Weight on feet vs. back

[blb078]

I've always heard(and not sure were, prob the net) that 1lb on your feet/ankles is the same as 5lbs on your back. Does anyone know if this is actually true? If I throw on two 10lbs weights(one on each ankle, 20lbs total) does that mean it's roughly the same as 100lbs on my back?

 

[HellsCanyon]

I interpret it as felt weight. It still takes your muscles the same amount of energy to carry yourself up the hill. People say things like "I'd rather just drop my 10 extra lbs of body weight than spend the money to lighten my pack by 10 lbs". It still takes X amount of calories to move that gross weight up a hill, but you'll feel much better with a 10 lb lighter pack than 10 lb lighter on your body (providing muscle strength and conditioning are identical in both situations, but often time they aren't).

Thats my thought anyways.

Mike

 

[lorneparker1]

I always look at it as net weight. IF you weigh 230 with a 70lb back you have 300 lbs going up the mountain. Take 10 off the gut and you have 290 going up the mountain for alot less money then the taken your pack weight from 70 to 60

 

[Jon Boy]

I always look at it as net weight. IF you weigh 230 with a 70lb back you have 300 lbs going up the mountain. Take 10 off the gut and you have 290 going up the mountain for alot less money then the taken your pack weight from 70 to 60

If your muscle strength is the same then there will be no felt difference with lost body weight.

 

[frans]

I assume you are asking this from a training perspective. And the answer, in my layman's opinion, would be no.
With ankle weights you'll be targetting different muscles, think hip flexor, groin, everything involved in lifting your legs up. Worthwhile, but not the same as pushing up the mountain with your quads, and calves. It wouldn't hurt doing a few hikes with the ankle weights, but if you are a weakling like me, go easy with the weights at first. A pulled hip flexor or groin can take a long time heal! But I don't see it as a substitute for humping up the hill with a heavy pack. The latter also has the advantage of training your shoulders, back and core to deal with the extra load.

Frans

 

[blb078]

This was the best article I was able to find on it, I guess for hiking there is a difference between weight on feet vs back.
http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2009/11/weight-on-your-feet.html

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Not IMO. Ankle weights are an old false attempt at conditioning the core strength of your body. To haul any weight in a pack vs on your ankles works very different muscle groups. Ankle weights only add stress to inherently weak parts of the body. Ankles were designed to provide lateral and horizontal stability to the human form. Core muscles of the torso, shoulders, and glutes provide structural stability with heavy loads.

Think of those times when you've walked across a muddy field or sloppy terrain and ended up with heavy boots...at the end of the stretch, the hip flexers are smokin, but if you carried the same weight on your back, hip flexers aren't smokin.

Losing 10-lbs of body mass before summer conditioning will improve your stamina and strengthen your knees (patella, ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL) in the long run. A stronger body is by far the best approach. With this approach, each day your afield you'll lose pack weight (1-2 lbs per day), which improves your performance.

Ankle weights are not ergonomically sensible. If you want to become a stronger backpacker, train your body posture and muscles with a backpack...

larry

 

[sodak]

This is a common topic around some LT's in the army. I believe that it focused on heavy boots vs. lightweight boots and how far a soldier can patrol. Think heavy boots like some of the ones guys buy from Ranger Joes (like rocky sv2's) vs the weight of the current issue hot weather boot (not that it is that light compared to others). I think you could google some army study and find the write-up.

But, I do not believe training with ankle weights or 5 buckle overshoes would build endurance carrying a heavier pack (as said in an earlier post). But, I do believe that those weights would help build LEG endurance (like running or non-pack hiking). Just my two cents, if it is even worth that.