Weighted Vests – What Are They

Many of us fitness enthusiasts like to go all the way when it comes to our fitness routines.

Whether it is getting up early in the morning at the break of dawn, or buying the best fitness clothing and even the most expensive or high-quality fitness equipment to go with it.

We will do what it takes and this includes investing in weighted vests, which are one of the most popular high resistant exercise equipment available on the market for anyone serious about getting fit, increasing their stamina and muscle mass within no time.

When looking for ways to add resistance to any workout routine, these can help get you there. Especially when combined with other active routines such as cross-fit, calisthenics, and running, this could significantly enhance anyone’s workout and help them to do more in less time.

This article dives into this magnificent idea and gives you some further information on the different types of vests available on the market and what each one does.

Keep reading to find more of what available out there for your specific needs. But first some basic information regarding the resistance part of any training.

 

Resistance or Strength Training

This is the type of training done when your body is doing exactly that – resisting something. When any kind of activity makes the movement slightly harder or significantly harder than it normally is, this is the category it falls into normally.

Machines at the gym such as weights, or barbells, weighted bars, and vests in this article, help as a huge advantage because they assist in making your body tighter, leaner, and stronger at the same time. for some people, it builds endurance and muscle mass as well, but this will depend on the diet that they couple it with. Further information regarding this can be found online as well.

 

Types of Vests Available on The Market

Shoulder Vest.  These carry the least amount of weight because the emphasis is mainly on the shoulders. They have straps designed on the upper body that help make you more agile in any exercise or activity that involves lots of movement.

The weights in these types are normally between 1 to 5kg and as such are perfect for things such as long-distance running and CrossFit training.

Full Body Weighted Option: these types are as per their name, they cover the full body of the trainer and have more weight on them, ranging from 10 to 50kg sometimes.

If you are looking for some strength training then these would be the better option to get in comparison to the shoulder ones. they can also assist with cardio and stamina exercises.

To figure out which ones are the best make, when you use them the weight needs to be balanced between the front and rear of your body, i.e. they strike a balance and you will not feel as if it’s pulling you to one end or the other.

A good thing to note is that because they are heavier, they limit movement, so running with them on long distances, is not recommended. Of course, with all of these, you can adjust the heaviness depending on the type of workout you’ve got going.

These vests also come in two categories, namely the fixed ones and the variable options.

More and more people are seeing the benefits of using weighted vests when training, which makes it a good thing to know that users have the option to increase or decrease the weight depending on their need or preference. One can add and remove the pieces that give it its heaviness. This is done by reaching into the pouches that are placed at intervals around the back and front of the vest.

The weights themselves may be made of cast iron or sandbags depending on the brand and type you buy. If it is placed in the pouched securely and tight enough not to drop out or shift, then it is a good one.

If you are keen on progressive loading, which means gradually increasing the load as you go along, then these will be the better fit for you, as you can but individual cast-iron tablets to swap the existing ones with something heavier and even sandbags.

Popular brands can include anything from Surreals 20kg options which have extra padding to make it a more comfortable fit, to Adidas which has their ones if you’re into the fashion wear and want something a bit on top of the line.

They have a breathable material with an inner lining made from light airy material to make sure you don’t feel constricted. Hyperwear hyper Pro, Bear Komplex, or We R Sport are also there, amongst a lot of other names. Doing a proper test of one before you opt for it is the best means of making sure you get the right fit and capabilities.

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