If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to wear a heavy piece of clothing designed to improve your strength and fitness levels, you’ve come to the right place.
Why?
In today’s article, we’re looking at weighted vest benefits.
To be exact, we’ll look at why weighted vests are so awesome, as we’ll be listing several awesome weighted vest benefits while walking or working out.
We know that getting in shape is tough, and we know that if you’re serious about it, you’ll have to bust your behind in the gym and really put in the hard work to achieve your fitness goals.
Having access to the latest gym equipment and fitness accessories certainly helps, which is why it’s so important to utilize all tools at your disposal.
Over the years, the fitness industry has seen a number of different products developed, some good, some not so good, and some game-changing.
Weighted vests have withstood the test of time and have proved themselves to be hugely beneficial in the fitness community, which is what we’re going to be looking at today.
If you’re looking to learn more about them, here’s a look at several awesome benefits.
What Are The Weighted Vest Benefits?
Now that you know more about what weighted vests are, let us now take a look at some of the main benefits.
These benefits include, but are not limited to:
1. Increased Strength
One of the main benefits is the fact that it helps to promote increases in strength and power.
Because of the fact that weighted vests are so heavy, the more you wear them when working out, the more your strength levels will increase.
If you imagine doing pull-ups with 50-pounds of added resistance, once you master those, taking the weighted vest off and doing pull-ups without the vest will be a piece of cake.
2. Run Faster
Another awesome benefit that we need to look at today is the fact that they enable you to run faster.
Again, if you imagine trying to run as fast as you can while wearing a heavy weighted vest, the more you do it and condition your body to run with this added weight, the faster you will become over time.
When you take the weighted vest off and try running, you’ll find that your overall levels of speed have increased dramatically and you’ll be able to run much faster as a result.
3. Burn More Calories
One of the biggest benefits you could wish for is the fact that wearing a weighted vest will enable you to burn considerably more calories than usual. I've discussed that in this particular article about weighted vests for walking.
If you’re wearing a weighted vest while working out, your body is obviously going to have to work harder to complete each exercise, which means that the harder it works, the more calories you will burn off and the more weight you will lose.
Weighted vests add resistance to even the most basic of exercises and consequently, you’ll find that they help your body to burn off more calories while exercising.
4. Good For Posture
Another key reason to consider wearing a weighted vest while working out is the fact that weighted vests have been found to be great for your posture.
Because weighted vests help to strengthen your back and your core, you’ll find that the more you wear them, the better your posture will become.
Poor posture can lead to a loss of height, pain in the neck, back pain, slouching, shoulder issues, and a whole lot more besides.
If you want to improve your posture relatively easily, simply go ahead and wear a weighted vest a few times each week when working out.
5. Something Different When Training
If you’re fed up with going through the same monotonous weight training workouts week in and week out, month after month, and feel as if you’re losing the will to live, it’s probably time for you to switch up your training routine.
When training, a change is as good as a rest which is why you should consider using weighted vests when training.
Weighted vests are unique and so you’ll likely not have used them before, and as a result, they will help to mix things up in the gym or when working out so you’ll be less likely to grow bored and lose interest.
6. Weighted Vests Are Affordable
We understand that, at the moment, times are tough, and consequently, not all of us have disposable income or can afford luxuries such as expensive gym memberships or pricey pieces of gym kit.
The good news regarding weighted vests, though, is the fact that weighted vests are very affordable and so as a result you can purchase one without breaking the bank.
Considering the weight and, indeed, the overall quality of these products, weighted vests can be purchased readily for very affordable prices.
7. Weight Vests Can Be Used Anywhere
Another brilliant benefit is the fact that they can be used anywhere.
Some pieces of kit can only be used in the gym, but weighted vests do not fit these criteria.
Weighted vests are portable and so they can be worn anywhere pretty much, at any time.
Whether you’re going through a calisthenics workout in your living room at home, or are simply wearing one while running in the morning through the local park, weighted vests are pieces of kit that are designed to be worn in and out of the gym.
8. Weighted Vests Are Easy To Use
When it comes to benefits, another awesome reason to consider adding one to your repertoire of gym gear is simply the fact that they’re so easy to use.
Basically, you just put the vest on, ensure it’s secure, and go about your workout as usual.
If you can exercise and if you can put a vest on, you can use a weighted vest, so what could be simpler than that?
9. Increase Or Reduce Resistance Manually
Another fantastic reason to consider wearing a weighted vest is simply due to the fact that weighted vests can be made heavier or lighter.
The vests are designed so that the user can increase weight, or take it away, to make exercises and workouts easier or harder.
If for example, you find that you can easily do pull-ups with 20 pounds of weight added to your vest, why not add another 20 pounds of weight and see how you get on?
If it still feels easy, gradually increase the weight until it begins to test you.
Remember, if it does feel too heavy or if the exercise or workout is too hard, you can just take some weight out and reduce the resistance that way.
10. Suitable For People Of All Abilities
Another fantastic reason for you to consider using a weighted vest is simply due to the fact that they’re suitable for people of all abilities.
Weighted vests are ideal because, whether you’ve been working out for decades, or have recently started a new health kick and healthy regime, weighted vests can be utilized and used to improve your workouts.
If you are an experienced individual with decades of training under your belt and the fitness and strength to match, simply throw on a weighted vest and add some extra weight in there to really take your training up a level.
If you’re inexperienced, just the vest weight itself may be sufficient.
11. Weighted Vests Can Prevent Injuries
Another of the many benefits which we need to talk about today is the fact that weighted vests can help to prevent injuries.
By wearing a weighted vest, you are training your body to be able to exercise with added weight and resistance, which in turn will help strengthen your bones, muscles, and joints and leave them far less susceptible to injury.
12. Weighted Vests Will Improve Your Fitness Levels
If you’re looking to increase your overall levels of fitness, a weighted vest is ideal.
Weighted vests help to increase your aerobic capacity, they’ll allow you to exercise for longer durations before you begin to feel tired, and they’ll increase your VO2 max levels.
This means they’ll allow you to use more oxygen when exercising.
There’s a reason why endurance athletes often train with weighted vests, and that reason is simply due to the fact that the vests will help people to become fitter and enjoy more stamina and endurance.
13. Weighted Vests Look Pretty Cool
Want to look like a special forces commando or SWAT team member without, you know, actually being at risk of being shot?
If so, weighted vests are worth considering.
These awesome little contraptions look just like the tactical vests special forces and SWAT team members wear so at least you can look cool while working out.
As an added bonus, because they look so cool they’re also a great talking point in the gym so people will talk to you about them and ask about them, which is a great way to break the ice.
14. Add Something Different To Your Workouts
Another great reason to consider investing in a weighted vest is the fact that weighted vests can be used to add something unique to your workouts.
Weighted vests are ideal because you can use them as part of a bodybuilding workout, when circuit training, when doing CrossFit, or when simply going for a jog around the local park.
Weighted vests can be used in a variety of different workouts and so they will offer something completely new and unique.
Not only does this keep training fresh, but it also offers you more gains too.
You can even wear weighted vests while riding a bike or when swimming.
15. Cardiovascular Benefits
As far as benefits go, another awesome benefit of weighted vests is the fact that they’re so beneficial for the heart.
Wearing a weighted vest when exercising will help to strengthen the heart, it will help to lower blood pressure, will reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and will reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular illness or disease.
When you consider the fact that heart disease claims more lives each year than any other illness or disease, you now get a better idea of why weighted vests are deemed so beneficial.
16. Increase Muscle Mass
Wearing a weighted vest basically adds resistance to every workout and exercise you do.
The more resistance you add, the more your muscles are worked and the more the muscles are worked the more muscle mass you will build.
What Are Weighted Vests?
Weighted vests are basically specially designed vests with weights built-in, that are designed to be worn to add resistance to the wearer while they work out.
Weighted vests can also be made heavier or lighter as weights can be added or removed when necessary.
These vests look pretty cool, too, as they are designed to resemble tactical vests like you see SWAT teams or members of the special forces wearing.
The basic premise of them, though, is that they make the wearer of the vest heavier and so various exercises they perform are made tougher, and so they work harder and their muscles respond more favorably as a result.
The Final Word On Weighted Vests:
Okay, so we’ve learned more about weighted vests, and we’ve looked at what makes them so great, so are the weighted vest benefits while walking or working out we’ve covered today really worth it?
Absolutely.
Weighted vests are affordable, easy to use, very scalable, and user-friendly, and above all else, they do exactly what they’re designed to do.
FAQs About Weighted Vest:
Are Weighted Vests Good For You?
Yes, weighted vests are great for anyone who wants to lose weight faster. They work by making your body burn more calories than normal while you're working out. This means that even though you may not feel like you're working out at all, you'll still be burning more calories than usual.
Do Weighted Vests Work?
Yes, If you're looking to lose weight, then these vests are perfect for you. They will help you burn calories faster than if you were just doing cardio exercises. This means that you'll be able to shed those extra pounds much quicker.
How Should My Weighted Vest Weigh?
The average weight of a human male is around 180 pounds (81 kg) and that of a female is about 160 pounds (72 kg). So if your goal is to lose weight, then you need to know how much your body weighs before you start losing weight. You can use this formula to calculate how much you should wear your weighted vest:
Weight 0.45 x Height + 0.55 x Weight
For example, if you are 5'10” tall and weigh 150 pounds, then you would wear a weighted vest weighing 45 pounds. If you want to lose 10 pounds, then you would have to wear a weighted vest weighing 55 pounds.
What Does A Weighted Vest Do?
A weighted vest is a device that helps people who are overweight lose weight. Weighted vests work by adding extra weight to your body. This makes it harder for you to move around and eat. Over time, this can help you to burn calories and lose weight.
