Ankle weights are dangerous

Question

I do martial arts and i just bought 20 pounds ankles weights yesterday to make my kicks fast, but i keep hearing stuff that it aint good for the joins and ligaments and etc.

well i have been training my legs with hard cardio running and weights for more then a year and my tighs and legs are very strong and flexible,before I use them i can strech my legs to the point where i can do a straigh kick up in the air.

Did anybody here ever used ankle weights and had any bad or good experiences with it? and is it bad for evrybody or for just the people who dont have strong enough and flexible legs? anybody here with good strong and flexible legs ever used them with no problem?

note: i wont use for walking or running, ONLY kicking

Answer 1

The problem with using weights to improve your kicking is the weight only provides resistance in one direction: Down.  Unless you're kicking straight up, you are firing the wrong muscle groups.  Getting stronger going up isn't going to help kicks that go sideways like a side or roundhouse kick.

You're probably better off using a heavy bag or resistance tubing so you can get the resistance in the right direction.

Answer 2

I used them extensively when I was in high school for jogging but was careful to use lighter weights of 2 lbs each.  In martial arts I would also use them but once again only lighter weights of three to four pounds each and all kicks I would do slow for strengthing most of the time and never more than a quarter or one third speed and power if shadow boxing or shadow fighting.   Using ones that are too heavy and doing your kicks to fast can cause a lot of stress on your ligaments, tendons, joints, and muscles and that is where there seems to be a lot of negative feeling on using them.  

Answer 3

MISUSING ankle weights is bad on your knees, ligament and tendons.

You can't do that type of training with ankle or wrist weights.

I used both and I have no injuries.  

Answer 4

You should never use ankle weights or wrist weights for kicking or punching.  The condition the muscles differently then regular kicks, losing power and speed over time.  They also put a strain on the joints and tendons that would not be realistic in train or fights.  Fox Sports Network had a show and they should the progress over 30 days of weight train and found the artist was more open to injury and loss power.  They also showed in MA, golf and baseball, that theory of using weights before doing a task makes you faster is false.  

Answer 5

To emphasize what John was getting at, only use weights while practicing SLOWLY!!!

You do not want to cause any undue stress to your joints, ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Going at regular speed while wearing ankle weights greatly increases your chances of sustaining injury.

On that note, I will say that I have had great results from practicing slowly while wearing ankle weights.

Answer 6

Those ankle weights can tear your knees up. Use them only on occasion, on exercises where you strictly control your speed and form. I would use them primarily to add weight to leg lifts. I also used to perform very slow side kicks with them. Walking with ankle weights every once and awhile isn't that bad, but I wouldnt use them for running.