Exercising with a weighted vest is becoming a popular workout for sport-specific and general fitness training for women. Wearing a weighted vest adds weight to your body, forcing your muscles to overcome this extra resistance with every movement. While the weighted vest is worn for training, the athletic benefits occur when your performance is measured without it. Basic fitness benefits include increased muscular strength and endurance.
Function
The use of weighted vests is based on the overload principle. In order for gains in strength and endurance to occur, your body must work at a load that is greater than normal. With any movement, your central nervous system believes that your weight has increased. Additional muscle fibers are recruited to overcome the additional resistance of the weighted vest.
Effects
While weight training targets specific muscle groups, the weighted vest distributes the extra resistance evenly throughout your body. As a result, strength gains occur in many muscle groups. Movements such as walking and jogging strengthen your lower body muscles. Your core, abdominal and lower back muscles contract to maintain proper posture while wearing the vest. Performing push-ups and pull-ups with the weighted vest increases upper body strength.
Features
A study performed at Texas Tech University featured the use of weighted vests for track and field athletes. When comparing vertical jump performances, the athletes using weight vests during plyometric, or power training, experienced a significant improvement in their vertical leap compared to athletes using different training methods. For athletic performance, the body trains harder to jump with the weighted vest. When the athlete performs without the weighted vest, performance improves because the same force is exerted with a lighter workload.
Types
Weighted vests are worn like a vest on your torso. The vest typically has a nylon covering with inserts to place cylindrical weights in the front and back to evenly distribute the weight. Velcro straps custom fit the vest to your body. Weight resistance capacity ranges from 10 to 100 lbs. Suggested starting weight is two percent of your body weight, working up to 10 percent.
Considerations
First time exercisers should consult a physician prior to starting a fitness program.
Initial training should occur without the weighted vest to build a strength foundation. When wearing the vest, start with a lighter weight for use with everyday activities to maintain proper posture and alignment before performing training activities. Postural deviations while wearing the vest may lead to injury.
References
- "Keep Moving! Fitness Through Aerobics And Step"; Esther Pryor, & Minda Goodman Kraines; 2000
- Vertical Jumping: Weight Vest Training
- Health & Fitness Advice: Weight Vest Training
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