Weighted clothing is the adding of weight to various parts of the body through attaching weighted pieces to the body which leave the hands free to grasp. Unlike with held weights or machines, the user is generally more apt for normal movement. In some cases certain weighted clothing can be worn under normal clothing, to disguise its use to allow exercise in casual environments.
The use of weighted clothing is a form of resistance training, largely due to weight training. In addition to the greater effect of gravity on the person, it also adds resistance during ballistic movements, due to more force needed to overcome the inertia of heavier masses, as well as a greater momentum that needs deceleration at the end of the movement to avoid injury. The method may increase muscle mass or lose weight; however there have been concerns about the safety of some uses of weights, such as wrist and ankle weights.
It is normally done in the form of small weights, attached to increase endurance when performed in long repetitive events, such as running, swimming, punching, kicking or jumping. Heavier weighted clothing can also be used for slow, controlled movements, and as a way to add resistance to bodyweight exercises.
Lower body weighted clothing
Thigh weights
Thigh weights are the most reasonable form of resistance. The location of the mass more readily duplicates the natural fat-storage mechanism of the human body and being closer to the core. In leg raise exercises, it allows more activation of the hip flexors (and abdominals) without putting more strain on the quadriceps muscles for extension, making it good for sports-specific training on movements like knees and jumping. The greater area and safe location allow it to handle much more weight. For those with wide thighs, such as bodybuilders with large quadriceps, or people with large amounts of fat stores on the inner thigh, it may cause chafing. If worn on both legs, however, the chafing would be between the weights and only damage them, possibly only chafing with a lack of tightness.
Thigh weights are not ideal for movements involving quadriceps use, as they require tightness which may limit the use of the muscle and blood flow to the legs. For such movements, weights worn higher on the body or free weights are more ideal.
Ankle weights
Ankle weights are a commonly found weight used in many activities. Further from the core, fixated above the ankle around the lower shin and Achilles tendon, due to leverage much less weight is needed to increase the forces on the body.
As they are attached to a region with a far smaller diameter than the thigh, there is not room for much weight without greatly changing the effective width of the lower leg. An advantage over thigh weights is that they are not attached to any major muscle or fat storage region, so tightness is not a factor and it can be used in almost any exercise.
Being above the ankle, movements incorporating the calf muscles such as calf raises can benefit from ankle weights.
Ankle weights are useful in adding weight to pull-ups and dips, especially when incorporating leg raises into the movements. They are also useful in slow kicking katas, and static-active stretching of the legs when balancing on one leg, or suspended in the air.
Light ankle weights have a history of use resistance for kicking in swimming, and of forward flexion in kicking, walking, jogging, and sprinting exercises. Concern has been expressed regarding this type of training. It may put too much stress on the joints, similar to the shearing forces found in leg extension and leg curl exercises.
Practicing weighted movements at high speeds also causes the nervous system to fire at larger intensities. If an individual loses the weight without being trained to adapt to the transition, he may overexert himself without checking at the end of the movement and overextend a tendon. This is more of a risk when people fully extend their limbs in such movements and do not come to a controlled stop at the end, limiting muscle flexion. Generally, the muscle being extended is more at risk, not one held statically. For example, the quadriceps muscle could overexert in a snap kick trained with ankle weights, but in a rising kick, it is the hip flexor muscle more likely to overextend. In either case, the hamstring and associated ligaments would be at risk for a tear.
One major advantage to ankle weights, unlike wrist weights, is that it adds a whole new component to exercises that wrist weights do not, since we can't grip dumbbells with our feet like we can with our hands. It is a major advantage in training rotational hip stabilizers, to work on turnout for martial arts and dance postures. To do this, the leg is bent 90 degrees at the knee, and then rotated inwards and outwards to bring the foot upwards. This is commonly seen in footbag kicks and holds.
Weighted footwear
Weighted footwear, such as "iron" boots, sandals, and shoes, are generally very similar to ankle weights. The main difference is that being below the ankle, the calf muscle is not activated at all in wearing them. Muscles in both legs only become stimulated when the leg is raised in the air (calf flexion for the rooted leg, hip/knee/ankle for the raised leg, or the entire body if suspended from pull-up bar). For straight-leg flexion (front and back) the slight increase in distance does increase leverage somewhat. In regard to the flexion muscles of the ankle, weighted footwear provides unique methods of working them that ankle weights do not. Leverage is best when the weight is near the tip of the foot, either above the toes or (more often) below the ball of the foot. Flexed to the front, it works the muscle opposite the calf, which is very useful as it is not a commonly activated muscle for movement, generally only a stabilizer to the calf muscle. It is very useful in retaining flexibility. The calf muscle can also be activated, but the leg must be raised behind the body as to make gravity resisting the flexion. At the front of the body, it would only assist calf flexion.
An advantage to weighted footwear is that they can be inconspicuous, depending upon the weight and the form of the footwear in question. This mainly applies to those with a fixed weight, adjustable weighted footwear is more obvious, and may not even be used as normal footwear at all inherent to their design, an example being weighted boots with a pole for the weight stack extending directly from the sole of the foot. For footwear which can be worn normally, an advantage to wearing them beyond additional training stimulus, is their additional mass, which creates far more downward force than one would otherwise have, with foot-dropping attacks such as axe kicks and stomps. To gain this energy, more initial energy must be expended in hip flexion (and possibly knee extension) to raise the foot from the ground.
Core weighted clothing
Hip drags
Hip drags are not so much useful due to their weight, but are small attachments which add drag during many movements in swimming by making the swimmer less streamlined. This added resistance allows the swimmer to build up more force, and swim faster when they are later removed.
Dip belts
Dip belts are a very commonly used form of weight training. They are named for the dip exercise, one of the few and best known methods of adding resistance to it. It is also commonly used to add resistant to pull-ups and knee/leg raises in hanging from a pull-up bar. Unlike most weighted clothing, dip belts are not affixed to the body, but rather the weighted suspends semi-secured to the usually leather belt, suspending from the back and generally kept up by resting on the gluteus.
As such, it is only useful in strength training movements, and not for dynamic movements, making it only pseudo-clothing. Dip belts are also used for added weight in squatting exercises, for people who want to work their quadriceps muscles with more weight without compressing their spine or straining their back muscles or hands. Due to the dangling length, these belt squats are usually done elevated, where the suspended weight will dip much lower than the feet, allowing a sufficient range of motion. How far below the feet it goes can determine the range of motion of the exercise, similar to limitations like squatting in a power rack for working heavy resistance near the top of the movement.
Weighted Belts
Different from dip belts, weighted belts are affixed to the body and do not use suspended weights or swing. They are useful, like weighted vests, in having weight close to the core and mimic very well the additional weight one might have from body fat stored in the abdomen and lower back. The advantage over other core weights is the flexibility that is freed up by not constraining the upper body, the disadvantage being limited core flexion. There tends to be some overlap in certain larger weighted vests and the region covered by certain larger weighted belts near the upper abdominal muscles.
Weight vests
Weight vests add weight around the torso to add resistance to whole-body movements, support movement, limit flexibility, avoid injury or support proper form. Vests may be made of a variety of fabrics, to assist in dissipating heat and support their function.
Neck weights
Sometimes, weights are
Weight Training Gloves
Barbells and dumbbells have knurling which can be harsh on your hands when weight training. The Powertec multi gyms have comfortable rubber grips but once you start lifting heavy ...
Weight Training Gloves
$9.99 Item# 13825351 SKU: 0428-02080-0480 Style# GX0048-047
Women’s Weight Training Gloves - Wash and Dry by Harbinger - Ladies ...
Ladies Only Sports® carries a HUGE selection of women’s weight training apparel and accessories. Find weight training gloves including Wash and Dry gloves by harbinger. Get the ...
Fogdog Sports - Exercise Equipment: Weight Training: Gloves
*List price is for reference only. No sales may have occurred at this price. **See product page for details. © 1998-2009
Gloves - Weight Training - Dick's Sporting Goods
Shop Gloves at Dick's Sporting Goods for the finest quality products at competitive prices, backed by the best service anywhere.
Weight Training Gloves - Lift more, lift safer without developing ...
Weight Training Gloves help you get a better grip, prevent callous formation in your hands and lift more weight than you would barehanded.
Joe's - Fitness: Weight Training: Gloves
Thank you for visiting JOE'S. If you need assistance with shopping on our site, please call us at 800-578-5637 and a customer care representative will be happy to assist you.
Gloves - Weight Training - SportsAuthority.com
Buy Gloves at Sports Authority - the nation's preeminent full-line sporting goods chain. Shop online or in-store for your favorite brands - Nike, Under Armour, The North Face ...
Weight Training Gloves - UK Fitness Supplies
UK Fitness Supplies have a wide range of Weight Training Gloves available to purchase with secure online ordering.
Weight Training Gloves
$14.99 Item# 16561201 SKU: 0428-02080-0058 Style# GX0057-006