I love exercise "thingys" and gadgets. I have amassed a load of unnecessary exercise equipment in my quest to make exercise fun, not boring.

Because I tire quickly of exercise routines, there are only a few things I stick to. Everything else is changed up every couple of months. One thing I have stuck to is walking DVDs, especially using my Leslie Sansone Walkblaster System.

I haven't gotten bored but I have craved variety which I found with Gin Miller's ramping workouts.

As I walk or do any workout, I always want to make sure every body part is in use and getting some benefit. I used wrist weights or weighted gloves for years and now, I use Leslie Sansone Weighted Fitness Balls to add a little resistance to my workouts and to work my arms while walking or dancing. These colorful weighted balls are fun and that makes workouts more fun.

About Leslie Sansone Weighted Fitness Balls

From Leslie Sansone's Official website store:

Add resistance to make your walk even more effective with these weighted fitness balls and you will get even more out of your workout. Available in 2 lbs. only.

My Experience

These balls are sand filled and squishy. They fit perfectly in the palm of my hand (about five or so inches around) and are plastic/rubber coated. They are easy to hold onto and don't cause damage when dropped.

I first started using the weighted balls when I started using the Walkblaster System. Since, I bought another set because I lost mine when my dear husband was "relocating" my exercise stuff. I realized I was quite attached to those little sandbags!

I have the pink ones now. I did have navy blue. Either way, they are soft and squishy but not so much so that you can't have a firm grip on them when working out.

These balls take the place of wrist weights or you can use the balls in conjunction with wrist weights to really amp up your arm work when doing aerobic or walking exercises.

I like them because I can toss them down whenever I want - with no regard to damaging anything below me. I can use them for some of the workout and toss them aside for the rest without having to stop to remove wrist weights.

They're certainly not going to heavily strain anyone's arms at a pound apiece but they are great little extras to keep the upper body involved and challenged while you work your lower body.

I often use these when I do dance videos to make sure my arms get more than just minimal exercise. Most dance videos involve the arms but not to any real degree where you could say that you worked your arms when you are done. I grab the weighted balls and dance! My arms feel fatigued after a while and that's a good thing. I want to do as little as much as possible for as little time as possible and these weighted balls help keep my arms firm and working while my lower body and core are moving.

You could carry these around outside while walking or jogging but I don't. Then, I will use wrist weights. I have seen others at the park walking around with weighted sand balls though and they much prefer to grip something while walking rather than not. It's just a preference either way.

The balls are made well with a very heavy rubbery plastic covering that washes clean, resists staining and moisture, and won't rip or tear unless actually cut or maybe bitten into by a dog. They're very sturdy and will last a long time (if your husband doesn’t "lose" them when he is moving your stuff around).

My 18-month-old nephew can't keep his hands of these things when he visits and it's OK. They won't hurt him even if he drops them. Kids seem very drawn to these, probably because they are brightly colored. He has bitten into them and not even left a dent. Obviously, I am not condoning these balls for use as kids' toys. I am just saying that they are safe and sturdy around all ages.

Buying Info

Leslie Sansone's site is selling a pair of these for $20.95 or, if you're a member, $17.81. That is a painful price. But I have seen some other sand filled balls and they were awkward and too big to be handled easily and felt hard, rather than squishy. I also questioned how long they would hold up because their casing was much thinner than Leslie's.

The price is up there but you will need these once - and once only unless you lose them.

My Recommendation

These are a great alternative to traditional wrist weights and make walking, jogging, dancing, and other aerobic workouts a little more intense.

They're well made, sturdy, easy on the hands, and are practically indestructible.

I like these weighted balls a lot and missed them when they were lost. I looked around for cheaper ones but they didn't have the same feel as Leslie Sansone's and weren't a lot less expensive. I definitely recommend these weighted balls to any woman (They're too light for most men to gain benefits.) who wants to boost her workouts and add a little fun to them.

4 stars for the little weighted balls that help keep my arms firm!

Recommended: Yes