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,a weighted vest It’s a ridiculous concept for people who have too much time.”
That’s what I thought before wearing it for the first time last month. Most of the people I saw using these were celebrities, like singer Olivia Rodrigo and actor Bradley Cooper, etc. Cynthia Erivo, food Network host guy fieri says a Helped her lose 30 pounds,
As a slow runner and semi-frequent gym goer who’s in no particular hurry and remains in relatively fine shape, the idea of adding any kind of obstacle to my already tough workout sounds, frankly, like hell.
What can a weighted vest do for me that I can’t do on my own in the gym? Well, a lot, as it turns out.
I feel stronger and run faster than I thought I could while wearing it. I also got more benefits from my gym sessions. But was that sentiment supported by science? The experts told me it was.
“Weighted vests are a low-tech and portable way to add resistance to everyday activities, such as walking, in the form of external weights,” said Dr. Kristen Beavers, an associate professor at Wake Forest University who has studied weighted vests. Independent,
“In that sense, I think the biggest value-add to the vest is that you don’t have to go to a gym to use it, which really lends itself to accessibility and scalability.”
Dr. Roger Fielding of Tufts University School of Medicine said adding body mass requires a higher heart rate and more oxygen use, making you work harder without adding weight.
“It won’t be double, or, you know, or, you know, 50 percent more, but it will be more in proportion to the amount of weight that you’re carrying,” he said.
Historically it was used to train soldiersVests rose in popularity in the early 2020s as people turned to at-home workout equipment during the height of the pandemic.
a market report The weighted vest market size is estimated to be $205 million in 2024, and is expected to grow to $350 million by 2033.
You get what you pay for
There are plenty of weighted vest options to choose from, ranging in price from $15 to over $300. The most expensive ones look nicer, with better colors, and conform to the body shape, wrapping around the entire upper body like a button-down vest.
These vests were also adjustable, with the ability to clip on excess weight. And, vest-makers promise big results, including more benefits from workouts – burning more calories, building more muscle and improving athletic performance.
But, even the least expensive vest had good marks. Although most simply had weighted backpack straps with buckles on the chest, many had pockets to allow hands to move freely and exercise, and reflective stripes to keep the wearer safe in the dark. Less expensive options also came in a wide range of weights, from five to 30 pounds.
All options, both expensive and less expensive, were designed to reduce friction. Many were made of soft and flexible neoprene, the same fabric used to make wetsuits.
I’m six foot tall and have a strong body, so I decided to get something in the middle of the range. I chose a 12 pound vest priced at $23.99.
twist and turn
When it arrived in the mail, it felt like it had lead in it, and I couldn’t believe I was going to put this thing on my back.
Once I put my arms into the strap and adjusted the buckles around my chest, it felt like someone was leaning on my shoulders, but the vest wasn’t pressing down too hard.
I found that I could still go through the full range of motion, rotation and walking with relative ease. Sitting was a little difficult, as I was trying to get used to the extra weight on my aging runner’s knees.
The iron beads on the inside of the straps made them more comfortable, but they also tended to slip off as I bent forward to empty the washing machine, at times when I wore it while doing chores around the house.
I wore the vest for about an hour that night and didn’t feel any discomfort. Running and working out wearing a vest was the next challenge.
I started the gym on October 31st, walked on the treadmill for 10 minutes. By the end, I was desperate to break it but that was more due to the strangeness of the sensation than it being too heavy or uncomfortable.
Next was the weight. I did my regular routine a little slower, switching from arms and chest to squats and deadlifts. I attempted an ab exercise where I also held my body weight and raised my legs, but I could only do a few repetitions before I had to stop. Without the vest, I could often do 40 to 50 reps.
By the end of the workout I definitely felt more tired, but no pain.
A few days later my Peloton bike ride was still a workout, but not as hard as a full-body workout at the gym.
But, the real test was going to last much longer.
It was Halloween night and incredibly windy, but I planned to do at least 5K. Some trails in Manhattan can already feel like wind tunnels so it’s often like resistance training even without a weighted vest. Running a mile at 9 minutes-30 seconds, I definitely felt the weight with each step. But despite the strong wind, I had no real trouble running a total of 4.5 miles.
not black and white
I wore the vest 12 times over a month — four times while running, five times at the gym, and three times on Peloton, hoping to see what it could do during each exercise.
After training wearing the vest, I felt lighter on my legs and felt like I had gotten more benefit from the workout than without it.
I also noticed that after taking off the vest my core would naturally be a little more active than usual.
Another big change I noticed from the weighted vest was in my posture. When I was walking around wearing the vest, I felt that my shoulders were pulled back.
“Posture and core stability improve as your body works harder to stay aligned. Increases in bone density are possible, but less than with weight lifting,” said Dr. Sarah Harangody, Northwestern Medicine orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist.
but while some experts Having said that the vest can help open up the chest of older adults and improve core stability and bone strength, other people I spoke to were divided on the vest’s capabilities and effectiveness.
Naturopathic doctor Dr. Brooke Kalanick explains that for women, the risk of negative posture changes is higher IndependentThis is because many women have “swayback” – when the stomach sticks out and the head is forward – and a weak core,
“When we’re putting a lot of stress on their shoulders and their neck, it can’t be good for that woman,” she explained. “Because if they’re not able to even lift their weight properly and you put some more weight on it and you’re going to increase the curve in the lower back and there will be this kind of strain.”
When it comes to building the core, Fielding said vests are not a substitute for progressive resistance or weight training.
“It probably puts some stress on your core and lower extremities, but not to the extent that you feel when doing calisthenics or weight training or things like that,” he said.
UNC Health orthopedist Dr. Michael Seifert told Independent that one Study There was no effect on how muscles and joints move during walking and running, “which is related to core stability.” But, one more “short, short study There was some improvement in body composition.”
“With regard to bone health, there are Some? studies This suggests it may improve bone density,” he said.
All of the experts I spoke to warned that doing exercises incorrectly and wearing a weighted vest could have adverse effects on your health.
Number one mistake? Too much weight, too fast, can cause injury.
“Common mistakes are overloading, poor fit and overuse,” Harangody said. “Risks may include back pain and joint strain.”
“I can imagine some rare scenarios where a person with shoulder, neck or lower back problems could suffer mild harm from the use of a weighted vest,” Seifert said. “However, I think it’s probably not very common.”
weighty decision
To get it right, people should talk to their doctors to determine what the right vest might be for them — or whether they should use them at all.
People with lower back pain or joint instability should proceed with caution University Hospital,
It’s recommended by most fitness experts, regardless of age or other factors, to start slow and slow – as I did.
According to Beavers and Harangody, a comfortably fitting vest that distributes weight smoothly is also important.
It’s also a good idea to try the vest for a short period at first, and get used to it.
“If one of your goals is that this is a way to increase the loading on your bones, your skeleton, then probably longer is better because we know that loading force on bone – it takes a long time to cause changes in bone mineral density,” Fielding said. “So, it might be better to think about wearing it more often.”
He adds, “For other scenarios, like for muscle mass and strength and endurance, maybe while you’re working out.”
Many other doctors have suggested that people should start wearing vests 5 percent of their body weight, And increase gradually.
However, this may mean that you will need to purchase more than one vest.
While the science is still unclear about the benefits of vests overall, listen to your body Best advice.
“If someone enjoys exercising more with a weight vest, and it causes them to exercise more than they otherwise would, I would not discourage the use of a weight vest,” Seifert said. “In almost any case, any exercise is better than no exercise!”