If you are a calisthenics enthusiast, then a weight vest might be just the thing to take your training to the next level. Weight vests are prefect for increasing resistance on many of the body weight exercises that you have probably mastered. They are a cheap and effective tool to add into your training routine.
What exercises can I use a weight vest for?
They can be used to add resistance to almost any body weight exercises, so here are just a few examples:
- pull ups,
- muscle ups,
- squats,
- push ups,
- rows,
- dips, and
- loaded carries.
As you can see weight vest are a versatile way to add some difficulty and resistance to huge range of exercises. Who needs barbells and dumbbells when you have calisthenics and a weight vest!
An unconventional way to use a weight vest in your training is to wear one when hiking. Similar to ‘rucking’ which is hiking with weights in a backpack, simulating how soldiers hike with all their gear. This is fantastic way to improve your cardiovascular and muscular conditioning. It is also one of the best ways to burn calories due to the high amounts of energy required to move the extra weight when hiking. Rucking can burn up to 40% more calories than just walking, depending how much weight you add. Of course, the more weight you add the higher the calorie burn.
How much do weight vests weigh?
These vests generally weigh between 5 and 50 pounds and many products are adjustable allowing you to scale and progress your training with the vest. A 5 pound vest might be good for a beginner but it won’t give us much benefit to your later training. This adjustable vest can go up to 20 pounds. This allows you to use it a lower weights when you are starting to use the vest, and then move up to higher weights when you are more advanced.