Is there any proven exercise advantage to wearing arm and leg weights all day?

I have not, but it sounds like a very good idea.

I just checked the weight of some of my clothing. My steel toe work boots are 2.5 pounds , 1.15 kg, each! Much more than the weight I have on my ankles now.
My fully kitted up Scot-E-Vest is 3.4 pounds, 1.54 kg. Clearly I need to up my game.

Your body will burn more calories with more weight. It’s basic physics as it takes more energy to move heavier things. Your muscles will also get stronger. I’ve never done it myself, but there’s a YouTuber who made himself a chainmail shirt with one of his goals to help him lose weight. I say go for it.

I just pulled my old camera equipment vest out of the closet and slipped in some weights. The vest now weighs a little more than 4 pounds, 1.9 kg. The vest is quite airy so I can wear it indoors over my shirt. Unfortunately, with the weights in the breast pockets it looks like I’ve grown boobs.

@gorillapaws That chainmail shirt would be perfect for this application. :-)

I heard that it is catastrophic on your joints.

When I played volleyball I wore ankle weights all day in between games. I took them off for games, and boy could I catch some air!
Sounds like a plan, Stan!

I mean, it must make SOME difference. The question is whether that difference is substantial or negligible. Here’s an article I found when googling and there were others so just google your question. You can read the article as well as I, so I’ll just summarize my takeaway from skimming it.

It sounds like they’re saying, yes it can have an effect, but you’re going to pay for it in increased wear and tear on your joints. You’re better off limiting yourself to specific exercise sessions with weights or other kinds fo resistance.

https://www.livestrong.com/article/287192-does-wearing-ankle-weights-all-day-make-a-difference/

I was also concerned about joints which is why I have the wrist weights supported by my shirt – like an exoskeleton. I also do not hyper-extend anything.
The weights I am using are not that much more than what my boots and coat would weigh if I were out working in the snow – except I only wear winter clothes like that for a couple of hours at a time when I am using the snow blower.

The addition of 4 pound, 1.9 kg vest seems heavy to me today. I’ll bet in a couple of days I won’t notice it.

@Entropy Great article! Thanks! The weighted vests they were using on the athletes in the study are 20% of body mass! That would be a vest weighing ~30 pounds, 13 kg! Yikes! I’m only using a 4 pound vest! My total (arms, legs, pants, and vest) is now about 10% of my body mass!

If anything starts to feel funny or hurt I will back off.

@Dutchess_III When I take off the weights If feel like I am floating.
(I can even shuffle dance!)

“Float like a butterfly, Sting like a bee!” – Muhammad Ali

Exactly! And where the hell are my ankle weights?? Oh. In storage.

I had to take a one hour nap this afternoon. The extra weight and raking leaves tired me out.

I will not be adding more weight for the next few days.

The only risks I’ve heard of is harming elbows are knees if they are warn when you aren’t doing very mindful movements. I guess maybe it could be a strain on the heart to suddenly have more weight on your body for an extended period. Could raise blood pressure. It doesn’t sound like you are adding enough weight to cause that, but it might be an interesting experiment to check your BP. Usually, following exercise BP goes down, but during exercise it’s up, so extended exercise can be a negative thing.

@JLeslie Checking blood pressure is a great idea. It is easy for me to do. I’ll report back with my findings. I really don’t expect to see much change but it is worth checking.

Good question, and some good answers. But my thought based on my own experience is : It really depends on what you’re trying to acheive and how you set your goals.

Like @Dutchess_III I was a gurljock, and played college level basketball for awhile. Training we got included various weight combos including ankle & wrist similar to what you’re talking about. After a major injury my rehab phase included different “polymetric” exercises that used weights to restore strength & range of motion. But I never got back more than 75% of function in my knee, so I’m skeptical that anything works all the time.

Basically I think you’ll do fine with what you’ve got in mind, up to a point. I don’t expect you’ll actually gain significant muscle mass, but you probably will improve your muscle tone. It’s not likely that you’ll get optimum aerobic benefit either, even if you feel like you’re exerting yourself. It’s just not the same type of exercise in terms of the sustained peak effort that boosts cardio performance. You’ll also want to watch out for muscle imbalance, which will be more of a risk the more weight you add. And @ragingloli was right about chances of joint injuries, which unfortunately increase for everyone as we age. So I’d suggest just a moderate approach, with days off & alternate types of light exercise.

BUT, I’m not a professional trainer or kinesiologist so use your own good judgement.

One more thing: That feeling of lightness & high agility that Dutchess mentions and you notice after taking off the weights, is a real & measurable phenomena. It’s called Post Activation Potentiality (PAP). Actual performance benefit is only temporary though, sometimes just an hour or less. There’s research on it going back to 2005, with lots of nuero-pysio-electro data that should click into that engineers brain ;D

That floating sensation is psychological! Who’d a thunk!

Goku used a similar technique in DragonBall Z. He even battled in his heavily weighted clothing, for fun, and only removed it when hard pressed, increasing his power level.

In the show, weighted training would eventually allow Goku to unlock his hidden Super Saiyan power.

I must assume it works similarly in real life.

@Dutchess_III – No I think it’s for real, ‘cos I felt it too when I was still training & playing.

It’s just that even when they measure some performance related thing, like jumping reach or timed dribbling drills, the gains aren’t permanent.

Bodies, and brains, are complicated ;)

I just did a one mile walk-run. Holy weight training, Batman!
I was whipped! I would run about 50 yards and then walk for about 20 yards, then run another 50 yards, then walk, etc. Granted I have not run in a while but I was surprised how much this took. The weights on my extremities make a huge difference.
I’m wearing my usual arm and leg wights, but my shoes are steel shanked and weigh about ¾ pound each. I am also wearing my fully kitted out ScotteVest weighing in at 3 pounds, plus a hat, gloves, and sunglasses because I live in Western NY.
In all, my total added weight was about 11.5 pounds – about 8% of body mass. I am only going to wear the arm and leg weights for the rest of today to mix things up.

Update: At about 2pm I started getting really sleepy and took a nap for about an hour.
I’m shocked at the effect 8% extra weight has.
I’ll see how it goes tomorrow. I’m meeting a friend for breakfast and will hide the weights under my clothes.

Have you lost weight?

@Dutchess_III Over the past month or 2 I have lost a small amount, 1–2 pounds, but that is not my goal. I am definitely eating a little more than before.
I have noticed that I’m wearing my belts in the one notch smaller position.

Today, 12/1, I added another ¼ pound, 110 g, to each arm and leg. Now I am at 7.5 pounds total on my extremities. It is 2:30 pm and I just came in from splitting wood with my electric log splitter. I worked hard for only about an hour and I am whipped! I did not wear a weighted vest today. Tomorrow I will add a light load to the vest. Maybe 3 pounds to simulate the ScotteVest.

Note: This workout is definitely making a difference. The logs did not seem as heavy as they usually are.

Go @LuckyGuy!! !!

12/3 I’m still wearing the arm and wrist weights all day. I split more wood and did other activities outside: took down the hunting blind, moved wood into the barn,...
After supper I turned on the Michael Jackson song “Man in the Mirror” and lifted, stretched, danced with a 15 pound bar for the entire song – while wearing the weights. My heart was pumping!
I will sleep well tonight!

No weight today. 12/5 I will only be doing easy stuff, like stretches while I go through the day
I did too much yesterday and have sore abs, upper arms, and shoulders. Too many pushups and sit-ups. (I won’t write the number but it is smaller than I’d like. I guess I’m not 30 years old any more.) That was foolish.
I will still be very active today. I just won’t be wearing the weighs.

12/6 morning. i did not wear weights and felt absolutely great! I prepared my pond for winter – removed 2 pumps, cleaned filters, cleaned skimmer, pulled out leaves, pulled out water plants and planters, etc. and was not exhausted. I did get soaked though.
I was not tired at my usual bed time and stayed up about 2 hours later than usual before I finally got between the sheets. Up today at usual time 5:30 with no alarm.
I put weights on as soon as I got dressed. Arms: about 1½ pound, 750g, legs: about 2¼ pounds, 1 kg.
Boy do I feel slow! I’m sure I’ll get used to them after I eat breakfast.

12/10 I’m still wearing the arm and leg weights. 750g on each arm and 1kg on each leg. Total extra weight about 7.5 pounds. I have not bothered with the vest. The weights keep bumping against my body and I become lazy and less active. Counterproductive.
Yesterday went without any extra weight and felt GREAT! I picked up a 15 pound bar I usually exercise with and it felt much lighter. Amazing.
After about 3 months of this I can definitely say my weight is a solid 2 pounds lower than when I started. That is ok. And I am wearing one inch smaller jeans. I bought a new pair last night. Previously, I had to go up one inch in waist size to wear winter undergarments. Now, I can wear my normal jeans with cotton long underwear and not feel like a stuffed sausage.
I’m liking this and will keep it up for a while longer.

I can’t wait to dig out my ankle weights! Bet my neuropathic feet will.love that!

I cut up 4 socks that had holes in the heels to make 4 stretchy tubes. I put two over each ankle, so with my socks I have 3 layers of cushioning. I put the weight over those 3 layers so they are cushioned. I also make sure there is nothing pushing against my Achilles tendon and shin bone by removing the weight bars from the very front and rear. If I am going out in public I put another layer over the weights so they don’t stand out if my pants slide up a bit. For that function I use a cheap pair of stretchy airline socks.
Good thing it is winter and everyone is bundled up with multiple layers of clothes.

Go for it @Dutchess_III ! You will never be in better shape to do this than right now.

I will! They’re lurking in.storage along with the rest of my life.

I went to a meeting with friends yesterday and did not wear any weights.
I had a real bounce in my step all day! I also noticed I was standing up straighter.
I’m wearing my usual arm and leg weights today and will continue to do so unless I’m meeting family and friends.
The all-day, light workout is definitely doing something. I’m going to stick with it.

12/21 Still wearing the weights. 750g on each arm and 1kg on each leg. Total extra weight about 7.5 pounds. I had to skip one day because I was out. That evening mI had trouble falling asleep. I wasn’t tired!
Except for the bulk I often do not notice them now. It might be time to add more weight. I’ll think about adding another 100 grams to each arm and leg. That will bring my total to ~8½ pounds.
We have a big cold snap coming in 2 days. I will be wearing the weights while checking on things to get ready for the cold : generators, snow blower, heating system, wood piles, etc.

@LuckyGuy “I had a real bounce in my step all day. I also noticed I was standing up straighter.” I think that was a commercial in the ‘90’s for an erectile treatment!

@chyna Hilarious! :-)

Maybe I can attach weights there. Can’t hurt can it?

Um, yes. Yes you could hurt something.

He could do tiny ones @chyna. Just sayin…

@LuckyGuy
“Can’t hurt can it?”
See for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFX7MvTZUHw

@ragingloli Thanks for that useful info. I was wondering how I could attach the weights. Now I know! Upon close examination I see the pro used a version of a Lark’s Head knot. I would prefer a Prusik knot since it is more adjustable and distributes the load over a wider area.

I’ll have to cut holes in my jeans and long underwear. I’m afraid it will be very drafty now.
Better to wait until summer.

* closing my eyes *

12/30 I’m still doing it! I skipped a day since I was out all day and the arm weights are difficult to hide. I’ve only torn one shirt since starting this project. I must look at better weights.
I needed to wear a dressier shirt today so I pulled one from the closet that looks nice. It had been a little tight around the middle. Today it was loose! Nice!

1/6/23. Still doing it. And I Found Some Data!!!!

I finally got around to reading the latest issue, Jan 2023, of Scientific American. The cover states: “The New Science of Human Metabolism.”
Inside are 2 articles that directly relate to this topic:
“The Human Engine” by Herman Pontzer
and
“A Diet for Better Bones” by Claudia Wallis

My thinking is consistent with their findings! Here is why:
In the first article they show data from a comprehensive study of 6400 individuals with ages ranging from babies 8 days old to men and women in their 90s. They precisely measured metabolic rates and other factors and plotted data a number of ways. The particular graph that caught my attention was: “Total daily energy expenditure (in megajoules) vs Fat-Free mass” The data showed a clear and obvious positive correlation for individuals above the age of 20. The more fat-free mass, the more calories spent daily. Being scientists they kindly supplied the regression line for all the data.   
Given that information I decided to see if my estimate of “100 calories per day for 10 additional pounds of weights” was close. 
First, I used a BMI, body fat calculator to determine my fat-free mass. That entailed entering my height, weight, age, neck, and waist circumference. That gave me my % body fat, fat-free mass and fat mass. Then I used another calculator to convert megajoules to food calories, kcal.
I used the supplied regression line and carefully measured and calculated the slope of the line, getting 0.01417 MJ/kg for adults over 20 years of age. 
I converted that number to units I could relate to i.e., Daily extra food calories burned per additional pound getting: 15.39 kcal per pound, or 153.9 food calories per 10 pounds of pennies. That is in the ballpark of my crude estimate of 100 calories per 10 pounds. (At the time I did not know about fat free mass, nor did I incorporate body size.)
Given the estimate of 1 pound of body fat is about 3500 kcal that means wearing 10 extra pounds of pennies will reduce body fat by one pound in 3500 kcal/ 153.9 kcal/day = 22.7 days. One pound fat loss in 3 weeks.

The second article states: ” Weight-bearing exercise stimulates bone formation throughout life. And you don’t have to heft dumbbells. Just supporting your own weight while walking, running or jumping does the trick.” So that lines up with my thinking as well.

I am continuing to wear the weights daily and have dropped about 2.5 pounds and knocked off 1 to 1.5 inches from my waistline. Something is definitely happening although progress is glacially slow.
I will stick with it for another month or so until my next trip to LA and maybe SF.

I’ve backed off these past 2 days and have started doing chin-ups. The extra weight made it impossible for me. Maybe I will alternate days.
I have also noticed I sit quietly when I’m wearing the leg and arm weights. It’s like they are trying to make me sedentary. They’re, not succeeding. :-)

I reduced the weight on my arms from 800g (1¾ pound) to 700g (1½ pound) The extra weight bars have destroyed 2 shirt sleeves by being too tight. (Not unlike the Hulk) :-)
That 100 gram reduction is noticeable! I am quicker!

The Hulk!

@chyna Just the sleeves. I wish the shirt’s chest buttons got a little tighter. Maybe if I squint my eyes I can imagine I am a millimeter bigger.

My waist has definitely gotten a lot smaller. The minipot is disappearing.

2/24/23 I am still wearing weights. And it’s still making a difference! i have reduced the weight to 1.5 pounds on arms and 2.5 pounds on legs. They are comfortable and not noticeable when walking in public.
I recently picked up my kitted out Benjamin Marauder air rifle and was shocked at how light it felt. It weighs a hefty 10.5 pounds and quickly get heavier when holding it in offhand position. Now it feels much lighter. I have noticed that full gallon milk jugs are also lighter.

I have another health goal. I tried to do Jumping Jacks with the weights to Carly Jepsen’s. “Call Me Maybe”. The song is 3:20 long so at 120 beats per minute that means 200 Jumping Jacks. I could only get to about 130 before I had to stop.
I can go all the away without weights. That is further proof those extra weights are significant.
That is now a new goal for me.

In late January I started keep a diary to track my exercise, vitamins, and other data. It forces me to keep up the effort.

2/25/23 I have come up with an intermediate goal: Jumping Jacks with weights to Mexico by James Taylor. It is at 115 BPM and 2:57 minutes long. That should be doable in about a week. We’ll see.
Then I will move on to “Call me maybe.”

@LuckyGuy
You still have not updated us about the eggs.

You’re right!!! I ended up using a vegetable steaming rack in a 2 quart Revere pot. I do 6 eggs at a time.
I put water in the pot so it is just below the level of the eggs 18–20mm. I let the water come to a boil on high heat. I put the eggs and rack in the pot and lower the temerature so it is simmering for 10 minutes. (I’m at 80 meters above sea level so your mileage may vary.)
After 10 minutes I immerse them in cold water.
I also run water over the egg when I peel it.

Update: I am still wearing the weights. I wear them on my legs most days but my arm weights stay on the shelf about half the time. They are too bulky and hit my fitness watch when I move. They also look sily under my shirt in public. Leg weights are invisible.

As for health I have improved greatly. I can easily run with 1.5 pound leg weights and feel like I’m flying when I take them off. I run to the song Happy by Pharrell Williams. It is 160 beats per minute and it a very comfortable pace for me.
My VO2 Max has increased by 10%! since I started doing this. That is a fantastic improvement. It has been about 5 months since I stared doing this seriously and it has been worth the effort. I will continue.

Another side benefit: My right elbow used to pop occasionally when I moved in a certain way. It was annoying and felt uncomfortable. It doesn’t do that anymore. 100% Fixed.
I don’t know if it’s the exercise, or weights, or if it would have just healed itself anyway. But it’s fixed so I’m not arguing.
I found another great song at a slightly slower pace when I am wearing heavier weights on my legs: Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. It is 150 Beats per minute. And it is long. Nice!

7/11/2023 Update. I am still wearing weights and exercising.
All this effort has made an incredible improvement to my breathing and VO2Max values. I am now in the top 15% for men my age and on my way to top 10%. Whoohoo!

@LuckyGuy. You have inspired me to finally start doing some working out with some weights. Dr. Gabe Mirkin lives where I live, you might know him from radio, and when he does health presentations he often talks about needing to work at building muscle after a certain age just to maintain the muscle we have!

Add in your improvement in breathing with these small weights, I really need to do it.

@JLeslie My point with the weights is that you don’t have to do anything special or even allot time to exercise. You just have to put on the weights and they will make you work harder all day long. Every time you step or lift up a fork the additional weights make you impede your exercise. On a normal day I am adding 2.5 pounds to each leg and 1.5 pounds to each arm. That is a total of only 8 pounds, but what a difference it makes!
When I go for a walk or light jog I add extra arm weights, 2 pounds each and a belly pack with 4 pounds. I do it in the morning so it is cool outside and I can hide all this with long pants and an oversize long sleeve shirt.
Don’t start out with a lot. Even half a pound is enough to get the hang of it.

My immediate VO2 Max goal is to be rated in the 90th percentile for a male my age, and the 60th percentile for someone 20 years younger. I am very close, 87% and 58% respectively. Maybe in a couple of weeks I’ll hit my target.
It is worth the effort! I feel GREAT!

You would think that me being 30 pounds overweight would do the same. Lol. Maybe it does. If I lost weight I would probably be in so much better condition. My heart and muscles would be accustomed to pulling around so much more. I’m shooting for losing 20. Losing 30 might look horrible in me at this age.

I get your point though, and it makes sense and doesn’t take more time as you said.

I think being overweight does somewhat help keep your muscles fit. The problem is that it is distributed around your body. If you added that 30 pounds to your wrist and ankles you wouldn’t be able to move. Also if it is on your body, you can’t immediately take it off and feel the magical “Feel good” difference.
I did the calculations a while back and roughly speaking if you wear 10 pounds and changed nothing else (usual activities, usual eating) you would lose fat, gain muscle mass and lose a net 1 pound per month.
Obviously, if you exercise and change diet then your results will be even more dramatic and faster.

If you have a health tracking watch: Garmin, Apple etc. check out your VO2Max and see how you stack up.

Makes sense.

We are like complex thermodynamic machines, cruise ships, and fish tanks: Nothing that happens quickly is good.
Slow and steady wins the long race.