Are weighted vests worth it?

Weighted vests have been gaining popularity among runners, athletes, and home workout enthusiasts. But do they really deliver results or are they just another piece of unused gym kit collecting dust in the cupboard?

What is a weighted vest?

A weighted vest is a piece of wearable training gear with evenly distributed weight across your torso. It is designed to add extra resistance to your body during exercise. Worn like a sleeveless jacket, a weighted vest contains evenly distributed and often adjustable weights  so you can increase or decrease the load to suit your workout.

By making your body work harder, a weighted vest can help improve strength, endurance, calorie burn, and bone density, whether you’re running, walking, doing bodyweight exercises, or training for sport.

Why weighted vests are gaining popularity

• Boosted workout intensity - Weighted vests ramp up the challenge of even simple movements, like walking, squatting, or cardio routines, by adding resistance to your torso. This can help you burn more calories and build strength without overloading specific joints.
• Improved strength, balance & endurance - By redistributing bodyweight stress across your core, weighted vests encourage greater muscle activation and enhance balance and posture.
• Versatile for everyday use - Lightweight, adjustable designs allow you to integrate them into home workouts, HIIT sessions, or even brisk family walks.

Top 7 weighted vest exercises 

Here are some of the most effective workouts you can do with a weighted vest - whether at home or outdoors:

• Reverse Lunges - Targets quads, glutes, and core stability.
• Squats - Intensifies lower-body engagement and challenges your core.
• Push-Ups - Increases upper-body effort. Great for chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Pull-Ups - Adds load for stronger lats, biceps, upper back, and core.
• Planks - Boosts core endurance and overall stability.
• Walking - Elevates heart rate, calorie burn, and works lower body muscles.
• Stair Climbing - Adds intensity to cardio and strengthens legs.

Who Should Try a Weighted Vest?

• Runners wanting to boost speed and endurance.
• Fitness enthusiasts looking to break through plateaus.
• Athletes training for sports that demand strength and agility.

Top tips for using a weighted vest

• Start light - use a modest load as this lets your body build up safely.
• Ensure a secure fit - a snug fit enhances comfort, avoids shifting and supports your posture.
• Blend with other training - continue your usual cardio and resistance training to use the vest as an enhancement rather than a replacement. 
• Gradual progression is key - ease in with lighter weights (around 5–10% of your bodyweight) and keep sessions short to let your body adapt safely.

So is a weighted vest worth it?

Yes - when used properly. Weighted vests can make your workouts harder, more effective, and more fun. They're perfect for mixing things up, adding resistance to everyday moves, and challenging your fitness in new ways. Just remember: start conservative, focus on fit, and keep them as part of a balanced training plan.