The era when it was necessary to use rather uncomfortable and heavy shells and simulators to achieve the necessary shape long ago. Almost everything is available to today's visitor to gyms and fitness studios to ensure maximum comfort during training, not to mention the widest range of devices for effective training at home.
Along with fitness equipment, yoga mats and fitballs, special bracelets are equally popular, providing increased load on certain muscle groups. By and large, to buy such devices is completely uncomplicated - today's market for sports goods offers a huge selection of aids. However, it is not difficult to make hand weights with your own hands.
We will understand in essence
Before proceeding to direct recommendations, we determine the purpose of these devices and their features in terms of design. Making hand weights for hands with your own hands is not difficult, because, in fact, they are cloth bracelets filled with sand, salt or removable metal plates.
These tools are used to increase the effectiveness of physical activity, whether it is jogging, standard fitness or, for example, walking. The bottom line is that with the help of such equipment you can provide extra weight, which will make the exercises more difficult, and the load on the muscles more active.
In shape, these products are most reminiscent of bracelets, and it doesn’t matter whether weights are made for hands with their own hands or purchased at a sports store. There are also options for legs and a special belt, fastened at the waist and providing a load on the muscles of the abdomen, buttocks and lower back.
Something about weight
Most often, the mass of these devices is from five hundred grams to five kilograms and increases gradually, as the muscles strengthen. Hand weights 5 kg are only suitable for trained people with sufficient physical fitness.
As for the options presented by the belt, their weight can reach fifteen kilograms, since the load will be distributed more evenly and over a large group of muscles.
It is important in this case not to overdo it, since an incorrectly selected weight can lead to injuries. If you decide to make hand weights with your own hands, be careful in this regard.
Easy Training Accessory
The design of these devices is quite simple, and therefore absolutely anyone can make them yourself. So, if you are thinking about how to make weighting materials for arms, legs or belts, first you need to figure out what is necessary for this.
Fabric Features
First of all, this, of course, is the durable material from which the structure itself will be made. It can be knitwear, tarpaulin or, for example, denim - the main thing is that it be strong enough to withstand loads.
Filler
The second thing to decide is the filler option. For these purposes, sand and salt are most often used, since it is precisely such materials that can be called the most accessible and suitable.
If the hand weights are adjustable, they can use metal plates or a special design that allows subsequent weight changes. In this case, you will also need the most ordinary lightning, so that filler can be added to the structure.
Mounting method
Finally, fasteners are needed. More often, so-called Velcro is used for these purposes, however, lacing is no less suitable for home conditions. In this case, it all depends on personal preferences - the first option is more convenient in terms of donning speed, and the second is better kept on hand.
Another no less popular option is the nylon tape, which is fixed using a special ring.
Manufacturing process
Hand weights, reviews of which are exceptionally positive, are done in much the same way as everyone else. In addition, the finished product in this case will be quite universal, and therefore suitable for use on the lower extremities, if necessary.
To make a weighting compound, two rectangular pieces of fabric will be required. In terms of height, ten to twelve cm will be enough, and the length will depend on the girth of the brush (or ankle). However, one should take into account the fact that during filling the fabric will contract and the free space will become much less. In this regard, 5 to 7 centimeters should be left in stock.
The resulting halves should be turned inside out and fastened with a sewing machine or a very durable solid hand seam. This will become the basis of the future weighting medium - the space where the selected filler will be placed.
For convenience, the resulting "pocket" should be sewn several times across - the filler, therefore, will not be a monolithic block, it will become more comfortable to use.
A zipper is sewn to the top of the resulting pocket, which will fix the fillers in the required position, preventing them from falling out.
A nylon tape is sewn in the middle of the bag, with which it will be fixed on the leg or arm, a ring is sewn to one end of the ribbon - the remaining edge will be threaded into it.
If you chose Velcro or lacing for fastening, these elements are attached directly to the ends of the weighting agent.
The material from which the accessory is made should be soft and comfortable to use. This is especially important if hand weights are for children.
Some more tips
In order to make the use even more comfortable, and the resulting device lasts much longer, it is recommended to place the weighting filler (especially if it is loose) in special small bags, so the fabric will not come into contact with the filler, which means that it will wear out much less .
Another quite important point is the quality of the aggravating element itself. In principle, anything can be used instead, but some options will be significantly more successful than others. In particular, materials that can injure the skin should not be selected for such purposes. Such fillers include all kinds of sea stones and other non-loose materials. If you decide to use salt, it is better to prefer the Extra option, which has a softer texture. In this case, the use of bags is necessary, since the filler material will not only spill out without it, but also begin to irritate the skin, which, of course, cannot be called a pleasant sensation.
As for weight, make sure that it is the same for both limbs - this will help to avoid muscle strain, injury and subsequent unpleasant sensations. It is better to start training with a minimum weight, gradually increasing the load. Only a gradual approach can produce truly outstanding results.