{"id":130860,"date":"2025-08-09T04:43:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T04:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/130860\/"},"modified":"2025-08-09T04:43:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T04:43:11","slug":"weighted-vests-can-level-up-your-workouts-heres-how-to-pick-the-best-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/130860\/","title":{"rendered":"Weighted Vests Can Level Up Your Workouts. Here’s How to Pick the Best One"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wearing a weighted vest can make your workouts more challenging and improve your heart health and muscle strength. <\/strong>Weighted vests have recently become a popular exercise accessory among women in menopause because they help strengthen bone and muscle health. But if a weighted vest doesn\u2019t fit properly, it can strain your back. Here\u2019s how to choose one that\u2019s right for you.\n<\/p>\n

How Do Weighted Vests Enhance Your Workouts? <\/p>\n

Studies have shown that weighted vests can improve muscle strength, endurance, balance, and bone density.\n<\/p>\n

“It really has wide benefits; it just depends on what anyone’s goals are,” Sarah N. Harangody, MD<\/a>, chair of the department of orthopedics at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, told Verywell.\n<\/p>\n

Most people can safely use a weighted vest unless they have an injury, balance issues, or a chronic heart or lung condition.\n<\/p>\n

Typically, you should use a weighted vest that’s around 10% of your body weight, but you can start at a low weight and work your way up to 10%, Harangody said.<\/p>\n

“I would just start with [wearing the vest for] a portion of your workout at the lowest weight and then increase both time and weight from there,” she added.<\/p>\n

How to Pick the Right Weighted Vest <\/p>\n

You can find a weighted vest online or in a sporting goods store for between $15-$300.\n<\/p>\n

“My recommendation is an adjustable one, which can be a little bit more expensive, but you can tailor it and add weight to it in the future, and multiple different people in the family can use it as well because it does have that adjustable weight,” Harangody said.\n<\/p>\n

Wearing a weighted vest that doesn’t fit well can lead to injuries.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to try some on and get one that fits the best and that also distributes the weight evenly front and back,\u201d James N. Gladstone, MD<\/a>, chief of the division of sports medicine and associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the Mount Sinai Health System, told Verywell.\n<\/p>\n

Too much load on your back can cause back pain, and too much on the front can cause you to hunch forward, Gladstone added.\n<\/p>\n

Weighted vests are also not the best idea for people who are starting a new fitness routine. Try to get comfortable with the exercises before adding a weighted vest to the mix.\n<\/p>\n

“Get out there and ride a bike, swim, walk briskly, move into a run. Once you’re conditioned into those kinds of activities, if you want to add some weight and force to your workout, then think about the weighted vest,” he said.\n<\/p>\n

When Should You Wear a Weighted Vest? <\/p>\n

Rucking<\/a>, or walking with a weighted backpack, can help burn extra calories and build strength. However, you can also wear a weighted vest during everyday activities to help you build strength.\n<\/p>\n

“If you’re already going out to walk the dog, you can just put your weighted vest on and kill two birds with one stone. Personally, I wear mine when I mow my lawn,” said Chris Kolba, PT, PhD<\/a>, a physical therapist and a certified strength and conditioning specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.\n<\/p>\n

You can also wear a weighted vest to boost gym workouts, like high-intensity interval training or strength training.\n<\/p>\n

It’s a great option for exercise enthusiasts looking to switch up their workout routines, but you get other benefits when you wear the vest on a walk outside, Gladstone said.\n<\/p>\n

“In some ways, using a weighted vest, you’re taking some of the gym with you outdoors and getting all the benefits of sunlight as well,” he added.<\/p>\n

What This Means For You<\/p>\n

A weighted vest can be a useful accessory to increase the intensity of your workouts and support bone and muscle health. But it\u2019s important to choose a vest that fits properly and start with a lightweight one to avoid injury. If you\u2019re new to exercise, wait until you\u2019re more conditioned before adding a vest to your routine.<\/p>\n

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process<\/a> to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.<\/p>\n

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    Kim J, Kim E, Kim D, Yoon S. Weighted vest intervention during whole-body circuit training improves serum resistin, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic risk factors in normal-weight obese women<\/a>.\u00a0J Exerc Sci Fit. 2024;22(4):463-473. doi:10.1016\/j.jesf.2024.10.002<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Bertochi GFA, Tasinafo J\u00fanior MF, Santos IA, et al. The use of wearable resistance and weighted vest for sprint performance and kinematics: a systematic review and meta-analysis<\/a>.\u00a0Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):5453. doi:10.1038\/s41598-024-54282-8<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Roghani T, Torkaman G, Movasseghe S, Hedayati M, Goosheh B, Bayat N. Effects of short-term aerobic exercise with and without external loading on bone metabolism and balance in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis<\/a>.\u00a0Rheumatol Int. 2013;33(2):291-298. doi:10.1007\/s00296-012-2388-2<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Kelleher JL, Beavers DP, Henderson RM, et al. Weighted vest use during dietary weight loss on bone health in older adults with obesity<\/a>.\u00a0J Osteopor Phys Act. 2017;05(04). doi:10.4172\/2329-9509.1000210<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Northwestern Medicine. Should you wear a weighted vest for workouts<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"Stephanie<\/p>\n

    \nBy Stephanie Brown<\/a>
    \n
    Brown is a nutrition writer who received her Didactic Program in Dietetics certification from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Previously, she worked as a nutrition educator and culinary instructor in New York City.\n<\/p>\n

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