Workout fads come and go, but weighted vests may be here to stay. The trend has gained momentum because it’s an easy way to add some intensity to a workout or even everyday tasks.
“Walking with a weighted vest can help you build more strength and endurance than walking alone can,” says Sharon Hame, MD, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at UCLA Health. “But you need to be careful and build up to it slowly to avoid injury.”
Benefits of walking with a weighted vest
Adding weight to a walking workout is nothing new. People have been carrying hand weights or strapping weights to their wrists or ankles for years. But a vest allows for more even distribution of weight, which can be safer and more comfortable.
There are many potential advantages to putting on a weighted vest before you head out for a walk. These can include:
- Burning more calories: Carrying extra weight helps your body burn more calories during your workout.
- Higher heart rate: Boosting the intensity of your walk makes your heart work harder and can more quickly improve your cardiovascular fitness.
- Improved posture: If you walk with your back straight and shoulders back, the weighted vest will increase strength in your back and upper body to help you maintain good posture.
- Increased strength: “Loading your joints with additional weight can help you build muscle strength and endurance,” says Dr. Hame. Walking with a weighted vest works your leg muscles, increasing strength in your lower extremities.
- Stronger core: Wearing a weighted vest also forces you to engage your core, building up those important stabilizing muscles.
There’s a lot of buzz around walking with a weighted vest to build bone density, but Dr. Hame cautions that the proof for that claim is still lacking. “Walking is a good activity for your bones, and intuitively, it seems that adding a weighted vest would increase those benefits,” she says. “But to what extent the extra weight improves bone density isn’t really known at this time.”
How heavy should a weighted vest be for walking?
When it comes to adding weight to your walk, it’s important not to get too ambitious too soon. The general recommendation is to start with a vest that’s about 5% of your body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, your vest should weigh no more than 7.5 pounds.
As you gain fitness, strength and endurance, you can gradually increase the amount of weight. That’s why Dr. Hame likes vests that come with adjustable weights. “You can slowly build up in small increments,” she suggests.
Another strategy is to keep the weight the same but increase the distance or intensity of your walk. You can do that by going longer, faster or walking uphill.
Strategies for using a weighted vest safely
The most important thing is to start slowly and build distance, weight and intensity gradually. Trying to do too much too soon with a too-heavy vest will greatly increase your risk of injury.
“Start by making sure you get a vest that fits you properly,” says Dr. Hame. “That helps ensure that the weight is evenly distributed on your body and the vest won’t shift around as you move.”
When you set out for your first few weighted walks, don’t be overly ambitious. Dr. Hame recommends starting with a small loop — even just once around the block from your house. “When you do an out-and-back route, it’s easy to go too far and struggle to make it back,” she says.
As you build strength, you can also try wearing a weighted vest while doing other activities. “People wear them while doing exercises like squats and lunges,” says Dr. Hame. “Having the weight centered on your body can be safer than holding weights, which could tip you off balance.”
You can even put your weighted vest on before working around the house — vacuuming or cooking. “As long as you maintain proper posture, it’s a good way to add some exercise to your daily activities at home,” says Dr. Hame.
Who should avoid weighted vests
Wearing a weighted vest increases the intensity of your workout, but that’s also why it isn’t the best choice for everyone.
If you are new to exercise, you probably shouldn’t start by incorporating a weighted vest into your workout routine. Instead, start with unweighted walking. After several weeks of building strength and endurance, try wearing a weighted vest for a walk that’s less than half as long as your typical unweighted one.
“Anyone with a back or neck injury should be very cautious about wearing a weighted vest,” says Dr. Hame. The added weight could increase strain on those areas. Also, arthritis in the hips, knees or ankles could feel worse when you add weight to your walk.
If you have any concerns, it’s best to talk to your doctor before starting a weighted vest workout program.
Is walking with a weighted vest the same as rucking?
Rucking (wearing a rucksack — or backpack — filled with weights) is a similar fitness trend. While both rucksacks and vests add weight to your workout, there are some differences.
“The biggest difference is the way the weight is distributed,” says Dr. Hame. A weighted rucksack puts the weight on your back and shifts your center of gravity accordingly. A weighted vest distributes weight evenly on your torso.
“If you are concerned about your stability or your back, a weighted vest may be the better choice,” says Dr. Hame. “Someone who is less steady could get thrown off balance more easily when wearing a weighted rucksack.”
The bottom line is that, however you do it, adding some weight to a walking workout can help you increase strength, endurance and overall fitness.
