If your workouts have started to feel too easy or you’re looking to maximize your results in less time, it might be time to introduce a weighted vest into your training. Whether you're walking, lifting, running, or doing bodyweight exercises, wearing a vest can instantly elevate the intensity of your routine.
Weighted Vest Benefits
This article explores the benefits of weighted vests, answers the question “does a weighted vest help with cardio?”, and explains how it can help you burn more calories and build better endurance.
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1. Boosts Strength and Muscle Endurance
The most obvious benefit of a weighted vest is increased resistance. This forces your muscles to work harder during traditional bodyweight movements like push-ups, squats, lunges, or pull-ups helping you gain strength and build muscle over time.
Wearing a weighted vest regularly challenges both your upper and lower body muscles, making it a powerful yet simple tool for progressive overload without needing gym equipment.
2. Amplifies Calorie Burn
Wondering about calorie burn with a weighted vest? Good news—adding weight to your workout can increase energy expenditure, meaning you’ll burn more calories doing the same activities.
A study from the American Council on Exercise showed that adding just 10–15% of your body weight can significantly raise your metabolic rate during walking or jogging. If your goal is fat loss or improved conditioning, this makes the vest a great addition.
3. Improves Cardiovascular Conditioning
So, does a weighted vest help with cardio? Yes absolutely.
When you add resistance to activities like running, climbing stairs, jumping rope, or HIIT, your heart has to work harder to pump blood and oxygen through your body. This increases your cardiovascular endurance and strengthens your lungs and heart over time.
It’s also an excellent way to prepare for real-world physical demands—whether it's hiking with a backpack, sports performance, or tactical fitness.
4. Builds Bone Density and Joint Strength
Carrying additional load stimulates bone growth and helps maintain bone mass, especially important as we age. Combined with the impact of walking or jumping, weighted vests can aid in preventing osteoporosis and improving joint stability.
For older adults (with medical clearance), this is a low-impact way to maintain long-term strength and mobility.
5. Enhances Posture and Core Engagement
Wearing a vest forces you to stay upright, making your core and stabilizer muscles activate more during movement. This improves balance, coordination, and posture, which carries over to better performance in both workouts and daily activities:
- Best Workouts to Use with a Weighted Vest
- Walking or hiking for low-impact calorie burn
- Running or stair climbing for cardio endurance
- Bodyweight circuits (squats, push-ups, pull-ups, planks)
- HIIT workouts for explosive strength and fat loss
- Functional training like box jumps, lunges, and agility drills
The benefits of weighted vests go far beyond just adding difficulty—they enhance your strength, boost endurance, accelerate calorie burn, and build a more resilient body. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, adding a weighted vest to your training could be the upgrade your fitness routine needs.
