Training with a weighted vest: Benefits and drawbacks

A weighted vest is a simple fitness tool designed to increase the resistance of bodyweight exercises.

Whether you're focusing on building strength, enhancing cardiovascular endurance, or boosting mental focus, a weighted vest can help you take your workout routine to the next level.

Before diving into the benefits, it’s important to understand what exactly a weighted vest is and how it works.

A weighted vest is a garment designed to add extra weight to your body during workouts.

• Design: Often made from materials like nylon or neoprene, it has adjustable pockets where you can insert weights.
• Purpose: The added weight increases the intensity of exercises, making your muscles and cardiovascular system work harder.
• Common uses: They are used in various physical activities such as running, hiking, strength training, and even rehabilitation.

Adding a weighted vest to your routine can have a significant impact on both your physical and mental fitness levels.

One of the key principles of strength training is progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing the intensity of exercises to continually challenge your body.

Strength benefits

• Muscle growth: Adding resistance during exercises like Squats, Lunges, and Pushups helps build muscle. The vest forces your muscles to work harder, promoting hypertrophy (muscle growth).
• Core activation: The added weight forces you to keep your core engaged to maintain stability. This can lead to better posture and increased core strength over time.

Cardiovascular benefits

• Increased intensity: When you wear a weighted vest during aerobic exercise like running or hiking, your heart and lungs must work harder, improving your cardiovascular endurance.¹
• Lose weight and burn calories: The added resistance increases the intensity of your workout, leading to higher calorie burn. This can contribute to weight loss over time.
• Bone health: The extra weight can also stress your bones, promoting greater bone density and potentially lowering the risk of osteoporosis.²
• Improved muscle endurance: The increased load can help your muscles endure longer during activities, like long hikes or sprints.

Psychological benefits

• Mental toughness: Training with added resistance builds mental resilience. It challenges your focus and perseverance, especially as you progress to heavier weights.
• Sense of accomplishment: As you increase the weight in your vest or improve your performance, you’ll feel a sense of achievement that can keep you motivated.

Weighted vests aren’t just for elite athletes; they can also play a significant role in rehabilitation and injury prevention.

For individuals recovering from an injury or those looking to improve functional strength, a weighted vest can provide a controlled way to increase load without the need for heavy barbells or dumbbells.

This can be particularly useful for individuals with knee, hip, or lower back issues, as the vest allows them to engage muscles more effectively during low-impact exercises like walking or cycling.

Additionally, the increased resistance can enhance proprioception (the body’s sense of its position in space), which is crucial for preventing falls and improving balance, especially as we age.

While weighted vests offer a lot of benefits, they also come with some potential drawbacks. It’s important to be aware of these to ensure you use them safely.

1. Overuse and injury risk: Wearing a weighted vest for extended periods, especially during high-impact activities, can increase the risk of injury or joint strain, particularly on the knees, hips, and lower back.
2. Discomfort: If the vest doesn’t fit properly or is too heavy, it can lead to discomfort or even poor posture during exercises, which could negatively impact your performance and increase injury risk.
3. Improper form: Adding weight can affect your form. If your posture or technique is compromised, the vest could exacerbate the issue and lead to injury.

Choosing the right vest and using it safely is crucial to getting the most out of your resistance training. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Fit: The vest should be snug but not overly tight. It should stay in place without bouncing or restricting your breathing.
2. Starting weight: If you’re new to weighted vest training, begin with a vest weighing 5-10% of your body weight. This allows you to get used to the added resistance. As your strength and endurance grow, you can slowly increase the weight. It’s important to progress gradually to avoid overloading your body.
3. Focus on form: Before adding weight, ensure that your form is solid during exercises. Poor form can lead to injury, and the added resistance may only worsen it.

Now that you understand the benefits and safety guidelines, it’s time to dive into some exercises you can incorporate into your workout routine.

Strength exercises:

1. Weighted Squats: Adding weight during Squats targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Make sure to keep your chest lifted and your knees aligned with your toes.
2. Weighted Pushups: With a weighted vest, Pushups become more challenging, engaging your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Perform them with control and keep your body in a straight line.
3. Weighted Pullups: Weighted Pullups are an effective way to build upper body strength and power. It’ll also help boost your bodyweight Pullup endurance and break through performance plateaus.

Cardiovascular exercises:

1. Running or walking with a vest: Adding a weighted vest to your running or walking routine increases the intensity, helping to improve cardiovascular endurance. Start with a lighter vest and gradually increase the weight.³
2. Rucking: Walking with a weighted vest (or a pack) builds strength and endurance, particularly for the legs and core. Aim for a steady pace, especially when starting.
3. HIIT with a weighted vest: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with a weighted vest increases calorie burn and strengthens muscles. Incorporate exercises like Squat Jumps, Burpees, and Mountain Climbers with added resistance, if you feel ready to go one step further from bodyweight.

Weighted vests are an excellent way to take your fitness routine to the next level. They offer a range of benefits, including muscle building, improved cardiovascular fitness, fat loss, and even mental toughness.

If you’re ready for a new challenge and want to see improvement in both strength and endurance, consider adding a weighted vest to your routine.