There’s nothing more rewarding than achieving your daily step goal, but when life gets busy, hitting those 10,000-steps can be tough. With that in mind, many have chosen to amp up their shorter walks with additional resistance. Things like sweat belts for your waist or wrist and ankle weights have helped many women boost the intensity of their daily walks, and the newest walking accessory taking over the fitness world is the weighted vest.
Looking something along the lines of a backpack, these fabric vests are filled with sand or weighted material and come in a wide array of sizes. Seeing countless fitness influencers on my feed embarking on their daily workout routines donning this popular accessory, it didn’t take long for the seed to be planted, and before long, I had purchased a 12-pound weighted vest of my own. Here, read all about the weighted vest craze, the benefits and my experience implementing one into my daily workout routine.
The benefits of walking with a weighted vest
Whether you get your steps in on a treadmill, walking pad or hit the open road, walking has an endless list of health benefits. In addition to burning calories, walking regularly improves cardiovascular health, relieves stress and more. What makes walking appealing to so many is that you can make it as intense or relaxed as you wish. If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey and looking to simply get your blood pumping, grab a pal and hit a flat path to get your body moving. If you’re looking for something a little more intense, head to a hilly neighborhood or a hiking trail that’s a bit more fierce. Looking for something in between? Enter the weighted vest.
What is a weighted vest and how does it work?
When it comes to weighted vests, the power is in your hands. You can start with as little as five pounds and work your way up to as high as you can handle, but for the best results, start by adding on a vest that’s equal to 10% of your body weight. For many women, as they age, bone density decreases. According to VeryWell Health, adding this extra weight adds more stress to your bones. And this kind of stress is a good thing because it helps keep your bones strong. Additionally, weighted vests force you to use more power to keep your back and core upright, strengthening these areas.
And that’s not all! The weighted vest ultimately adds another element of intensity to your workout that a walk without one wouldn’t have. From stimulating muscles that wouldn’t typically get used during a normal walk to helping you work up a sweat, there’s something to be said about this easy addition, which can cost as little as $25 on Amazon.
My experience using a weighted vest for daily walks
While I love getting outside for a walk in the fresh air, some days, it’s easier for me to just hop on my walking pad at home to get my steps in. However, the only downside is that there’s no incline setting on my machine. In the past, the incline setting on treadmills allowed me to amp up what was otherwise a pretty low-intensity workout, so I was looking for another way to burn a few more calories. At first, I added in wrist and ankle weights, but once I started seeing weighted vests come across my feeds, I knew I wanted to give them a try. I started with a 12-pound vest, but having used it for a few months now, I’d say I’m definitely ready to upgrade to something heavier.
In addition to feeling my core and back way more engaged walking with the weighted vest as opposed to without it, I’m also just working up way more of a sweat carrying the additional weight on my body. On days when I don’t necessarily have the time to get in as many steps as I’d ideally like to, adding the weighted vest to a shorter walk makes me still feel like I got a decent workout in, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to gradually increase the intensity of their daily walks.
