Are the weighted vest health benefits worth the investment?
Weighted vest health benefits can help boost the efficiency of our workouts, as well as increase the amount of challenge found within each activity. As a versatile addition to our daily routine, let’s check out the various benefits of a weighted vest, along with a number of exercises that we can implement.
For those who do not know, a weighted vest resembles a fishing or tactical vest and usually has pockets where weights can be added or removed. The weight of the vest varies, although it usually falls within the range of 12 to 150 pounds. As opposed to just placing weight in a bag on our back, weighted vests uniformly distribute resistance across our torso.
There are several advantages to wearing weighted vests when working out. According to one study, those who wore a vest that added 10% of their body weight burnt a lot more calories than those who wore no weight at all or just 5% of their body weight. Another study discovered that runners’ blood lactate thresholds were raised by weighted vest training. This indicates that before becoming fatigued, individuals could endure quicker speeds for longer periods of time.
Weighted vest health benefits have also been found in strength training practices. Performance has been shown to improve when doing bench press and weighted vest pushups. Additionally, studies have shown that adding weight to resistance training and explosive workouts like the power clean improves results.
Weighted vests can also increase strength in both younger and older people. Additionally, it has been suggested that people with osteopenia use these vests as training tools to increase bone mineral density and lower their risk of fractures.
The three most common styles of weighted vests include the shoulder holster, the tactical, and the torso-cover. Vests in the shoulder-holster type typically fit like hydration packs with a front buckle, distributing the weight along the straps and upper back. Tactical vests resemble body armor worn by the military. Usually, they use steel plates that fit into the vest’s front and rear slots. Vests that cover our chest, or torso-covering vests, are usually fastened with velcro straps.
Make sure to select the vest you’re most comfortable with prior to working out. We hope that you can take full advantage of the weighted vest health benefits out there!