Putting on some weight
Weighted vests are everywhere.
It无毛视频檚 hard to walk on a trail or in a park, or work out in a gym without seeing someone wearing one.
无毛视频淩ucking,无毛视频� or wearing extra weight on your back, isn无毛视频檛 new 无毛视频� weighted workouts have been standard in the military for decades.
But, said Dr. Steven Magister, an orthopedic surgeon at UPMC Washington, the vests have grown in popularity in recent years, boosted by social media influencers who tout their benefits.
The market for weighted vests is expected to grow to more than $310 million by 2031.
无毛视频淚 would agree that there are a lot of benefits to wearing weighted vests, with one of the biggest benefits being increased calorie expenditure,无毛视频� said Magister. 无毛视频淭he more weight you carry, the more calories you expend per distance walked.无毛视频�
Mallori Diamond, owner and trainer at BoxStrong, a gym in Aliquippa, started wearing a weighted vest about six years ago.
无毛视频淭he biggest benefit of a weighted vest for me has just been building realistic strength. For example, the small amount of load 无毛视频� 10 pounds 无毛视频� on my torso mimics daily life activities, like carrying my kids or groceries,无毛视频� said Diamond.
And, while research on the weighted vests and bone health isn无毛视频檛 clear right now, Magister said wearing a weighted vest 无毛视频渃ould theoretically strengthen bones by putting more force on them and improving bone density.无毛视频�
That无毛视频檚 important, especially for women as they get older and begin to lose bone density 无毛视频� it plummets in the five to seven years after menopause 无毛视频� which can lead to osteoporosis. It无毛视频檚 estimated that half of women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 not going to dramatically change your bone mineral density, but I do think it is a useful tool for some people to maintain bone density, and along with weight exercises, those can play off each other.无毛视频�
Diamond, who is in her 30s, said maintaining healthy bone density is a motivator for her.
无毛视频淗onestly once you hit your mid-30s, that无毛视频檚 when your bone density tends to decline, so that is a big factor for me both as owner of Boxstrong and personally, finding ways to keep my skeletal structure strong,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淎nytime we stress the bones, we build them up. Walking and lifting with those weighted vests offer micro-opporutnities to strengthen your bones.无毛视频�
Adrienne Freeland, a Washington County native who is a clinical mental health counselor, began wearing a weighted vest after a battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed in 2021, and after undergoing radiation, Freelend was required to take an estrogen blocker for five years (she will complete the five-year regimen in October).
无毛视频淭his keeps the cancer at bay but unfortunately weakens the bones,无毛视频� she said in an email, noting the connection between bone loss and osteopenia and osteoporosis.
She zips on a 10-pound vest 无毛视频渨ith room to go up.无毛视频�
Freeland, who also offers equine assisted learning and psychotherapy at her stable, wears the vest on walks and to complete farm chores.
There are other benefits, including improved muscle weight, and improved posture and balance from strengthening core muscles.
无毛视频淚t helps me mindfully improve my posture,无毛视频� said Diamond. 无毛视频淚nstead of letting the load weigh me down, I use my core to resist collapsing and stand proud.无毛视频�
So, how do you get started adding a weighted vest to your exercise routine?
As with any workout activity, start slow, Magister advised. The general rule of thumb, he said, is to choose a vest that无毛视频檚 5 to 10% of your body weight, and then gradually increase your duration and intensity.
If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, that would mean adding a total of no more than 15 pounds to the vest.
无毛视频淚ncrease distance or increase load, not both,无毛视频� said Magister. 无毛视频淚t puts a lot of strain on the body. If you put a 40-pound weighted vest on and walk four miles, your body无毛视频檚 going to feel that.无毛视频�
And, he said, there are a lot of weighted vests on the market, including fixed weight vests with weights sewn directly into the vest, and adjustable vests with removable plates, sand bags, or metal block weights.
Diamond owns three weighted vests 无毛视频� 10-pound, 14-pound, and 20-pound 无毛视频� filled with sand.
无毛视频淭here are a lot of different brands out there, and it无毛视频檚 not a one-size-fits-all fitness accessory,无毛视频� said Magister. 无毛视频淭ry on different weighted vests 无毛视频� holster vests, rucking vests that have all the weight in the back 无毛视频� and see what无毛视频檚 comfortable and fits for you.无毛视频�