How Often should I Run with a Weighted Vest

Exercising with your body weight is beneficial, but adding more weight for resistance, and proper body posture, and better strength, improves your stamina. Runners who want to increase the intensity of their exercising usually use this additional weight so they can stimulate the body to use more strength and power while running. According to this site, these vests can be used during many activities, including rope jumping, jogging, or even hiking and climbing. In recent years, these vests became very popular resistance equipment, and ambitious people are using them for so-called military-style workouts.

The benefits of weight vests

This tool isn’t researched well, and there are no enough results from clinical trials that show how effective it is and which health benefits it brings. This topic still needs to be scientifically researched, but at the same time, there are a lot of healthy athletes that are using it almost every day, to maximize the benefits of exercising.

So, according to their experience, it improves the heart rate and circulation, which brings more oxygen to all body parts and organs and improves the vessels’ work. As your body is getting warmer, your natural cooling system starts to work, taking control over the vital functions in your body. You can use it once or twice a week for your regular cardio training.

When it comes to muscles and bones, additional resistance can improve bone density and muscle strength. Also, when keeping a proper body posture, you are improving the balance. It may come as a surprise to you, but adult women, that have reached menopause and still exercise regularly, can add some weight using a vest, so they can improve the balance. They can do that at least once a week, but they anyway should consult with their doctor before that.

Can I use it for every training?

If you feel like you can do it, there is no limitation on how often you will use the vest. But in order to do that properly, it should be tied to your body, without shifting around. Use the proper size, and start with lower weight, and then you can add more as time goes by.

Buy the sports equipment from specialized stores, and make sure it’s always quality done. You don’t want to wear something that will cause allergies and itching, so it’s crucial to invest in quality equipment for this purpose. Keep in mind that some amount of excess sweat will reach it, and if it’s poor quality, it will be easily damaged. Adjust the weight according to your body’s needs and capabilities. If you overdo it, you may get injured, and no one wants that to happen.

Why do they call it military-style training?

Probably you know, but the people who work in the military should do heavier training because they always should be in the best condition possible. Also, in a case of war, or some intervention, they should wear vests, but bring the weapons together with them. It can be pretty difficult to do that if they aren’t trained. Sometimes they even wear backpacks to improve the performance.

Surely, everyday exercising is not related to the military, but there is nothing wrong with maintaining the best condition possible for your body. You don’t need to wear backpacks or run on a treadmill with your vest, but during casual training, it will improve the intensity, and result in stronger muscles and great balance.

How am I supposed to use a weighted vest as a beginner?

In the beginning, keep it simple, and don’t add too much weight, even if you think you can handle it. Sometimes people overestimate their strengths and end up hurt just because they didn’t plan things properly. If you’ve never exercised with the additional weight, then you should use a thin one, until you see if it works well for you. As time goes by, your body will tell you if it needs additional weight for more resistance. But, add just a little more weight, until you completely adapt to it. If you find it too overwhelming, you can always limit the usage, and do it once every week, until you are ready for more.

The goal is not to put too much weight on you, so it stops your natural movements or causes pains. Just the opposite, you must be comfortable, no matter the additional weight over your body. It’s a nice addition to your exercising plan, but it doesn’t mean it will work well for you. So, instead of investing in different sizes and weights, you can start with the smallest one, or some lbs. bigger, if you already have experience in weight training, and if you don’t like it – don’t worry, there are plenty of other exercising programs that are very effective without using any additional weight.

Is it good for weight loss?

When you combine all the potential benefits, losing weight is more than the expected effect. The training sessions are harder and you will burn more calories, and improve the muscle mass at the same time. And your muscles will consume the calories due to the contractions after the workout, which results in fats burning. Also, the whole experience will take control over your appetite and you will eat less fatty and caloric food. Our bodies always tell us what they want, so in these cases, they will crave vitamins, proteins, and minerals, which means the meals can be balanced and good for weight loss.

Which activities can be done wearing a weight vest?

It’s not just running. You can do a lot of exercises, even Pilates, weightlifting, treadmill running, static bike at home, or even faster walking. We also mentioned rope jumping too, which is one of the best cardio activities in the world.

But, keep in mind that our advice is for completely healthy people who don’t have any other problems. If you have any condition, you always need to consult with your doctor before.