To make fitness gains, it's important to keep challenging your body to grow and adapt. If you do the same workout all the time, your body becomes more efficient at performing the movements, and you stop seeing results.
One way to force your body to work harder is to wear a weighted vest. Our adjustable weighted vests are vests you wrap around your torso that add anywhere from 12 to 20 pounds to your weight. Our adjustable weight vest gives you the option of placing weight into pockets stitched to the inside the vest. Weighted vests can be used to make both resistance training and cardio more challenging.
Wearing a Weight Vest During Cardiovascular Training
Walking or running while wearing a weight vest increases endurance and boosts the number of calories burned. This isnt surprising since the body is forced to work harder to carry the extra weight. It can even improve your running speed.
In one small study, athletes who wore a weight vest that weighed the equivalent of 10% of their body weight activated more fast-twitch muscle fibers. The athletes wore the weight vests for 6 weeks during routine activities and during some of their workouts. The results? The runners boosted their running speed and power.
Another Texas Tech study showed that runners who wore a weighted vest increased their running speed and boosted their endurance by 25%.
Walkers benefit too. According to a 2006 study carried out at the University of Iowa, wearing a weight vest while walking boosts calorie burn by about 7%. Who doesnt want a little extra calorie burn?
Weight Vests for Resistance Training
Weight vests can also add a new dimension to weight training. In one study, participants who wore a weight vest during resistance training performed better in the vertical jump and 40-yard dash than those who did resistance training without a vest. When you're wearing a weight vest, your muscles have to work harder, which increases muscle strength and power.
Put a Weight Vest to Work for You
If you do body weight exercises like pull-ups and push-ups, strap on a body weight vest to add more resistance and up the calorie burn. The additional challenge will help you break out of a plateau and start making gains again. It also adds variety to a workout that may have grown stale.
If you're on vacation, and dont have access to a gym, put on a weight vest and do a series of push-ups and squats wearing a weight vest to get a whole body workout without weights.
Wear a Weight Vest around the House
Weight vests arent just for formal exercise, wear one around the house when you're cleaning, gardening, shopping or doing other activities. The extra weight helps to preserve bone mass and prevent osteoporosis. The extra weight also increases the number of calories burned for a given activity.
The Bottom Line?
Strapping on a weight vest can help you get more out of a workout and burn more calories while you're doing your every day activities. It's also a good way to boost bone health and add variety to your routine. Use it around the house, and wear it while you're working out a few times a week.
References:
Runners World Magazine. November 1993. Running with a Weight Vest Can Improve Your Speed
New York Times. Rapid Weight Gain (but Dont Worry)
