Walking with weights?

Hi Everyone,
I'm a little less than two weeks out and I've been doing short walks--a quarter to a half mile at a time to help me recover and in the hopes of reducing some of that saggy skin. I have a question for more experienced walkers--is walking with light hand weights (2 lbs) a good idea?

A big trouble spot for my body is the upper arms, and now that I'm starting to loose it looks dimpled--not a great look, so I took up some hand weights in the hopes of toning them a bit as I lose weight. I read online that this is a a) a great idea or b) a really good way to injure my back, neck and elbows.

Any advice? Thank you!

I don't think doing weights while walking is a good idea. Most people just end up "naturally" swinging the weights w/their walking arm movement, which is really not isolating what you want to achieve.

Yes-people do get injured doing that.

I recommend talking to people at a gym and see who is really good (trainer wise) at getting people started. Half the battle of "doing weights" is doing proper technique.

What Sherry said. I think if you keep your arms bent at the elbow and control your arm movements back and forth rather than just swinging your arms, you'll be okay. I go to the gym 3x a week and work out with weights, so I don't use weights when I'm walking on my off-gym days...but I would if I didn't go to the gym. I'm sure it will help tone your arms and shoulders and burn more calories.

Jenny

Hand and ankle weight with running dramatically increase your risk of injury will only moderating upping your workout.

If you want to walk with extra weight (to make it harder so you burn more calories), a weighted vest is a better idea. With that, the weight is more distributed so you have less risk of injury.

Walking with weights is not a bad idea. However if you just swinging them side to side it has no great benefit. Many of the exercises you do at the gym standing may also be done walking or sitting (chair-a-cise). However, you need a develop a specific routine in advance and know what muscles are being targeted.