Adding a weighted vest to your calisthenics routine could transform the entire workout into a magical dual-purpose grinder.
Seriously.
Try filling a backpack with a couple of books, strap it onto your back – and start doing push-ups. By adding additional weight and challenge to your workout routine, you ultimately get more effective results all around.
So:
If you are serious about your workout regimen, a weighted vest should be part of your plan. Here are four benefits of weighted vest workouts – and why YOU should own one!
Contents
What Are The Benefits of Weighted Vest Exercises?
1. Better Strength and Endurance
Whether you are doing squats, sit-ups, or pushups – a weighted vest will get you stronger faster, and increase your overall muscle endurance.
For instance:
If you do 70 sit-ups a day, you will eventually build your core strength, right? However, it will take a while.
Now:
If you perform the sit-ups wearing a couple of extra pounds tucked onto your body, your core muscles will have to work harder to lift your upper body. The added stress on your muscles gets them growing stronger, which improves your endurance and capability to lift heavy stuff!
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“With their high versatility, weight vests allow for a broad range of exercises, such as walking, jogging, rope-jumping, bike riding, core strengthening, and weight training.”
Reference: muscleandfitness.com – Increase the intensity with a weighted vest
2. Added Cardiovascular Benefits
A weighted vest can improve your overall breathing as the excess weight increases your lung capacity.
Doing calisthenics exercise with a vest poses a significant challenge to your muscles. The added resistance takes your cardiovascular system into overdrive – strengthening your lungs and increasing their ability to take up oxygen.
For instance:
If you were to do lunges with a weighted vest for several days, you would realize that the next time you perform the same exercise without the vest on it will take you longer to get exhausted.
Nice!
This is because you have trained your body to respond differently to the workout:
By working out with the extra poundage, your body has gotten used to carrying a heavier load – hence carrying only your bodyweight will be “easy-peasy”.
And voiá:
You will be able to do more reps before you start gulping for air.
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3. Builds Muscle And Improves Bone Density
The extra load from your vest makes your body adjust to the demand.
It assumes that it needs to get stronger to deal with your sudden, massive weight gain. Thus, it stimulates your musculoskeletal system to form more bulky, strong, and dense bones.
Skinny people you see with protruding bones look brittle because they have weak bones and muscles. These individuals could benefit significantly from a weighted vest – as the vest would make their bone denser and their muscle stronger.
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4. Weight Loss
Whenever you do those pistol squats, muscle-ups, dips, or any other calisthenics workout, your body uses massive amounts of energy to fuel your muscles.
To keep the energy supply stable, the fat stored in your body is broken down to release the energy needed for the exercise.
“Wearing a weight vest that is 10 percent of your body weight can help you burn up to 8 percent more calories than doing the same activity without a weight vest. The more weight you add, the more calories you will burn.”
Reference: livestrong.com – How Much Weight Can You Lose Wearing a Weighted Vest?
If you have tried all calisthenics moves under the sun, but that fat around your tummy, thighs, or chest area doesn’t seem to bulge – strapping on a weighted vest might get the job done!
Your body will be working harder to keep up with the added weight, which means it will burn more fat than it would do not using a vest.
So:
With the increased calorie-burning effect, you will soon notice that the fat is gone and actually replaced with lean, rock hard muscle!
How To Start Doing Weight Vest Calisthenics
Final Words: Wearing a Weighted Vest Has Tons of Benefits
Maybe you are now looking at that vest in your equipment room and thinking; “Damn, didn’t know this thing is that damn cool…”
Well, it is!
Trust me. If you are serious about calisthenics, you should consider adding a weighted vest to your routine.
Your workout will be quite intense – I know, intense is painful – but it will be worth it!
Want to learn more about weighted vests, weighted pants, weighted armbands, and weighted shirts?
If your answer is YES, be sure to check out my collection of home strength training articles – LOADED with actionable and no-fluff stuff!
See you there!
Other Helpful Resources
- What is The Best Weighted Vest? Reviews, Comparisons And Top Picks
- Weight Vest Training Pros and Cons: Is it Worth it or Not?
- Is a Weighted Vest Good For Running? 5 Killer Benefits to Consider