Have you ever considered taking your workouts to the next level by incorporating a weighted vest? This handy piece of equipment can really spice up your bodyweight workout routines and give you that extra challenge you've been craving. But can weighted vests actually help you build muscle? Let's explore the science behind weighted vests and their impact on muscle growth.
What Are Weighted Vests?
Weighted vests are exactly what they sound like - vests designed to distribute added weight evenly across your torso. As a low-impact option, weighted vests are ideal for cardio and resistance training, increasing your heart rate and aiding in calorie burn, building muscle, and increasing bone density. (source)
These vests work by adding resistance to your existing body weight. This additional weight, often in the form of weighted plates, increases the difficulty of your movements, forcing your muscles to work harder.
While weighted training vests are fantastic for taking your body weight workouts to the next level, it's important to know that they come with a few risks. Since the vest adds weight to every exercise you do, it can increase the impact on your body, especially when you're jumping or landing. This can really take a toll on your feet, ankles, and knees, so it's important to be careful and mindful during those exercises.
Building Muscle with Weighted Vests
The research shows that weighted vest exercises offer numerous benefits for muscle building. Here's how weighted vests can help you achieve your goals:
Progressive Overload
Muscles need to be challenged with increasing the amount of weight or difficulty to stimulate growth. Weighted vests provide this overload for bodyweight exercises, forcing your muscles to adapt and grow stronger over time. Consider incorporating our weighted vest plates to help you reach that heavier weight when training.
Focus on Compound Exercises
Weighted vests are most effective when used with compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Exercises like squats, lunges, rows, and push-ups are great choices. By incorporating multiple muscle groups, you can achieve a more efficient and effective workout.
Start Light, Gradually Increase
It's crucial for beginners to start with a weight that allows you to maintain proper form throughout your exercises. As your muscles adapt, gradually increase the weight on your vest to continue challenging your muscles and promoting growth.
What Are The Benefits Of Weighted Vests
Research has shown that weighted vest exercises have numerous benefits across a wide range of bodily functions, this includes:
- Endurance and strength training - working out with extra weight will increase the forces of resistance that your muscles experience, making them work harder and grow back stronger (which also means bigger!) (source).
- Walking and running agility - Studies have shown that weighted vests can significantly improve the stamina and endurance of runners and walkers (source).
- Losing weight - A harder working body, means more burned calories and fat (source).
This list of benefits of wearing weighted vests is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to get the full scoop on all the amazing perks of incorporating a weighted vest into your workouts, you should definitely check out our blog "Are Weighted Vests Any Good?" Trust us, you won't want to miss it!
Weighted Vest Workout Ideas To Build Muscle
Weighted vests are a great tool for building muscle, in this section, we will cover the types of exercise that weighted vests are suited for along with some weighted vest exercises to start building muscle and reaping the benefits of this workout tool.
Some types of exercises that weighted vests are good for include:
- Walking
- Running
- LISS (Low-Intensity Steady-State Training)
- HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
- Strength Training
- Callisthenics
Here are some excellent exercises to incorporate weighted vests for muscle building to add to your fitness routine:
- Pull-ups/Chin-ups: Weighted vests during this exercise will help you build your back, biceps and forearm muscles faster than using just your body weight.
- Bear Crawls: For a full-body workout that is challenging enough already, bear crawls with weighted vests will take it that much further.
- Walking Lunges: Incorporating a weighted vest into this movement will force your leg muscles to adapt to the new weight and will help with building stabilising muscles.
- Planks/Push-ups: Put your chest, arms and core to the test with weighted vests when doing planks or push-ups.
- Squats: Place more resistance on your quads, glutes and hamstrings when using weight vests when carrying out squatting movements.
- Box Jumps/Step-ups: using weighted vests for this exercise is a great way to strengthen and build your quad and glute muscles whilst greatly improving coordination. Make sure to leave ample space to avoid any falls or slips.
Safety Considerations:
While weighted vests are a great tool, proper form is crucial to prevent risk of injury to your lower back or joints. If you're new to weighted vests, consider consulting a certified trainer to ensure you're using them safely and effectively as well as incorporating a warm up and cool-down after any workout to prevent soreness. Additionally, consult a healthcare professional before starting weighted vest training if you have any pre-existing injuries.
FAQs
Does walking in weighted vests build muscle?
Yes, walking in weighted vests can help build muscle. When you add weight to your body, your muscles have to work harder to move it, which can increase muscle activation and growth.
However, it's important to note that walking alone might not be enough to see significant muscle gains.
To really build muscle, you should incorporate strength training exercises into your routine as well. That being said, adding a weighted vest to your walking routine can still provide a great workout and contribute to overall muscle development.
Is it bad to wear a weighted vest all day?
While wearing a weighted vest for short periods of time during exercise can be beneficial, wearing a weighted vest all day can actually be harmful to your health. The added weight can put undue stress on your joints and muscles, potentially leading to discomfort or injury.
Additionally, prolonged use of a weighted vest can alter your natural movement patterns and throw off your balance.
If you want to incorporate a weighted vest into your daily routine, it's best to limit use to shorter periods during exercise and make sure you choose an appropriate weight for your fitness level.
Check Out Our Range Of Weighted Vest And Weight Plates From Exersci!
Weighted vests can be a valuable addition to your training routine for muscle strength. By incorporating them strategically, focusing on compound exercises, and gradually increasing weight, you can achieve significant muscular endurance and muscle growth. Remember to prioritise proper form and safety throughout your workouts.
If you’re eager to find out we sell our very own one-size-fits-all adjustable weighted vests in a wide variety of colours. You can also purchase additional weight plates to customise the load and increase resistance.
If you have any questions about weighted vests or can’t find what you’re looking for? Please contact us at contact@exersci.co.uk or call us on 0330 175 6260 - We’re more than happy to help!