People who already feel like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders may be dismayed to see the reemergence of wearing weighted vests as a fitness phenomenon.
"There is definitely a use" for weighted vests, said Dan Shapiro, a personal trainer at AFC in Bala Cynwyd. "And like any tool, if you use it correctly, it can be incredibly helpful."
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The concept of adding more weight to improve workouts is not new. Soldiers have been beasts of burden for centuries. Some people who are training for long hiking trips or to climb mountains wear backpacks or weighted vests on treadmills and walks. But lately ordinary folks are strapping into weighted vests to make their workouts more intense.
The basics of weighted vests
Weighted vests increase body weight, which in turn increases the stimulus on muscles, Shapiro said.
"You're telling your central nervous system you need to recruit more muscle fibers," Shapiro said. "You need to grow the muscle. You're tearing the muscle apart, and it has to rebuild later. It's doing all that."
A wide variety of weighted vests are on the market. Some have the weight sewn in. Others have pockets that let people add or remove weights.
Aim for a form-fitting vest that doesn't bounce around, Shapiro said.
"You don't want one that's too bulky," he said. "You want it to be more of a slim fitting one that actually doesn't get in your way if you're trying to do a pull up. Or if you're trying to walk, you don't want it to bump into your elbow as you're swinging an arm. You don't want it to be so tight or so rigid that it's digging into you. You want one that feels pretty comfortable, that you can wear for a while."
Weighted vests are most effective when walking or doing calisthenic exercises, such as pull-ups, push-ups and situps. People can progressively add more weight over time, Shapiro said.
What the research shows
Studies have shown weighted vests can boost the intensity of resistance workouts and increase heart rate and oxygen use – signs that the body is working harder than it would without the added weight.
But research about weighted vests and weight loss is mixed. A 2012 study found that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who wore weighted vests while exercising lost more fat and gained more muscle than whose who did not wear the vests. But a 2018 study showed obese adults who wore weighted vests did not experience greater weight loss.
Research into the impact of weighted vests on bone density and bone health is indeterminate at this point. The 2018 study found no clear effect of weighted vests on preventing bone density loss during rapid weight loss in people with obesity. Another study about weighted vests and bone density is currently underway.
Precautions for exercising with a weighted vest
Consult a health care practitioner before using a weighted vest.
People who are out of shape or just beginning an exercise routine should start with vests that weigh less than 10% of their body weight. A fit person can start with a vest that is 10% of their body weight. That means someone who weighs 130 pounds should wear a vest of no more than 13 pounds, Shapiro said.
People should avoid wearing weighted vests during high impact, high force activities, such as running, because doing so can lead to shin splits, bone injuries and other problems, Shapiro said.
Also, people should not use weighted vests while swimming, because of the increased risk of drowning, Shapiro said.
"My older brother had a coach that was training for the Navy SEALs and would swim in a weight vest," Shapiro said. "He could do it. I wouldn't recommend other people doing that."
