Running with weights

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Sugar_Junkie
Sugar_Junkie Posts: 366 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Sometimes when I do a workout dvd at home my boyfriend will jog in place with 3 lb weights. I have recently started jogging on the treadmill at a 4.5 mph speed and I am just curious if weights while jogging is something I could or should consider..

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  • Osulindsay21
    Osulindsay21 Posts: 48 Member
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    I'm no expert, but I think running with hand or ankle weights is bad for you. It throws your body off of its natural running motion and could cause injury. I would say no.
  • Ruthaw1961
    Ruthaw1961 Posts: 42 Member
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    Running, jogging with weights is not generally a good idea. It throws off your natural gait and you can be prone to injury. And to get any real benefit to weights, you need to lift heavier than 3 pounds. Keep the cardio and lifting workouts independant of each other for best results.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I think it can also increase stress on the joints if you're jogging on hard surfaces.
  • FlyByJuly
    FlyByJuly Posts: 564 Member
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    Speaking from experience, I think it's better to not run with weights. In the past, I've used ankle weights, which pulled on my knee joints. I also ran with light handweights, which pulled on my elbow and shoulder joints.
  • Sugar_Junkie
    Sugar_Junkie Posts: 366 Member
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    Thank you for the responses. I didnt think about it throwing me off balance.
  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
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    Agreed with others. You put plenty of weight on your knees/shins/ankles/feet when you run (about 1.5 X your body weight). there's no need to add weight to it. That's not really the point of running, imo.
  • waffleflavoredtea
    waffleflavoredtea Posts: 235 Member
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    I have ankle/wrist weights and I use them only for low impact cardio... basically just for walking and general cleaning/gardening. I love the extra challenge sometimes and they are supposed to be helpful for toning.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    When I'm bored, I wear ankle weights round the house for an hour. Then take them off and feel like I'm walking in space. :-D

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