Weighing in on weighted vests
Yay or nay?
Many of our clients at Devilfish Athletics have been asking about whether or not they should add a weighted vest to their walks. Now that they’ve mentioned it, I’ve been seeing these vests everywhere! It seems like one out of every 5 people on the streets of Brooklyn is wearing one.
So, should you wear a weighted vest? As usual, it depends. Let’s break down the pros and cons.
Contemplating wearing a weighted vest…
Who/what they’re good for:
Increasing your heart rate without necessarily walking faster or on an incline.Like using heavier weights in strength training, a vest raises your heart rate by increasing effort and making you less efficient.
Those who have built up a training foundation. If you’re brand new to training or still within your first 3 months of activity after taking time off, you may want to spend more time building up your base.
You want to add more to your training without the impact of running/jogging. If running is tough on your joints, a vest can add intensity without the same impact.
You need something to shift your focus into “training mode.” Going for a brisk or long walk can easily turn into running errands or scrolling your phone. It’s also uncomfortable to go grocery shopping with an extra 15 pounds strapped to your chest! A weighted vest can help shift, and keep, your focus on what you set out to do.
Things to consider (cons):
If you have any back, neck, shoulder, or postural issues, there are a few things to think about before putting one on. Since the weighted vest sits on your shoulders, it does place compressive forces on your spine and put pressure on your shoulders and neck. If you have postural issues that cause pain, a weighted vest can make it harder to maintain “good” posture, especially when you’re fatigued.
If you have hip, knee, or ankle injuries, you may want to start with a light vest and short distances. This will allow you to see how it feels before increasing your workload. Just like good strength training practices, you want to start slowly and build gradually. Remember to only increase one thing at a time—like weight ordistance, but not both.
If you have breathing difficulties, a weighted vest will place extra pressure on your chest and ribcage. This may make breathing more difficult and/or uncomfortable, especially as you become fatigued.
Here are a few tips if you decide to give this a try:
Your weight vest should be no more than 10% of your bodyweight.
You could also try a backpack with weights/load in it instead. This is called rucking and while similar to wearing a weighted vest it positions the load differently. This can make breathing and maintaining your posture easier, depending on the person.
Start with shorter walks than whatever you normally do to let your body adapt.
Should you run/jog with a weighted vest?
The short answer is no. Running is already a high-impact activity. We place 4.5-7.6 times our body weight into our knee joints when we land. Adding extra load to this impact can increase your risk of injury. Instead, try loading your lower body via single-leg exercises like lunges and split squats. This is a great way to build strength in a more controlled environment with less repetitive impact.
Split squats for the win.
Have you tried one of these vests? Are you considering using one? Have you found a brand that you like? Feel free to reach out and tell me more!