Here’s What Wrist Weights Can—And Can’t—Do For Your Walks

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Benefits Of Wrist Weights How To Use Wrist Weights While Walking When should you see results?Need a new pair of walking shoes? These are our faves.Mach 6 Clifton 10 Fresh Foam X 1080v14 Pegasus 41

It’s 2025 and the girls are obsessed with walking. At Women’s Health, we’re all-in on the trend too. Any walk is a good walk—but some boast more benefits than others. Here’s why: in order to really get the most out of a walk (say, its cardiovascular, calorie-burning, or even muscle-building perks), you need to do it at the right intensity.

One sure-fire way to up the intensity of a walk? Add weight. Some people swear by a weighted vest while others opt to wear wrist weights while walking. And, while weighted vests overwhelmingly get good reviews from experts, they’re not as sold when it comes to wrist weights.

Here’s what you need to know about adding them to your routine.

Meet the expert: Claudette Sariya, CPT, is the founding instructor at SOLE Fitness, a New York City-based trainer, and member of the Women’s Health Strength In Diversity class of 2022.

Benefits Of Wrist Weights

The cult-fave Bala Bangles are a modern take, but wrist weights have been popular since the 1970s and 80s. They’re versatile and can be used at any time, whether you want to strap them on while you’re doing household chores, at a barre class, or on a walk or run, Claudette Sariya, CPT, a New York City-based trainer, says. They add resistance, and therefore up the intensity of any activity, and help build muscular endurance.

One reason people are tempted to try them is that they think they might help build muscle on their arms. “Using weights while walking won’t help you build muscle,” Sariya says. Instead, by adding weights to your walking routine, you’re making the activity slightly harder and increasing your caloric burn, even if just by a little bit. It might cause you to lose some fat mass around your arms, thus making them appear more muscular. We should note, though, that wrist weights won’t substantially increase your calorie expenditure since they’re so light.

How To Use Wrist Weights While Walking

The beauty of wrist weights is that they’re easy to use. After you’ve strapped them to your wrists, you’re ready to take them out for a spin. Before you get started, you can also do some wrist rolls to warm up your joints. In order to maximize their benefits, keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, similar to how you hold your arms while running, advises Sariya. And, “if you feel comfortable and coordinated, you can add in bicep curls to get an extra boost,” she says.

Overall, the more you move with intention, the more of a difference you’ll see, says Sariya. You can also slowly increase your weights for an additional burn, as long as they’re not too heavy. (The American Council on Exercise suggests one to three pounds max for joint safety.)

Looking for a fun, expert-backed way to get the most out of your walks? Try the Women’s Health+ 4-Week Walking Plan.

As for how often you should use your wearable weights, incorporating them into your preferred form of cardio twice a week for about 40 minutes is a great place to start, says Sariya. Since wrist weights are not an effective way to build muscle, you should also do strength training if you’re looking to really take your arms to the next level.

When should you see results?

There’s not one timeframe for when you can expect to see results from walking with wrist weights because it varies based on things like starting fitness level and the intensity of your walks. (If you’re a fitness newbie, the good news is results might appear quicker than for someone who is already hitting the gym multiple times a week.)

While the added weight on a walk gives you a little boost by driving your heart rate up and working more muscles, the timeframe for results is actually still pretty similar to walking without them. But, if adding this accessory is the inspiration and excitement you need, wrist weights can be a great way to spice up a stale walking routine.