them (which I doubt) does not mean it did him any good, pro's have tried all sorts of things over the decades like not shaving before a time trial in case it saps your strength. Training through the winter without overshoes or gloves to harden you up etc etc.

    You could just work harder on the climbs or buy a heavy winter bike
  • burnthesheepburnthesheep Posts: 675
    People also used to train with water deprivation instead of properly hydrating.

    The only thing I could think of here is to try to get a person to focus on the efficiency of their pedal stroke on purpose somehow because there is a bad flaw currently. And the weights brings more attention to the flaw and doing it the correct way.

    Otherwise, just do power intervals.
  • Alex_Simmons/RSTAlex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    burnthesheep wrote:
    The only thing I could think of here is to try to get a person to focus on the efficiency of their pedal stroke on purpose somehow because there is a bad flaw currently. And the weights brings more attention to the flaw and doing it the correct way.
    This won't be of much value either since the cranks are a connected system, hence the weight moving up will cancel out the weight moving down.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
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