The Benefits of Working Out with a Weighted Vest

You've probably heard about a weighted vest at least once. In this article, we'll tell you all that you need to know about this accessory that stimulates the intensity of your workouts. 
The Benefits of Working Out with a Weighted Vest

Last update: 15 January, 2019

A weighted vest is an accessory destined to optimize your training. In fact, it allows you to add additional weight, with the aim of giving your body a greater level of resistance

Certainly, this is an alternative that takes you to the next level, since it’s designed to help you overcome your limits and therefore, achieve better results.

Similarly, weighted vests are beneficial to complete your workouts and help you get the results you want. Among its benefits, there’s the fact that it allows you to increase your strength and endurance, besides helping you burn more calories

Although it’s true that you can enjoy all these advantages without a weighted vest, using it will guarantee that you’ll reach a superior level when it comes to your physical shape. It increases the difficulty of the exercises enough to give you unbelievable results. 

Weighted vests in sports.

Using the weighted vest for your outdoor workouts

You may use weighted vests to complete several phases of your training. But, it’s important that you use it at the right time. This means that you must be careful and build a solid foundation that allows you to use the vest without difficulty while trying.

When it comes to cardio, we recommend that if you’re out of breath, you should use it later on in your fitness journey. However, you should know that you can actually use it, for example, in your running sessions or when you ride a bike, which will benefit your body just as well. 

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

-Jim Ryun-

If you’re a beginner, you’ll probably feel more comfortable wearing a vest to fit your size. But, if you change your workouts every day, and you intend to gain strength and endurance, you’ll probably need an adjustable vest. Don’t forget that it all comes down to your own personal goals. 

No one can deny that the use of the weighted vest is a chance to expand the reach of your potential when it comes to your physical aptitude goals. Therefore, here we will tell you about the main benefits of weighted vests:

What are the benefits of using a weighted vest?

1. Stronger bones

Firstly, you must consider that the additional weight of the vest makes your body accept that it must strengthen in order to carry what it believes is your musculoskeletal system. As a consequence, you’ll have stronger and denser bones.

2. Increased strength and more muscle mass

The weight, the stress, and the resistance that the weighted vest provides will increase your strength and tone the muscles. The main reason for this increment is that the extra weight is something the body must get used to.

Similarly, when your body is accustomed to the stress, it becomes stronger and bigger. This encourages muscular failure, and muscles finally recover bigger and more toned.  Therefore, the weighted vest will force your muscles to grow and strengthen due to natural adaptation.

Training with a weighted vest.

3. Improved cardiovascular health and lung capacity

Weighted vests work by not letting the user become accustomed to the same continuous responses in certain exercises and routines.

When you do the same workout, with and without the vest, your body will constantly try to understand the tension it is being submitted to, and it will be hard for it to adapt to training right away.

Certainly, this variation allows for your lung capacity to expand, due to the incorporation of resistance to your own weight. It will allow you to walk, run, ride a bike or jump for long periods of time before you reach exhaustion than if you hadn’t used the vest.

Finally, don’t forget that the weighted vest is ideal to train outdoors, due to its versatility and comfortable features. 

You must keep in mind though, that its use is not adequate for beginners, because you need to build a strong and solid base of strength first.

Once you’ve made progress at a level in which your workout doesn’t allow you to take as many breaks, or it doesn’t limit the number of repetitions or weight your working with, then maybe it’s time to buy your own weighted vest. The intensity of your workouts will never be the same!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.