The ultimate goal of working out is progression. To progress in a body transformation, progress on a weight loss journey or to progress in the amount of muscle & strength one grows; or just to progress in overall health.
In order to grow, the body must be challenged. It must have greater and greater obstacles to overcome in order for growth and progression to occur.
One way to do that is through adding weight to your calisthenics or bodyweight strength training. If you’re doing bodyweight exercises, one good way to add weight is with a weighted vest.
In this article we’ll look at 5 weighted vest exercise benefits, what to look for in a weighted vest and then check out 5 weighted vests for calisthenics and strength training.
5 Weighted Vest Exercise Benefits
1. Progressive Overload
There are a lot of weighted vest exercise benefits across different types of workouts and people. The right weighted vest can improve your regular workout by simply forcing your body to adjust to doing the same workouts with more weight, called progressive overload.
Progressive overload is going to be one of the biggest exercise benefits that comes from using a weighted vest. It’s a general term for growth but really the only way to keep progressing.
For example, if you’re doing calisthenics and bodyweight exercises such as pushups and pullups to strengthen those muscles then after just doing bodyweight you’ll need more resistance to grow. If you can do 15 pushups straight, that’s great. But once you hit 20 straight, 30 straight, 40 straight you won’t be seeing as much of a benefit in growth if you just added weight…hence, the weighted vest exercises benefits.
2. Increase Strength and Endurance
A weighted vest is something you can use for aerobic activities as well as strength training activities. The extra weight of the vest forces you to use more oxygen and strength to do regular exercises. You will build muscle and endurance by pushing your body beyond your basic workouts. The added weight will build your strength and your endurance for harder workouts and activities.
3. Improved Calisthenics and Bodyweight Capability
Bodyweight training is a fantastic way to strengthen one’s body. For most people, doing 20 pullups is difficult but for the calisthenics warrior that’s just the beginning. Once you hit the base line bodyweight capabilities then the next step to keep improving is increased challenge.
You do this by adding more resistance and weight. As you train to get to be able to do font levers, human flag, muscle ups and more you’ll need to be increasing your strength. The problem with increasing strength for those exercises is that you can’t just hold a dumbbell and do pullups (unless you’re a beast, can do a one arm pullups and hold a dumbbell).
So in order to challenge your body more, a weighted vest can make that happen with the added flexibility.
If you’ve ever seen Chris Heria doing his calisthenics workouts, you’ll notice he’s often got a weighted vest on. Not only can he do any calisthenic exercise out there but he does it with a weighted vest on. He got to that point by adding small additions of weight over time.
4. Musculoskeletal Development
Building muscle can be difficult, however it’s much easier when you wear a weighted vest because your body will have to adapt itself to support the new weight. Your adapting body will build bone, connective tissue and muscle to help withstand the added weight. You will notice that difference as you do more workouts and improve your stability and supportive systems.
5. Burn Fat
Weight management and weight loss can improve through the use of a weighted vest. Once you are familiar with wearing a weighted vest, you will notice fat slipping off your body.
Working out with a vest will burn calories and increase the rate of calorie burning more than regular exercising.
Are Weighted Vests Worth It?
“Are weighted vests worth it?” is a good question to ask when looking for a new exercise challenge. However, before answering, it’s important to know why they’re asking. If they’re asking ‘are weighted vests worth it’ to improve their strength for calisthenics, then yes it would be wise to invest in one.
However, if they’re just wanting to do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or plyometrics then a weight vest may not be the first choice. Because with plyometrics (jumping exercises) it can be hard on the neck and body having the weight slide up and down, albeit slightly, on one’s back.
How Do You Choose The Right Weighted Vest?
The right weighted vest is a combination of things for each person. Before you select the same vest as your friend, make sure you know you are purchasing the right vest for your activities and your body. The right vest needs to have all of the following things considered:
How Does It Fit?
The fit of the vest is the most important thing you need to consider before you buy a vest. You need to measure your chest, waist, and shoulders to ensure the vest you select will fit your body snuggly, but not too snuggly. The right vest will allow you to do your bodyweight and strength exercises without restricting your movement.
When I first tried using a weighted vest for calisthenics I found that the one I had didn’t work too well because it was too big and bulky to do the flexible movements I wanted. So I invested in a smaller and more flexible vest and found I could do calisthenics much easier.
The vest needs to fit around your shoulders because if you have narrow shoulders, larger vest designs will fall off your shoulders. If you are larger in the chest, neck, and shoulders, you need to ensure the neck is not too restricted, so you can move and breathe evenly.
Longer vests can be more difficult for shorter torsos to move with, a shorter vest that falls just above or below your rib cage can help ensure your torso can move freely through your activities. Each type of vest should have ways to tighten the vest snuggly to your torso to prevent the vest from moving around as you exercise.
Type of Weights
Weights can come as blocks of steel, bags of steel, or sand. All three types of weights have benefits for helping to distribute weight around the vest. The weights should be around the torso of your vest where you can carry the weight more easily.
Embedded Weighted Vests
Embedded weighted vests are the best vests to start using. They generally come with a single minimum weight of four, six, or twelve pounds and cannot exchange the weights or worry about the weights coming out of the vests during some types of exercises. Embedded weighted vests you will get you started, but you will need to purchase a new vest when your exercises become too easy for you.
Adjustable Weighted Vests
Adjustable weighted vests come with a more structured design and come with specially designed pockets that let you put more or less weight in your pockets for different types of workouts. They are good vests for advancement, though they do tend to be more expensive, and the quality of the weights is a mixture of good and bad by the brand.
What are the best-weighted vests?
1. Z ZELUS Weighted Vest
The Z ZELUS Weighted Vest fits great and is flexible enough to do various calisthenics and strength training exercises such as pullups, front levers, deep pushups and leg strength training comfortably.
The vest design helps it be long-lasting, and the premium chloroprene rubber material helps the vest keep its shape, despite the addition of elastic and soft padding that help make it fit snuggly and is comfortable to wear for extended periods.
The vest is suitable for regular exercises, such as bodyweight training, running, weight loss training, and walking, and stair running.
The design and the craftsmanship help the vest are durable and long-lasting. The vest has double stitching to prevent sand from leaking out of the vest while you workout. It also helps keep the sand evenly distributed throughout the vest to prevent your shoulders from getting fatigued as well as to keep your workouts balanced.
The design of the vest includes elastic that runs along with two straps in the bottom corners that ensure the proper fit for all body types. The material of the vest is very completely washable though hand washing the vest will ensure everything remains in top condition.
Pros
- Fits tight for bodyweight movements
- You can adjust the fit of the vest around your torso using the buckles.
- The design is comfortable for men and women to wear and use.
Cons
- Not able to add or takeaway weight
- The stitches can rip, releasing plastic beads.
- The vest is uncomfortable on the shoulders for some people.
2. Hyperwear Hyper Vest
The Hyperwear Hyper Vest is THE vest for calisthenics, bodyweight movement, climbing and any other versatile strength training modalities.
The vest is a professional-grade weight vest that comes with extra cords and special fabric that helps the vest be comfortable to wear and give you the workout you need. Designed for fit, the vest has a unique lacing system that runs up both sides of the vest.
The lacing system allows for you to exact-fit the vest to your body, regardless of size, and have it stay in place as you workout. This is excellent for bodyweight movements with required flexibility. It is professional grade so you’re paying for that but this should be a vest that lasts for over a decade. They also provide various weights and support to keep progression.
The thin fabric design of the vest includes a blend of Tyvek Lycra Nylon that stretches as you move and does not restrict your movement. The fabric is resistant to developing odors and wicks away moisture leaving the vest cool, and you dry from your workout. The design is unisex and allows for plenty of airflow and movement.
The free-flowing air design prevents the vest from chafing during your workouts. It also hugs your body, so you can wear it for more types of workouts without it getting in the way of your movement. The vest feels like wearing a compression shirt that does not restrict motion and breathes as you move.
Pros
- Professional grade
- The vest tightens up the side to allow for a perfect fit and maximum airflow.
- You can add more weight to the vest or redistribute it around your body for different workouts.
Cons
- The vest is not cost-effective for some people.
- The weights start pushing through the pockets because of the lightweight material.
- Limited total weight capacity compared to the weight some others go up to.
3. CROSS101 Weighted Vest
The CROSS101 Weighted Vest comes in two different patterns, including Arctic Camo and Desert Camo.
The vest comes with wrapping design that tightly binds it to your chest to prevent the vest from moving around your body. Which is useful for various strength training and bodyweight exercises.
One thing about this vest that is different than most others on this list is that it goes higher in weight, 40 pounds.
The binding design of the vest helps it fit most sizes of body snuggly. The Velcro strap adjusts to help you tighten the vest around your torso, no matter what the size of your body. The design of the vest helps it ride higher up on your torso, so you can control the extra weight you are carrying.
The Cross101 vest comes with an inner port to run headphones through the best, so you can listen to music while you work out. The vest has four pockets on the front and on the back to help hold small bags of sand. The design of the vest helps distribute the weight evenly around your body. You do not have to use all the pockets to get a full workout.
Pros
- Goes up to 40 pounds.
- The vest can fight tightly to all body types.
- You can adjust the amount of weight around the vest pockets.
- The weight distributes evenly around the front and the back of the vest.
Cons
- The vest is not easy to fully clean.
- More padding is needed on the shoulders to stop rubbing.
4. CAP Barbell (HHWV-CB020C) Adjustable Weighted Vest
The CAP Barbell (HHWV-CB020C) Adjustable Weighted Vest adjusts to fit your body tightly. The weight packets are steel-shot to help them be long-lasting. Wearing the vets can help you to build muscle as well as burn calories as you work out.
The vest is a durable neoprene design that places the weight of the steel bags around your body for balance. The vest fits your upper body snuggly to help prevent it from moving around. A breathable mesh helps the vest feel comfortable while you wear it.
You can adjust the vest to your body using the adjustable clips that are resistant to moving or popping open. The design and shape of the vest help it be one-size-fits-all. The wide shoulders and waist belt ensure the vest does not move around while you work out. The design also features reflective stripes that help you remain visible if you run or workout where you need to remain visible around vehicles.
The CAP vest is perfect for doing resistance training or jogging. Hooks come on the vest so that you can do parachute run training. The design can help you build stamina without wearing on your body. You can adjust the amount of weight around your body, but taking out weights as you need.
Pros
- Up to 20 pounds.
- Weight is adjustable.
- The vest comes with a large belt and shoulders to help the vest remain stable as you workout.
- The vest has hooks for parachute training.
Cons
- Smaller torsos will have trouble fitting the vest comfortably.
- The weights are too big for the pockets.
5. Aduro Sport Weighted Vest
The Aduro Sport Weighted Vest is the perfect vest for calisthenics, cardio and weight training exercises. The vest can help increase the intensity of the workouts by adding extra pounds to any workout.
The design of the vest makes it comfortable to wear for men, women, and kids. The design includes two adjustable chest straps that make it comfortable to wear for extended periods. The vest is soft, neoprene material that molds to your back and chest.
Each part of the neoprene material breathes for added comfort and to reduce the amount of sweat buildup. The vest compartments contain small iron pellets that help weigh down the vest evenly. Mesh pockets come stitched on the back so that you can carry your ID and your cell phone with you during your workout.
Using the Aduro vest can help you to increase your strength and endurance by doing regular kinds of exercises. Adding weight to your workout exercises can help you build your skeletal muscle and improve your cardiovascular system. The vest is easy to clean between workouts by hand washing to remove excess sweat.
Pros
- The weighted vest is perfect for beginners.
- Flexible and versatile for calisthenics exercises.
- You can purchase the weighted vest in weights, starting at four pounds up to twelve pounds.
- You can carry your cell phone and ID in mesh back pockets.
Cons
- Limited weight potential.
- Fixed weight.
- The shoulders of the vest could use more padding as it starts to rub during some exercises.
Conclusion
When looking for the best weighted vest for calisthenics and/or strength training, you’ll want to target a few key features:
- How it fits
- The types of weight used in it
- Adjustment capability
- Flexibility for calisthenics
To summarize, here’s the 5 best weighted vests for calisthenics and strength training.
- Z ZELUS Weighted Vest
- Hyperwear Hyper Vest
- CROSS101 Weighted Vest
- CAP Barbell (HHWV-CB020C) Adjustable Weighted Vest
- Aduro Sport Weighted Vest
Disclaimers
I am not a doctor and do not recommend anything on this site, or blog post, for anyone without consulting with their doctor first. Please read the privacy policy for more information.
The information in this article is for educational and entertainment reasons, it should not be interpreted as medical advice or as a recommendation for a specific treatment. Always talk to your doctor and in the event of a medical emergency one should seek the help of a qualified and licensed health care provider.
You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge Thefitnesswrangler.com from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of Thefitnesswrangler.com
There are affiliate links in this post where we’ll get a paid fee if you purchase something from that link – it won’t cost any more to you and in some cases may even save you money.
Leave A Comment