My mom recently found ankle weights that I’ve been wanting to use. My plan was to strap on the ankle weights, and run with the same form as I would without weights (for training). Is this ok? Or am I just wasting my time with this?
Search the forum, this is a recipe for injury, no matter what the amount of weight.
It is impossible to run with the same form with the weights as it is to run without them. Your form will more than likely be changed negatively. Sprinting requires that the least possible amount of time is spent on the ground. If you add ankle weights, you will increase the amount of time spent on the ground, which is counterproductive. As well as Johnny pointed out…it is definitly a recipe for injury.
Use a weighted vest instead.
This will increase ground contact time as well which is not a good thing. What would it be useful for?
I’m definitively against ankle weights.
Pérec and Arron often used weight vests (max weight 2 lbs) for technique drills (with marks on the ground for various stride length from 2m to 2.50m) or light plyometrics (emphasis on ankle strength) and reduced their 100m PBs to 10.96 and 10.73 respectively.
Herb: from personal experiences at training, some sprinters ran faster times at 60m wearing a heavy belt because it reduced vertical oscillations.
On the same topic, some improved their 60m times holding 0.5 lbs balls in each hands. Can you tell me what shortcoming revealed the “ball” sprinting and how correct it?