Ankle weights

Wearing ankle weights when you’re walking or running isn’t overly helpful, Mahoney says, unless you have spatial or balance issues. In that case, “the weights help you stay anchored to the ground, decreasing the likelihood of a fall.”

Though they’re not ideal for aerobic activity, ankle weights can help make body-weight exercises more challenging and beneficial, says Jasmine Marcus, a physical therapist in New York. And compared with a lot of other exercise equipment, ankle weights are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain. “I always ask patients if they have them, and I will recommend they buy some if they don’t,” she says.

Some ankle weights are adjustable, which means you can make them heavier or lighter as needed. Wu advises beginners to start with the lightest load and slowly increase by 1-pound increments. Look for a pair with lots of padding and a nonabrasive inner lining, and make sure you have a secure fit to help prevent chafing. (If your ankle weights don’t fit right, they might slide up and down your leg, causing irritation.)

Then you’re ready to start working out. Ankle weights can be a good addition “if you’re targeting the lower body and performing exercises on the ground, like donkey kicks or leg raises,” Mahoney says. Donkey kicks, which are also called quadruped bent-knee hip extensions, involve getting on all fours and, while keeping your back flat, lifting one bent leg at a time straight back and up as high as you can until your back starts to arch. To do leg raises, lie on your back with your legs pressed together, then lift them upward until your glutes hoist off the floor.

It can also make sense to wear ankle weights while doing side-lying abductions, says Jessica Mazzucco, a certified personal trainer in New York City. Side-lying what? “You’re lying on your side, and you have your bottom leg bent at a 90-degree angle while your top leg is extended straight,” she explains. “And then you’re lifting that top leg up and down, kind of like half of a scissors.”