Soft weights are similar to bean bags, and are filled with tiny beads of lead. Common sizes range from one pound to five pounds. These weights are used with a special weight belt that contains pouches to hold the weights.

Soft weights are popular because they form to the shape of your hips, and this increases comfort. Additionally, since the belt's pouches are usually secured with a zipper, changing the amount of weight in your belt requires less effort than with hard weight belts.