Homemade Ankle or Wrist Weights

I was walking through Wal-Mart a few weeks ago, curious as to the cost of simple ankle or wrist weights. Wanting to intensify my walks with my dog and build a bit of muscle on my small frame, I figured these weights (just a pound or 2 in weight) would give me the boost I needed.

Little did I know that the weights are fairly expensive- the cheapest ones I saw were around $18- something I wasn't prepared for or wanting to spend for something so simple. Looking on eBay was no better- without the shipping costs, ankle and wrist weights were running along the $15 mark. It's almost Christmas, and I need to hold onto every dollar that I can for presents. So...

I remembered how I make homemade heating pads, using a long sock (tube sock or just a really long old sock) and instant rice. This very same concept I figured could be used to make a homemade ankle weight or wrist weight- using a scale (kitchen or otherwise), I measured out 2 pounds of dried peas (they're heavier than rice) and divided the volume in half. I took 2 tube socks and with each one tied a knot in the closed end, leaving about 3 inches of length behind it for tying later. I filled the middle of the sock above the knot with a pound of dried peas, then tied the section off. The result looks kinda like a bow.

Then I just wrapped the weights around my ankles or my wrists and tied them closed with the loose ends. Bulky, yes, but comfortable and easy to wear within the home and under sweats when walking my dog. The weights are easy to secure and then undo due to the bulkiness of the fabric you are tying into a knot, and hey, it's a great way to get rid of all those excess socks that don't have pairs!

I tried using nylons to make the weights with at first, and while they are certainly less bulky, the stretchy nylon became loose very quickly, slipping off my wrists and sagging on the ankles. Tube socks (the longer the better) work better, and using a heavier weight filler, like dried beans, dried peas, or even sand in a plastic bag placed in the sock, is better to use than rice. Either way, these homemade ankle or wrist weights are super easy and very cheap to make!

Source:

how I made my own ankle/wrist weights