The Benefits of Wearing a Weighted Vest
This is my new favorite trend
It’s been a great way to up the intensity of my run/walks and can’t recommend it enough. There are strong studies that show the benefits of wearing a weighted vest when it comes to pelvis bone density. Keep reading to learn more and my tips for how to get started.
I am loving the new recommendation of wearing a weighted vest while going for walks and/or working out. This is a simple way of getting more out of your efforts with big benefits! There’s strong research supporting this - let’s take a look at why and how it all works.
As we age, we lose muscle mass, become at risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis and falling. It’s important to include strength training like pilates and weight lifting into our weeks to fight the effects of aging. By adding weight to our workouts/bodies it increases muscle mass, creates a strain on our bones aka building bone density, and by staying strong our risk of falling and the serious effects of a fall become less.
The reality is though we are all busy, and maybe lifting heavy weights isn’t your favorite thing, or you just can’t seem to fit it all in, or perhaps the weight room feels intimidating to you. Wearing a weighted vest is a great way to create the needed strain on our muscles and bones to gain strength/density. Studies are showing that women who wore a weighted vest found a significant increase in hip bone density and overall muscle strength after a period of wearing one. And as a result of having stronger muscles, their balance also improved.
So how do you get started? Here’s some tips:
Studies are recommending that you start with 5% and go up to 10% of your body weight. If you weigh 140lbs 5% would be 7 pounds.
Start small and increase by 1-2% so you don’t do too much too fast.
Be mindful of how your body is responding to the weight. You should feel strong and empowered during and after wearing a vest not strain or pain.
Engaging your core and maintaining good posture while wearing the vest is very important! By being mindful of this it will help you reap more benefits of the vest!
The vest should not make a negative impact on how you stand/workout. Prioritize your form and posture over heavier weight.
Some ways you can start to incorporate this into your workouts:
Wear the vest for your walks, hikes, etc.
Wear the vest for extra effort during your strength workouts.
If you’re easing into wearing a vest during your workouts you could wear the vest for your warm up/cool down.
Wear the vest while doing housework or at your standing desk during the work day.
Some tips for selecting a vest:
Pick one that is comfortable for you to wear, you can maintain good posture and you can move in with good form.
If you’re looking to start small, go for a 3-5lb vest.
There are ones that you can add/take away weight as you get stronger/depending on what level of activity you’re doing.
Go for one that has the weight distributed evenly so it’s not too front or back loaded - this will help with maintaining good posture while wearing it.
Nervous to go for it? Opt for weighted tops/bottoms by brands like Ormopho as a way to lightly increase weight/effort.
Some suggested vests:
The one I have and love is The Omorpho 5lb weighted vest (this link will give you 15% off at checkout or use Ashley15!). It’s good looking and comfortable to move/workout in.
You can also check out their weighted workout clothes as a way to slightly increase wearable weight.
This one has the option to add/take away weight as you go.
This one has less of a footprint on your body but the weight is still evenly distributed. It is one flat weight however so you can change it out.
I hope you find this informative and helpful! If you go for a weighted vest be sure to tag me on Instagram @AshleyPattenPilates and/or comment below!
xx, Ashley