Attaching ankle weights while doing TKD

Does it help my speed and power?
How much weight(kg) should i start off with?

I only use ankleweights while conditioning, specifically "kneehighs", and while doing floor kicks, not while hitting targets.
I think it tones muscle and gives your muscles some endurance. And if you can go quickly in those things, you can go faster with them off.

While conditioning, I do a few things with them on. I lean against a t-bar and raise my leg up into side kick position and hold it, and other times just keep bringing it down and up slowly. Or, I extend front snap kicks slowly and hold them out.

I have 2 pound ones, 4 pound ones, and 6 pound ones. Depends what I'm in the mood for, but you should start out with a light weight depending on how developed your legs are and if you've used them before, and work your way up.

I do more with 2 pounds and less with 6 pounds.

That training will help your leg stability on high kicks, and greatly improve the ease and power in your regular kicks. I don't use weights, but instead resistant bands. Same effect though.

will i injure myself if i attach weights while doing kicks?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bear86:
will i injure myself if i attach weights while doing kicks?[/QUOTE]

They can hurt your joints and can be very painful in the long term.

I've seen them and they don't impress me as any great training aid. The people that wear them are not any better or faster, if anything they will slow you down during class. We once had a guy that wore a vest which had lead wieghts built into pockets it probably put about 20 extra pounds on him. Like the adage, whatever works best for you.

After you trained with the weights on
during sparring
you remove the weights
i was wondering if ur leg will feel lighter? hehe

GoldenCrane is right, if you hold ur leg at its full extension you will strain the ligaments and tendons around your knee joint. If you want to do kicks with ankle weights, just kick slowly, do not hold your leg out for a long period of time!

My instructor told me that he had a friend who did kicks slowly while wearing skiing boots. He is supposed to have incredibly powerful kicks, just a thought [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bear86:
After you trained with the weights on
during sparring
you remove the weights
i was wondering if ur leg will feel lighter? hehe[/QUOTE]

Funny enough bear86, your legs are lighter.
I used to wear Hayashi shin guards for the first couple of sparring rounds. The material next to the skin soaked-up the sweat and became heavier (not too much). Then I'd whip off the shinnies and have lighter legs and higher kick.

Hand and leg weights are useless and also can injure you. To improve your strength and speed do work on the heavy bag and plyometric style exercises.
http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000089.html

[This message has been edited by Leo_E_49 (edited 03-28-2005).]

Never use ankle weights while doing kicks. It will ruin your knees and contorl in the long run. Trust me I learned this the hard way.

Attaching ankle weights is not a good idea. It will most likely cause you to have major tendonitis/bursitis in the future.