The basic purpose of a weight vest is to add resistance to an exercise, particularly body weight exercises such as pullups or running. You may well wonder if wearing a vest while exercising is really better for you than doing your ordinary workouts, especially since many weight vests can cost $50 to $100 each as of 2011. While weight vests do offer some benefits, they are not absolutely necessary, especially for inexperienced exercisers.
Vests vs. Ankle/Wrist Weights
Several options are available to those who wish to make their workout more challenging by adding additional weight. Ankle weights, wrist weights, and weighted vests are such options. Although some people have experienced positive results from the use of ankle and wrist weights, they also put themselves at a somewhat elevated risk of injury due to the awkward strain on their joints. Weighted vests do not pose this risk to the same degree because their added weight is dispersed evenly over the torso. For that reason, if you choose to try added resistance training, vests are a less risky option than ankle or wrist weights.
Weight Vest Cons
Even high quality weight vests are rather uncomfortable, particularly in hot weather or once you have built up a good sweat. Additionally, the more extra body weight a person carries, the higher the potential for injuries while exercising -- particularly to the joints. Wearing a weight vest for an extended period of time can risk joint injury, even if the risk is not as high as with wrist or ankle weights.
Weight Vest Pros
Your body may eventually adapt to ordinary cardio exercises including running, biking and box jumps. Performing these exercises while wearing a weight vest can provide a significant boost to your heart rate and lung capacity. Weight vests can also be beneficial for resistance exercises like lunges and pullups because they allow you to concentrate on proper form throughout the exercise rather than on holding a weight steady.
Also, some exercises -- such as pullups -- work well when performed as a negative while wearing a weight vest. For example, when wearing the vest, jump into a pullup position with your chin above the bar, then slowly lower yourself, fighting the weight's pull on your body. This type of exercise can be tremendously beneficial for your grip strength and overall muscle endurance.
Conclusion
If you are accustomed to pushing yourself as hard as possible in your ordinary workouts and conditioning routines, using weight vests periodically can help increase your performance, as long as you are cautious not to overuse them to the degree that they cause joint pain and injury. Serious athletes and competitors are particularly likely to use weight vests as part of their conditioning routines. If you are relatively new to working out, however, you will likely be better served by concentrating on performing your normal workout routines without a vest, because you can easily make these exercises more challenging simply by adding reps or distance.
References
- Coachr.org: The Pros And Cons Of Using Resisted And Assisted Training Methods With High School Sprinters; Ken Jakalski
- MayoClinic.org: Mayo Clinic Studies 'Squeaky' Hips, Joint Problems of Superobese, Shoulder Relief for Young and Arthritic; Feb. 2009
- Bodybuilding.com: Xvest; Coach Davies
- FitDay: 5 Exercises with a Weighted Vest
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