Weighted Vest
Weighted Vest
Looking for an easy way to supercharge your walk? A weighted vest can help you burn more calories, build muscle, and strengthen your bones—without changing your routine. Discover how this simple upgrade can transform your health!
Weighted vests have a reputation for boosting weight loss results. But walking with one can do more for your health than help burn a few extra calories.
Your friend is tapping into a recent trend called rucking, which is walking while wearing a weighted vest or backpack. It’s a practice that can significantly boost the benefits of walking regularly — which lowers the risks of health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes — but may also pose a few distinct cons.
By increasing your body weight, rucking amps up your walking intensity. This can pay off in numerous ways: building muscle strength and bone density; improving the heart’s pumping ability; expanding lung capacity; burning more calories; and enhancing core strength, which involves abdominal and back muscles.
What Is a Weighted Vest?
A weighted vest is a wearable piece of exercise gear that adds resistance to your body by evenly distributing weight across your torso. It often looks like a fitted vest or jacket and can weigh anywhere from 5 to 40 pounds, depending on the model and your fitness level.
Most vests allow you to adjust the amount of weight, making it easy to progress slowly and safely.
1. Improves Cardiovascular Fitness
Wearing a weighted vest while walking—and doing other forms of aerobic exercise—can improve heart and lung (cardiovascular) health.
Similar to how a weighted vest puts more strain on your muscles and improves muscle strength, it puts more strain on your heart and lungs during exercise, resulting in better cardiovascular fitness.
One study found that women with obesity wearing weighted vests during circuit training workouts experienced decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, and improved cardiovascular risk factors.
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2. Preserves Muscle Strength With Weight Loss
One of the primary draws to the weighted vest is weight loss. However, people who lose weight also experience muscle loss, even with exercise.
Some research suggests that wearing a weighted vest may help preserve muscle strength alongside weight loss. The idea is that wearing the weighted vest “replaces” the weight lost, requiring the same energy from your muscles, thus helping you maintain strength.
However, more research is needed to confirm this theory.
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3. Contributes to Better Posture and Balance
Muscle strength declines with age, and with it, your balance can too. When worn consistently, a weighted vest can help you build stronger muscles in your legs and core, two muscle groups essential to balance.
Your core stabilizes and supports your body while running, walking, and standing. It helps ensure proper posture, with your weight evenly distributed.
Your leg muscles are responsible for your gait and weight transfer from one leg to the other. They also provide the brain with feedback that helps you understand where your body is in space (a concept called proprioception). When leg muscles are weak, they can disrupt your proprioception and cause balance issues.
Bonus: Mental Health Perks
Walking with a weighted vest doesn’t just benefit your body—it can also help clear your mind. Many people report feeling:
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More focused
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Less anxious
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More energized
The gentle resistance can create a grounding sensation, which may be calming for those dealing with stress or sensory sensitivity.
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Final Thoughts
Adding a weighted vest to your daily walk is a simple but powerful way to boost your health. From burning more calories to strengthening your bones and improving posture, the benefits add up—literally with every step.
And the best part? You don’t need a gym, trainer, or fancy routine. Just put on your vest, lace up your walking shoes, and head out the door.