by Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi, senior director of lifestyle medicine at Blue Shield of California and certified nutrition coach
Weighted vests are having “a moment.” From neighborhood walks to social media fitness challenges, these wearable weights have been seen all over California on people looking to boost their calorie burn, build up their strength and conditioning, and support bone health. But are weighted vests effective? And more importantly, are they safe?
Weighted vests can be a great tool, but like any fitness trend, it is not a one-size-fits-all fix. So, it’s important to understand how these wearables work — and the best way to use them safely.
The lowdown on weighted vests
Originally used in military and athletic training, weighted vests can be found in almost every sporting goods store and online. They often range from 3 to 50 pounds in weight and come in many different sizes and price points.
The idea is simple: Adding more resistance to body-weight movements like walking, jogging or stair-climbing increases the intensity of everyday activities and promotes muscle growth. This is important as we get older, because our muscles naturally start to shrink unless we stay active. Weighted vests aren’t the only way to fight these changes, but they’re appealing because they add extra resistance to everyday movement, helping burn more calories and support bone health — without a visit to the gym.
Weighing the benefits and risks
The benefits of resistance training are well-documented, and weighted vests fall into this category. But it's important to note that using a weighted vest improperly can lead to injury, especially when worn during repetitive activities like walking or higher-impact exercises like jogging or running. A weighted vest can also exacerbate existing conditions such as orthopedic injuries, arthritis and joint pain. Overall, check in with your doctor or athletic trainer to get the all-clear before adding weight.
5 tips for weighted vest use
Once you have the go-ahead, keep these tips in mind when donning your vest:
- Don’t overload yourself. Your vest should be 5-10% of your body weight — more than that will put undue strain on your joints.
- Limit the duration. Use the vest for short periods of time at first, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, then build up gradually from there.
- Focus on form. Before using a weighted vest, ensure that you have proper posture and form, as poor form can increase your risk of injury.
- Avoid high-impact activities at first. Stick to low-impact exercises like walking or body-weight squats, and avoid running or jumping until you’re well-conditioned.
- Listen to your body: If you feel any joint pain, fatigue or discomfort, take the vest off and reassess — more isn’t always better.
Ultimately, weighted vests can be a powerful addition to your fitness toolkit — and resistance training is a critical component of good health, especially as we age. So, if a weighted vest works for you, pick one up.
Even better, many FSA (flexible spending account) and/or HSA (health savings account) health plans may cover wearable fitness gear like weighted vests, so it’s worth checking what your provider may offer before purchasing.
Healthy lifestyle resources from Blue Shield
- Visit Wellvolution, our digital lifestyle medicine platform, with personalized health programs available at no extra cost to most members
- Live Healthy: Lifestyle medicine and wellness resources