Is wearing leg weights throughout the day a good idea (strengthening & stretching)? I was just walking around and climbing stairs today while wearing 25lbs. on each leg... That was fun.. THe stretching part: when you take them off at the end of the day, tendons are stretched and you can really swing your leg up there (for about 10 mins), i.e. I went for a side kick to the head and flung it up there and almost fell.

I don't think this is either good for your legs or particularly beneficial for stretching. Having weight on your legs can increase strain on the joints and particularly on the ligaments and tendons.

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THe stretching part: when you take them off at the end of the day, tendons are stretched and you can really swing your leg up there (for about 10 mins

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Tendons don't stretch- they tear. Might be good for strengthening, but I think they work muscular endurance more than anything.

Let me give my reasoning behind why you felt you were more flexible after wearing leg weights: When you exercise a muscle, it becomes tired. When you stretch you are trying to reconfigure the stretch reflex to allow a larger range of movement. If the muscle is tired, then it will not be able to contract in reflex to being stretched- therefore you will stretch further- until that is your muscles have rested and then you will be back to your old range of movement.

ya i used to wear leg weights around but i did it for running. so it makes ur legs feel really light. lol i should try it once.

i used to wear weights because my instructor told me too.... but he also told me to wear knee braces and elbow braces for the wrist weights..... i would suggest doing the same if you decide to continue wearing the weights..

lol.. o ic ya after i got done my knees didnt feel so great. did you notice anything from have the legs weights all the time.

Unless you want to walk around with them, than meet an attacker, ask him to wait, take of the weights and kick him,
I would not do that.

If your instructor told you to do a running, jump-side kick off a bridge, would you?

lol with or with out the weights on

I believe leg weights make you more prone to injury and running with them on just makes you slower, which defeats the point of cardio.
At least, that's what people have told me. When I heard about this, I didn't want to waste them, so I ended up putting them on just to do leg raises. The most expensive leg raises ever.

-Jeff

Using them for leg raises or adductor flys may be beneficial; I've been thinking about picking up a pairs just for the flys.

Another possible use may be plyometric jumps---these are taxing enough as is, although I suppose if someone wanted to push the envelope further, leg weights would do it.

Just walking around in them all day will probably have minimal benefits.

As posted before, it is HIGHLY reccomeneded not to practice kicks while wearing legs weights; the added strain on your ligaments and tendons can cause injury.

**If any mods spot this thread, it should probably be moved to Strengthening/Weight Training

Yes, the added weight plus the force of your punch/kick puts a great amount of stress on your tendons and ligaments.

Shadow boxing/kicking puts on enough stress as is; because you are not hitting anything, your body is forced to absorbed the amount of energy you create, vs a heavy bag.

Don't use them that way----years down the road, your joints will thank you.

ok thanks for the info. and im sure years on down my joints would thank you to.

You could also consider to do some rope jumping with weights, you will train your upperleg and knees with this exercise.

Cheers