Carole asked: I am very aware that I need to improve my fitness level, I currently manage to fit in 1 pilates class a week but because my work patterns are very erratic i find it hard to commit to being in the same place at the same time each week.  I was doing two nights a week of Salsa dancing but current work is taking so many evenings I simply can’t fit it in.  So remembering some strap on weights at the back of a cupboard I’ve decided to wear them on my ankles while I work so my legs at least are working a little harder but is this really a good idea?  Anything I should bear in mind? Obviously this is only the first step in getting me back towards regular exercise.

Answer…

Ankle weights add between 1 to 3kg of weight to your lower leg.  The theory is simple… by increasing the load on your legs you give them more of a workout during normal physical activity.  The added load on each step you take will challenge your muscles, helping to tone your legs and increase the total amount of calories you burn each day.

But that is the theory. 

The toning / calorie burning effect of ankle weights all depends on how active you are throughout the day.  Wearing your ankle weights while you are sitting at a desk will do nothing for you!  If having ankle weights on puts you off moving around (acting like a ball and chain) they can actually reduce your daily activity levels. 

However, if you are active through the day (walking / going up stairs) then ankle weights will certainly give you a boost – helping to tone your legs and potentially increase your energy output by up to 100 calories a day.  This may seem small, but cumulatively that is 700 calories a week, 3000 calories a month and 36,500 calories a year!

On that basis ankle weights are certainly a step in the right direction towards regular exercise…  but think of them as an added boost to your physical activity levels rather than a substitute for the recommended amount of aerobic exercise (30 minutes a day, five days a week). 

So keep in mind that the aerobic benefit of wearing ankle weights is minimal unless you are wearing them while doing something aerobic.  If you are serious about increasing your fitness, try wearing them next time you get to your Salsa class! 

Liam Sartorius is a REPS level 3 personal trainer specialising in resistance training and weight loss.  With over 10,000 hours 1:1 personal training, he has a wealth of experience in body shape and body weight change.

Ask Liam about: Fitness Training, Circuit Training, Muscle Building, Muscle Definition, Exercise for Weight Loss, Nutrition for Weight Loss.

Got a fitness, nutrition or weight loss question? Ask it here!

Christine asked: I was reading your blog about intensive training and wanted to ask if short bursts of jogging on the treadmill are therefore better than fast walking for longer periods for improving fitness.  Is 1 or 2 minutes of jogging and then walking for a couple of minutes better than fast walking for say 10 minutes? I like the idea of getting fitter in a shorter time!

Answer…

The traditional cardio workout lasts 30 to 60 minutes, working at a steady pace and heart rate.  Although this “steady-state” training has health, endurance and fitness benefits, research suggests that greater fitness gains can be achieved in far shorter, more intense workouts. 

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of exercise that is intended to improve fitness and burn fat with workouts lasting a fraction of the time.  In fact, one of the most popular HIIT methods is a 4 minute workout called Tabata Training.  Intervals are 20 seconds maximum effort, 10 seconds rest for a total of 8 cycles.  It’s about as high intensity as workout gets, crammed into just enough time to boil an egg. 

Studies have also shown that HIIT not only brings greater fitness gains than traditional “long slow burn” workouts, but also has a greater fat burning effect.   The intensity of the workout causes the body to burn calories at a much higher rate for up to 24 hours.  With such impressive results it is no surprise that fitness enthusiasts worldwide are raving about HIIT …

…greater fitness gains, increased fat burning, in less time!

However, there is a pretty big catch.  HIIT is much, much harder and only works if your intervals are maximum effort.  On an intensity scale of 1 to 10, if 1 is standing still and 5 is a gentle jog, 10 is running like you would from a lion.  So to put it in perspective, a 10 minute HIIT workout might get you fitter in a shorter period of time, but it would be like running from a lion… and then all his buddies!

For someone just getting into cardio training, longer periods of fast walking are probably more suitable to help build up a base level of fitness.  If you are pushed for time and only have 10 minutes to commit to your cardio training then keep building the intensity up within that timescale.  The higher the intensity you achieve within that 10 minutes the fitter you will get.

But remember… the best workout is the workout that gets done!  Try to find an intensity level that is high enough to challenge you, but not so high that you can’t stick at it.

Liam Sartorius is a REPS level 3 personal trainer specialising in resistance training and weight loss.  With over 10,000 hours 1:1 personal training, he has a wealth of experience in body shape and body weight change.

Ask Liam about: Fitness Training, Circuit Training, Muscle Building, Muscle Definition, Exercise for Weight Loss, Nutrition for Weight Loss.

Got a fitness, nutrition or weight loss question? Ask it here!