Is Walking With a Weighted Vest a Trend Worth Trying?

Staying in good physical shape and incorporating exercise into your daily routine is an important part of maintaining good health, but it can be difficult to know where to start if you’re new to intentional physical activity.

While it may seem too easy, walking is indeed one of the most important, beneficial and accessible forms of exercise, and experts consistently recommend it as a vital part of any routine.

A 2023 study in GeroScience on the multifaceted benefits of walking for healthy aging found that incorporating walking into daily routines and encouraging walking-based physical activity interventions can be an effective strategy for promoting healthy aging and improving health outcomes in all populations.

Some of the many benefits of walking, particularly regular brisk walks, include improved cardiovascular health, stronger bones and muscles, management of chronic diseases, a strengthened immune system, and better mental health.

But while walking alone is hugely beneficial, it isn’t always enough to provide the fitness improvements you may be looking for. Enter weighted vests.

Weighted vests are designed to be worn to add extra weight to the body to increase the intensity of exercise. While the concept isn’t exactly new, it’s experiencing somewhat of a comeback right now as these vests have become a trendy choice for walkers, runners, and strength trainers alike.

“Walking and training with a weighted vest has become more and more popular lately," says W. Zach Smith, PT, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy and the owner of HIDEF Physical Therapy. “There are many benefits of the weighted vest and a couple potential downsides.”

Given the rising popularity of weighted vests, you may be wondering if you should consider purchasing your own and adding it to your workouts. The short answer, according to experts, is you could — but start slow.

Beneficial for bone health and muscle mass

One of the main benefits of walking with a weighted vest is that it improves bone health and muscle mass by adding resistance to exercise.

“Adding a weighted vest can help add resistance to any movement, and this will help to add bone and muscle mass at a higher rate,” Smith tells WellnessPulse. “For example, wearing a weighted vest and walking or doing stairs makes the exercises harder, and it's a great way to scale these exercises without adding speed and time.”

The added resistance with use of a weighted vest can specifically help to build bone density by increasing weight bearing through the shoulders, spine, hips, and legs, says Kara McKeown, PT, MSPT, CSMC, a physical therapist at Cape Concierge Physical Therapy.

“This is especially beneficial for women in the menopause transition as they lose bone density more rapidly than other populations and are at a greater risk of osteoporosis,” she explains, particularly in the lower back and hips.

The added weight of the vest also challenges the muscles in the legs, glutes, and core to work harder during a traditional, low-impact walk, McKeown says. This leads to improvements in strength without weight lifting.

Improve cardiovascular health and metabolism

Wearing a weighted vest while walking or exercising increases the intensity of the workout, causing the heart to beat faster and the body to take in more oxygen. By putting additional strain on the cardiovascular system, walking with a weighted vest improves heart strength, McKeown says, as well as overall cardiovascular endurance.

“This helps burn more calories and fat, lower cholesterol level, and help to reduce high blood pressure,” she says.

The added weight on the body leads to an increase in calorie burn and improved muscle strength. This combination leads to increased overall metabolism.

“The higher your resting metabolic rate, the more calories you burn at rest,” McKeown says.

Improve posture

Exercising using a weighted vest can improve your posture, which has a number of positive effects on the body.

Wearing the vest promotes improved upright posture, which activates the core more so than standing alone.

Kara McKeown, PT, MSPT, CSMC

The more you strengthen your core muscles, the easier it is to maintain better posture in your daily life. Good posture can help alleviate muscle soreness and tension, prevent injuries, promote better breathing, and even improve mental health.

“Improved core stability — remember your core is from your shoulders to hips, front and back — can also contribute to better balance,” McKeown adds.

Who should avoid weighted vests?

Although weighted vests can be beneficial for certain people looking to increase the benefits of their workouts, doing so can be harmful for specific individuals.

According to McKeown, if you have the following issues, avoid using a weight vest:

• Severe osteoporosis
• Thoracic kyphosis
• Balance difficulties
• Unable to safely don or remove the vest
• Have not been medically cleared for exercise

People with neck and back pain or certain injuries should exercise caution when trying this trend, as the extra weight can potentially worsen pain.

A 2018 clinical study in The Journal of Frailty & Aging on weight loss in people with obesity found that 25% of those wearing weighted vests experienced back pain.

Tips for safely using weighted vests

If you’re looking to try walking or exercising with a weighted vest, McKeown recommends starting slow.

She suggests beginning by using it once or twice per week for 10–20 minutes, and then build frequency and duration as your body acclimates. The vest weight should be approximately 10% of your body weight. But if you are brand new to exercise and strengthening, you may want to begin at an even lighter weight, such as 5%.

Smith says you shouldn’t start any new movements you’re not used to and use a weight vest right away.

For example, if you haven't jumped rope for a while and you want to start, he suggests starting with just body weight to see how the body responds. Adding a 25–50lb weight vest right in the beginning is harder on the joints and tendons. This can cause overuse injuries like achilles tendonitis and jumpers knee or, even worse, an achilles tendon or muscle tear.

“This is true for all areas that are loaded with the weight vest from your feet up to your back and shoulders,” he says. “My best advice is to take it slow when starting any new activity or adding a weight vest to your usual activity.”