Weighted vests are used by recreational exercisers and athletes during workouts. There are many models available from a variety of manufacturers. Weighted vests are made of tough fabric and secured using either Velcro or by zippers. The weight of the vest is adjusted by adding or removing weight plates.
About Weighted Vests
Many styles of weighted vests are available, including long vests that cover your entire upper body and short vests that only cover your chest. They vary in price, depending on the carrying capacity of the vest, the amount of weight provided with the vest and the durability of the material used in manufacture. There are a number of purposes for wearing a weighted vest.
Increasing Strength
Body weight exercises such as chin-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats are more demanding when wearing a weighted vest. This can result in increased strength. Many traditional body weight exercises normally performed for endurance become strength exercises if you wear a heavy enough weighted vest.
Increasing Power
Wearing a weighted vest when running, jumping or playing sports can help develop your muscular power. Power--your ability to generate force quickly--is important in most sports. By wearing a weighted vest during basketball training, for example, you increase the height of your vertical jump when you perform the same movements without your vest on.
Increasing Calorie Burning
By effectively increasing your body weight, wearing a weighted vest while you perform your cardio increases the number of calories you burn. In addition, you can wear a weighted vest while performing everyday activities such as washing your car, walking or performing chores. This increases your daily energy expenditure and promotes weight loss.
Increasing Aerobic Fitness
In addition to increasing the calorie-burning effect of cardio, wearing a weighted vest while walking, jogging, running or cycling increases your body's demand for oxygen. Your body responds by strengthening your heart, lungs and circulatory system. This increase in fitness is especially noticeable when you perform similar exercises without wearing your vest, which should feel significantly easier.
Increasing Bone Mass
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, weight-bearing exercise increases bone mass. This is a vital part of reducing your risk of suffering from osteoporosis--a condition of weakened bones. Your bones respond to the increased stress placed through them by putting down more bone, which augments and strengthens your skeleton. This makes it less prone to fracture.
References
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- "Designing Resistance Training Programmes"; Steven Fleck and William Kraemer; 2003
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