All types of athletes use weight vests to enhance their workouts. Vests include weights that athletes can increase or decrease to help them build strength and endurance. They are also used by walkers to help burn calories. Sporting goods stores and specialty retailers sell many types of weight vests with high-tech materials and a wide range of sizes and features.
Calorie Burning
Vests help to concentrate your weight in the upper body and chest during training. They work your abdominals and help you burn calories. Regarding endurance activities, a study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology showed that vests increased the metabolism of cross-country skiers and distance runners. Another study by the University of Iowa found that vests helped increase the calories burned by walkers using the apparel.
Strength Training and Bone Density Effects
Vests are also used in strength training and aerobic activities. Fire departments use weighted vests for training and testing. Law enforcement and security forces use weight vests in stark conditions during tactical training. Weighted vests are also used to help people with osteoporosis to support the back, strengthen bone density and prevent further bone loss.
Durability and Features
Vests are made of durable man-made materials such as heavy-duty nylon fabrics. Features on vests include webbing, pockets, flaps and fasteners. Padding is included in the shoulders and torso and reinforcements in stress areas. The length of vests varies -- some are short vests which usually have a smaller weight amount and cover half of the torso. Longer vests cover more of the body and include heavier weights.
Adjustability
Vests come in different weights for different activities or body resistance. Men's vests start at 25 lbs. and can go up to 75 lbs. Women have smaller frames than men and their vest sizes are smaller, with weight vest starting at 15 lbs. Weights can be changed out to increase or decrease the weight giving you flexibility during workouts and for adjusting to different activities.
Long Lifespan
Many vests come with lifetime warranties. The wear and tear depends on the activity and the type of material the vest is made of. Make sure to check the warranty of any vest you purchase and ask the salesperson if the manufacturer has a trade-in program.
Affordability
Weight vests are comparable in price to other performance wear. Online retailers and sporting goods stores sell vests and if you comparison shop for the type of vest you want you can minimize the costs you pay. As of October 2010, basic vests cost under $100. However high-end vests can cost as much as several hundred dollars.
References
- PubMed.gov: Metabolic Response of Endurance Athletes to Training with Added Load
- New York Times: Rapid Weight Gain (but Don't Worry)
- American College of Sports Medicine: Post-menopausal Women and Exercise for Prevention of Osteoporosis
- The Journals of Gerontology: Long-term Exercise Using Weighted Vests Prevents Hip Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women
- University of Washington: Strength training for distance runners
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