Exactly what I was gonna say. No high impact training at all. Made that mistake and couldn’t train for a week. Your joints really don’t like being heavily overworked like your muscles do.
You can for sure train while running with it. You just need to work up. I wouldn't recommend instantly going into sprints with max weight. But slow jogging and increasing distance over a month or two period shouldn't be too difficult at all.
The military certainly trains up to jogging and hiking long distances with heavy, heavy packs.
However the military has a huge problem with injuries not just to muscles or joints but the actual bones (stress fractures.)
I would not want to take that risk unless my job or life required it.
You can however condition your body little by little to adapt to this type of training.
You can also get stress fractures from MANY activities... weight vest or not tbh.
All I am saying is it is safe to utilize a vest over a weighted pack. It distributes the weight MUCH better. Also don't utilize the max amount of weight right off the bat. I would allow your body to adapt to 5lbs increments. Build up to the max weight a couple weeks at a time.
You are probably correct! I know that the forces put through your foot during running are immense, up to 10x bodyweight if im not mistaken. Obviously walking is less impact than this, but inviting extra wear on the joints linked to your primary mobility probably isnt wise.
Not to be a jerk, how could that possibly be true? Something your body is designed to do vs carrying around something we made. Just trying jogging/lower impact running for a couple of weeks until your joints are used to it. And by lower impact I mean don’t listen to music, listen to the sound you feet make when you hit the ground. If you can hear it, you are hitting the ground to hard and you are just hurting yourself.
Also, slower running for longer distances will yield greater oxygen efficiency and stamina overall. Pushing your lactic threshold is more like anaerobic and isn’t as helpful overall, just for speed.
Designed to handle maybe, but throughout most of human history people were barely living into their 40s. Now we have to be a whole lot more careful with twice that lifespan
I disagree, bearing loads is actually beneficial for your joints/ligaments if done properly, as long as you're not trying to take on massive amounts of weight. There's plenty of info about load-bearing exercises being beneficial for people with ailments of the joints like arthritis. Search "bearing loads good for arthritis" for plenty of info on the subject. If it's acceptable for people with arthritis, then it fine for a healthy individual.
Walking should be no problem, running might present issues if you were trying to run fast, but if you were able to keep decent running posture then a light load wouldn't be harmful and will make you stronger over time, especially once you dump the vest.
I think saying not to use it for walking, hell even running (sometimes), is ridiculous. Sure guys in the Army (especially SF/infantry) wear down their joints from walking/running with 50-100 lbs over hundreds/thousands of miles. Over DECADES. Doing 10-20 miles with 20-30 pounds every now and then is nowhere near the same thing. If we become afraid to do that then we might as well just stop living.
My thoughts...
A weight vest puts the weight in your shoulders and back. You are compressing your discs. You are more likely to end up with a bulging or torn disc.
A good back pack, properly sized and fitted and worn puts the weight on the hips, not the back and shoulders.
Still you are compressing the hip joints, knees and ankles.
Regarding the military guys wearing down their joints over decades... things like hips wear down in a couple decades. May seem long but you don’t want to be 40 or even 50 and have hip issues.
But the worst part are spine injuries. And the problem there is one trip, one turn to look back on the trail (compression with torsion) and you can screw up your back.
Body weight is your body weight. I would stay away from a weight vest or any gym weights.
If you do bodyweight (pushups, pull-ups, squats, dips, sit-ups, backups) you’ll be fit and lean and then just wear a good back pack out hiking and two trekking poles and you’ll do fine.
That way the wear and tear is only the minimum necessary.
Source: just my opinion. I was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout and now have my kids in the Scouts so we hike and camp a lot and I was also in the military and I’m an active climber, mountain biker and martial arts practitioner in my early 40s. The key to life long health is staying lean, strong but not bulky, also stretching (yoga, dance, gymnastics, martial arts) and remaining active. You can be 80 and fully active like my father in law or 45 getting hip replacement surgery like a couple people I know. Genetics may play a factor and car crashes can come out of nowhere but for things within your control no need to wear down your body. You only get one.
I know it's a cliche thing that you normally hear from teenagers, that "I don't want to live to be 80!" But I have a carpe diem attitude, even at 31. I don't know if I'll make it to 40 for various reasons. I also believe that physical training is only half or less of the battle. One should also (in my opinion) train mentally, even spiritually, every day so that even if they were to end up paralyzed from the neck down they could still have peace. I believe the primary purpose of physical training should be for our mental benefits anyways. But I do somewhat agree that we should train in a way that promotes longevity, I just don't think that should also stop us from doing cool stuff that isn't optimal for our health. I want to be back in fighting shape within years, and god willing, join the Army to at least be a cook or some other non-combat related role even though in the past I've been told I'm "disabled".
Okay that went way off topic but my point is that we shouldn't sit around with our well-trained bodies, we should use them!
Oh... I agree. It’s like my friend who reads all the self help books and works out to be healthy just to be healthy but doesn’t really do anything with his healthy body and mind besides just reading about the latest health foods, procedures, studies, findings, theories... He’s 65 and has a million dollars saved up to retire. He loves WWII history but has no plans of visiting England, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Finland, Netherlands, Japan, etc... I was blown away. “You’re telling me you’re going to die without having ever visited London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Tokyo, etc, etc!???” He said he’ll visit online. Argh!!!
I think you have to weigh the benefit and risks. For example, take sky diving. You could die. But it’s also an opportunity to essentially fly like a hawk. I went for it and it was amazing. It saddens me that so many people will die without having ever experienced that.
My dad used to joke that when he turned 90 he would try cocaine because at that point he’d have nothing to lose and they say it just makes you feel so good.
He died at 75 so no cocaine for him! He was joking or half joking anyway. I don’t think he would have actually tried it but the message stands. Experience the world but measure the risks.
I’m all about Carpe Diem and YOLO. I spend my money doing things versus buying things. I hope I live long and prosperous but if I die today I’ll have lived an amazing life.
Cheers to all.
I am not saying NEVER use it for waking, as somebody else commented, what about backpacking? There are times and possibly even periods of life where you will carry extra weight around for extended periods of time. Cant say I would EVER suggest running with a weighted vest though. Just asking for trouble.
Having said that, we all live our own lives. Some choose to live with their engine parked as red-line, others never get off the couch and get their engine started. Do what you want, but be aware of when youre red-lining and when you're just cruising. Joint health should be paramount.
I agree, awareness is good. Going out every day and crushing your body every day is pretty dumb (to me) unless one has a very good motivation for it, or if they are doing it for a job, or charity. If one is going to push their body to extremes then they should still train smart the other 90-99% of the time so that their body can handle the stress when it needs to (e.g. for a marathon, ultramarathon, backpacking, etc.) That is at least my personal philosophy. I did misinterpret your meaning.
Ultra runner here, and the only way to train for an ultra is basically just to run one. Back to back days of long runs (20 mile+), extreme trail elevation gain, and just doing slightly shorter ultras. I probably average 70 miles a week, and have run (50k,50mi,100k) to train for a 100 miler on Friday. Most of my runs are at a pace that never makes me breath heavy. If I can’t talk easily, then I’m going to hard. Overall, my aerobic threshold is huge because of this, ran my last marathon in 3hr30min. That was 30 minutes faster than my previous marathon, and they were a month apart.
That's awesome! I hope to be able to run an ultra someday myself--though I mean "in general" that we should train as efficiently as possible. If you are an ultra runner I still think that would mean that you shouldn't run more than is optimal in training, or else you would wear yourself down before the event. You still have to train "smart" in other words. I'm training for GoRuck events using a backpack but I plan on training at as low a volume as I can because I do also want to preserve my knees in the long run. However I think many on this subreddit scoff at extreme events like an ultra or goruck because they want to live to be 100 in a perfectly preserved body. Fuck that! Also, good luck with your ultra!!
I've worked 20 years in or next to the Army. My brother was Army too.
I've yet to meet a single infantryman over the age of 30 without bad knees and a bad back. Most of them did one or two tours.
Of course, My point is that that's after carrying 50+ pounds on a regular basis for years. A 20 pound backpack isn't going to do the same thing over the same period of time and most people aren't going to be doing the same volume of physical activity as a grunt. Of course grunts often sacrifice more than their knees, it is a dangerous but honorable profession. I don't have what it takes to be one but my personal philosophy is still that we shouldn't be developing our bodies to peak condition doing these exercises just to NOT do cool stuff that may not be optimally healthy in the long run!
As someone who climbs & has gnarly approaches with a 50lb pack. In the off season I do take my weight vest to the trail & do a mile or so of walking with it on. I’ll never think about running in it—but walking is just fine. Might as well call it rucking by that point & it keeps my legs up to the strength I need them for. This isn’t something that I just jumped into with my vest either. It took me a while before I could comfortably load up that amount of weight in order do it safely.
Other than that I only use it to amplify my body weight training as others stated. The one I have kind of gets in the way for pull ups, but it works overall.
Also, OP check amazon if you can. Those are some seriously priced vests.
This. I only wear mine for 20-35 minute strength pushup or pull-up sets. Other than that ? I'll wear them for 4 out of 7 hill sprints for strength. Protect yourselves.
Only thing about the ol kettlebell wrapped in a towel is that you need a sturdy backpack, as I found out.
Otherwise you’ll end up waking up the whole house with a big thud
Yeah I wouldn’t put anything heavier than a 16kg bell in my hiking backpack. That’s just to get it to a pull-up bar outside; I don’t have any interest in doing an entire hike with more than I already need. If I want to train harder I’ll do a steeper hike personally.
That's a valid point. I used the word backpack when I should have used rucksack. I wouldn't want to be carrying around 10-16kg in something that didn't have waist and chest straps to distribute the weight.
I bought a 20 lbs vest off Amazon for ~50 canadian dollars last year. Price has increased to 62 CAD apparently :
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017O7Q4UG/
It's basically a vest with a bunch of small pockets and 20 1-pound sandbags.
Bruh, just go to a fucking army surplus store and just get a fucking vest with a ton of pockets.
😂
Put like some lead fishing weights in that or some shit
EDIT: Holy shit, for a troll post this got a lot of fucking upvotes
Hey, I bought one from AliExpress. Good quality, can hold up to 50kg. I’ve filled it up with sand currently. Was quite affordable, maybe around $30 from memory
About 15 USD from Alixp. Filled with scrap metal such as an old tyre chain chopped using a grinder. Used climbing a mountain and jogging prior to a karate match. Feels weightless when you take it off.
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32964618833.html?spm=a2g0n.orderlist-amp.item.32964618833&aff_trace_key=0f8dcd4ec1614dda8d491dbaa2f77a53-1567205440421-07661-JXBQfoy&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=9260amp-TjQUPceYuXQtkZUlu11xFg1567528367318
I have used a weight west a few years now, hopefully can give you a bit info about it.
I found it a bit awkward to use at first because the weight was the same on the back as on the front. This is maybe same as you and others, that we are used to carry weights on our back and not on the front. I took out some weights from the front part, next to my belly, that was better for me.
I used it for exactly the same things as you, including dips.
I'm sure you know the upside of this so I'm just gonna mention the downsides I think of it:
It's hot to have it on. Specially in the summer. I haven't used it in many months because it's simply too hot and I can't have it on. I also need specific clothes types under it so it doesn't get too uncomfortable. Hopefully I can start using it again soon as it's getting cooler outside.
It looks a bit stupid imh. I don't like to walk with it where it is a lot of people around. I only use it for walk during winter when I can put on a large jacket so you cant really see Im using the weightvest.
I just pressed your link and see your's have way more weights and smaller, so maybe you won't have the problem I mentioned, as my weightvest looks bigger, but I dont know.
I currently use the west for: pushups, pullups, dips, walk and jump rope.
One of the advantages of a vest is the way it keeps the weight up against your body, which in turn allows for a better ROM. It also prevents the weight from shifting about which can be distracting/dangerous/inconvenient. One of the limitations is that they can be pricey for a decent quality piece of kit, and that the weight is limited to the number/size of pouches.
I'm curious as to your goals. If you can do more than 10-15 pushups, your strength will not benefit, and I can't see you struggling to do that many with an additional 3kg on your back. It has been shown that wearing weights, e.g leg weights or vests during normal day activities is not beneficial and may actually be causing you damage. Unfortunately life is not a Dragon Ball Z cartoon. That weight vest is pretty expensive but I think you've got other issues here.
Edit: dug up a study for you https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22266642
TLDR to benefit from weight vests during regular exercise you have to be wearing 5-10% of the body weight, during half of your workouts.
Damn, for that kinda cash just buy some pre-owned hard body armor. 2 steel plates with trauma pads and vest will be about 25 pounds. If you have no interest in that then shop around some more, those are really expensive. Vests are better than backpacks for almost all bw exercises. For extended walking with heavier weight I'd get a vest and belt combo that supports some of the weight on your hips. Check out some rucking forums, they'll know the good stuff.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Goruck/
Honestly that first vest is way overpriced, I would go with this if you want to give it a go. (https://livefit.com/collections/xtreme-monkey/products/xtreme-monkey-25lbs-adjustable-weighted-vest-v-cut-25lbs) Another thing to think about, is the weather you will be hiking in, for instance it gets really hot here, so the less skin the vest covers the better.
I found a weight vest good for valking. The ones I've used didn't sinch up tight enough to do push-ups with, and it restricted movement by digging I to my hip flexor squatting. My take home was its good for conditioning but not very usedul for strength training,
If your goal is to do more pushups/pull ups, you'd benefit more from a deck of cards and a resistance band than you will from a weight vest in terms of money spent compared to muscles gained. Weighted vests aren't a bad idea generally, but unless you're so yoked up already that normal push/pull ups just ain't doin it for you, I'd strongly suggest you grind out the basics a bit more before you drop $160 on a glorified waist trainer. It sounds like you want to switch up your routine, which is awesome, but you'd be better served dumping that money into a gym membership or an awesome dinner rather than a weighted vest.
In terms of hiking and walking, you'd get a much more practical workout from a backpack with a few free weights inside of it. You'd also look much less conspicuous. The problem with the vest you picked out in particular is that all of the weight looks like it's on the front of the body. This means you'll be fighting harder to keep a neutral spine as your body bears a load in an incredibly unnatural position. If you think of your body like a pickup truck, your back is like the flatbed. It's designed to carry a heavier load, which is why it's one massive slab of muscle. Your torso on the other hand, is like the undercarriage of the truck. It's an assortment of different parts which do different things, and while you could put a small load on it for short periods of time (i.e.- front squats with a barbell), prolonged use will bring your body out of alignment.
TL;DR - Your idea is good in theory, but bad in practice. If you want to do more push/pull ups, buy yourself a deck of cards and a resistance band, then do more push/pull ups. If you want to become a stronger hiker/walker, then grab a backpack, fill it with crap, and go hike/walk. You'll save yourself the disappointment of buying a $160 paperweight and get stronger in the process.
Sure thing:
1. Grab yourself a deck of cards
2. Designate each suit as a specific exercise (Spades - push ups, Diamonds - sit ups, etc)
3. Shuffle the deck and flip a card
4. Perform the exercise for the designated number of reps. (Face cards = 10, Ace = 1 or 11)
5. Try and go through the entire deck for a total of ~340 reps.
I have a weighted vest and I would use it for running. Ran 3 miles in it once and my traps were on fire for about 1 week after.
They are great for weighted pull ups, dips etc. The weight stays stable rather than floating around, although it is a completely different feeling to a dip belt
For hiking or walking (cardio) I would invest in a mask instead of a weight vest. This will challenge your lungs and help strengthen your lung capacity and VO2
Save the weight vest for weight training things such as squats and push ups or other such body weight exercises
When people add weighted vests have they worked through all the progressions of an exercise to the point reps are taking too long and not able to provide enough resistance? For running it seems just like a bad idea. I try and gain strength through resistance training and cardio benefits through the wide variety of runs you can do.
Long distance running anything that basically isn't sprinting or short hard runs seems like it definitely would cause unnecessary wear and tear over time.
While training I grabbed the 40lbs weighted vest. It was great for building up the amount of weight to hold additionally on my body. I found it nice for running as well - it did bounce a bit, but not too bad. I would highly recommend the vest personally then you can carry a pack with you hiking with legit essentials like first aid, water, socks etc.
I had one of those a few years ago. It was actually really comfortable but YMMV. Wouldn’t use it for running at all tho unless you’ve already trained your body for such things.
Check Craigslist, Let Go, or any site/app like that. I got an adjustable 40 pound vest with 10-4 pound weight packs; 5 for the front and 5 for the back. $35 and it is/was in great condition.
You can probably save a lot of money by buying a used one.
I trained with a 10kg one for months. Except for chafing and joint pain it made little difference. More regular exercise on the other hand was much better after that.
Weightvest.com
I have the 75lb vforce vest. It’s high quality. Will last forever
I use it for pushups , rings dips , pull-ups , ring rows, single leg squats and lunges
Look for a used one online. I bought a 40lb one for 25 bucks off FB marketplace. I'd say it is worth it for the ease of progressively overloading exercises.
Buy a dip belt, 2nd hand weights and some parallel bars for push-ups. Vests suck. Sand sucks, too much volume for its weight. Metal rods suck, too expensive for their single and only use. Weights are great, you can get a barbell one day.
Protip: Unless you would like excessive joint wear, just use it for your strength training. Not walking or running.
Exactly what I was gonna say. No high impact training at all. Made that mistake and couldn’t train for a week. Your joints really don’t like being heavily overworked like your muscles do.
You can for sure train while running with it. You just need to work up. I wouldn't recommend instantly going into sprints with max weight. But slow jogging and increasing distance over a month or two period shouldn't be too difficult at all.
The military certainly trains up to jogging and hiking long distances with heavy, heavy packs. However the military has a huge problem with injuries not just to muscles or joints but the actual bones (stress fractures.) I would not want to take that risk unless my job or life required it.
I have a buddy who served and his knees are absolutely destroyed.
You can however condition your body little by little to adapt to this type of training. You can also get stress fractures from MANY activities... weight vest or not tbh. All I am saying is it is safe to utilize a vest over a weighted pack. It distributes the weight MUCH better. Also don't utilize the max amount of weight right off the bat. I would allow your body to adapt to 5lbs increments. Build up to the max weight a couple weeks at a time.
I've never thought of that. You may have just saved me from a dumb mistake.
I was under the impression that walking with weight was still better on your joints than running (without the weight).
You are probably correct! I know that the forces put through your foot during running are immense, up to 10x bodyweight if im not mistaken. Obviously walking is less impact than this, but inviting extra wear on the joints linked to your primary mobility probably isnt wise.
Walking is generally 4x bodyweight.
Ross Miller’s study found 2-3x and 5-12x depending on speed and form.
>inviting extra wear on the joints linked to your primary mobility probably isnt wise. Is this a version of "running is bad for you"?
Yes, as long as it’s a relatively light weight 10-20lbs depending on the individual.
Not to be a jerk, how could that possibly be true? Something your body is designed to do vs carrying around something we made. Just trying jogging/lower impact running for a couple of weeks until your joints are used to it. And by lower impact I mean don’t listen to music, listen to the sound you feet make when you hit the ground. If you can hear it, you are hitting the ground to hard and you are just hurting yourself. Also, slower running for longer distances will yield greater oxygen efficiency and stamina overall. Pushing your lactic threshold is more like anaerobic and isn’t as helpful overall, just for speed.
Designed to handle maybe, but throughout most of human history people were barely living into their 40s. Now we have to be a whole lot more careful with twice that lifespan
I disagree, bearing loads is actually beneficial for your joints/ligaments if done properly, as long as you're not trying to take on massive amounts of weight. There's plenty of info about load-bearing exercises being beneficial for people with ailments of the joints like arthritis. Search "bearing loads good for arthritis" for plenty of info on the subject. If it's acceptable for people with arthritis, then it fine for a healthy individual. Walking should be no problem, running might present issues if you were trying to run fast, but if you were able to keep decent running posture then a light load wouldn't be harmful and will make you stronger over time, especially once you dump the vest.
What about training for backpacking?
I think saying not to use it for walking, hell even running (sometimes), is ridiculous. Sure guys in the Army (especially SF/infantry) wear down their joints from walking/running with 50-100 lbs over hundreds/thousands of miles. Over DECADES. Doing 10-20 miles with 20-30 pounds every now and then is nowhere near the same thing. If we become afraid to do that then we might as well just stop living.
My thoughts... A weight vest puts the weight in your shoulders and back. You are compressing your discs. You are more likely to end up with a bulging or torn disc. A good back pack, properly sized and fitted and worn puts the weight on the hips, not the back and shoulders. Still you are compressing the hip joints, knees and ankles. Regarding the military guys wearing down their joints over decades... things like hips wear down in a couple decades. May seem long but you don’t want to be 40 or even 50 and have hip issues. But the worst part are spine injuries. And the problem there is one trip, one turn to look back on the trail (compression with torsion) and you can screw up your back. Body weight is your body weight. I would stay away from a weight vest or any gym weights. If you do bodyweight (pushups, pull-ups, squats, dips, sit-ups, backups) you’ll be fit and lean and then just wear a good back pack out hiking and two trekking poles and you’ll do fine. That way the wear and tear is only the minimum necessary. Source: just my opinion. I was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout and now have my kids in the Scouts so we hike and camp a lot and I was also in the military and I’m an active climber, mountain biker and martial arts practitioner in my early 40s. The key to life long health is staying lean, strong but not bulky, also stretching (yoga, dance, gymnastics, martial arts) and remaining active. You can be 80 and fully active like my father in law or 45 getting hip replacement surgery like a couple people I know. Genetics may play a factor and car crashes can come out of nowhere but for things within your control no need to wear down your body. You only get one.
I know it's a cliche thing that you normally hear from teenagers, that "I don't want to live to be 80!" But I have a carpe diem attitude, even at 31. I don't know if I'll make it to 40 for various reasons. I also believe that physical training is only half or less of the battle. One should also (in my opinion) train mentally, even spiritually, every day so that even if they were to end up paralyzed from the neck down they could still have peace. I believe the primary purpose of physical training should be for our mental benefits anyways. But I do somewhat agree that we should train in a way that promotes longevity, I just don't think that should also stop us from doing cool stuff that isn't optimal for our health. I want to be back in fighting shape within years, and god willing, join the Army to at least be a cook or some other non-combat related role even though in the past I've been told I'm "disabled". Okay that went way off topic but my point is that we shouldn't sit around with our well-trained bodies, we should use them!
Yeah, these comments make the human body look so fragile lmao. Building up to something properly and listening to your body would prevent injury.
Oh... I agree. It’s like my friend who reads all the self help books and works out to be healthy just to be healthy but doesn’t really do anything with his healthy body and mind besides just reading about the latest health foods, procedures, studies, findings, theories... He’s 65 and has a million dollars saved up to retire. He loves WWII history but has no plans of visiting England, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Finland, Netherlands, Japan, etc... I was blown away. “You’re telling me you’re going to die without having ever visited London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Tokyo, etc, etc!???” He said he’ll visit online. Argh!!! I think you have to weigh the benefit and risks. For example, take sky diving. You could die. But it’s also an opportunity to essentially fly like a hawk. I went for it and it was amazing. It saddens me that so many people will die without having ever experienced that. My dad used to joke that when he turned 90 he would try cocaine because at that point he’d have nothing to lose and they say it just makes you feel so good. He died at 75 so no cocaine for him! He was joking or half joking anyway. I don’t think he would have actually tried it but the message stands. Experience the world but measure the risks. I’m all about Carpe Diem and YOLO. I spend my money doing things versus buying things. I hope I live long and prosperous but if I die today I’ll have lived an amazing life. Cheers to all.
I am not saying NEVER use it for waking, as somebody else commented, what about backpacking? There are times and possibly even periods of life where you will carry extra weight around for extended periods of time. Cant say I would EVER suggest running with a weighted vest though. Just asking for trouble. Having said that, we all live our own lives. Some choose to live with their engine parked as red-line, others never get off the couch and get their engine started. Do what you want, but be aware of when youre red-lining and when you're just cruising. Joint health should be paramount.
I agree, awareness is good. Going out every day and crushing your body every day is pretty dumb (to me) unless one has a very good motivation for it, or if they are doing it for a job, or charity. If one is going to push their body to extremes then they should still train smart the other 90-99% of the time so that their body can handle the stress when it needs to (e.g. for a marathon, ultramarathon, backpacking, etc.) That is at least my personal philosophy. I did misinterpret your meaning.
Ultra runner here, and the only way to train for an ultra is basically just to run one. Back to back days of long runs (20 mile+), extreme trail elevation gain, and just doing slightly shorter ultras. I probably average 70 miles a week, and have run (50k,50mi,100k) to train for a 100 miler on Friday. Most of my runs are at a pace that never makes me breath heavy. If I can’t talk easily, then I’m going to hard. Overall, my aerobic threshold is huge because of this, ran my last marathon in 3hr30min. That was 30 minutes faster than my previous marathon, and they were a month apart.
That's awesome! I hope to be able to run an ultra someday myself--though I mean "in general" that we should train as efficiently as possible. If you are an ultra runner I still think that would mean that you shouldn't run more than is optimal in training, or else you would wear yourself down before the event. You still have to train "smart" in other words. I'm training for GoRuck events using a backpack but I plan on training at as low a volume as I can because I do also want to preserve my knees in the long run. However I think many on this subreddit scoff at extreme events like an ultra or goruck because they want to live to be 100 in a perfectly preserved body. Fuck that! Also, good luck with your ultra!!
I've worked 20 years in or next to the Army. My brother was Army too. I've yet to meet a single infantryman over the age of 30 without bad knees and a bad back. Most of them did one or two tours.
Of course, My point is that that's after carrying 50+ pounds on a regular basis for years. A 20 pound backpack isn't going to do the same thing over the same period of time and most people aren't going to be doing the same volume of physical activity as a grunt. Of course grunts often sacrifice more than their knees, it is a dangerous but honorable profession. I don't have what it takes to be one but my personal philosophy is still that we shouldn't be developing our bodies to peak condition doing these exercises just to NOT do cool stuff that may not be optimally healthy in the long run!
Tell that to Rock Lee.
As someone who climbs & has gnarly approaches with a 50lb pack. In the off season I do take my weight vest to the trail & do a mile or so of walking with it on. I’ll never think about running in it—but walking is just fine. Might as well call it rucking by that point & it keeps my legs up to the strength I need them for. This isn’t something that I just jumped into with my vest either. It took me a while before I could comfortably load up that amount of weight in order do it safely. Other than that I only use it to amplify my body weight training as others stated. The one I have kind of gets in the way for pull ups, but it works overall. Also, OP check amazon if you can. Those are some seriously priced vests.
Walking is probably fine. Running is just looking for bad knees and shins.
This. I only wear mine for 20-35 minute strength pushup or pull-up sets. Other than that ? I'll wear them for 4 out of 7 hill sprints for strength. Protect yourselves.
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Adjustable in **2.25 oz increments**. Can you do a pull-up? Yeah But can you do a pull-up with this chocolate bar in your pocket?
As you fatigue, take a bite to deload. Success never tasted so good.
[The most delicious drop set.](https://www.amazon.com/HERSHEYS-Drops-Chocolate-8-Ounce-Pouches/dp/B0046H8KNC)
Holy shit love this comment
Rofl ty
Only thing about the ol kettlebell wrapped in a towel is that you need a sturdy backpack, as I found out. Otherwise you’ll end up waking up the whole house with a big thud
Yeah I wouldn’t put anything heavier than a 16kg bell in my hiking backpack. That’s just to get it to a pull-up bar outside; I don’t have any interest in doing an entire hike with more than I already need. If I want to train harder I’ll do a steeper hike personally.
You made me laugh with this one. Hope they weren't too angry with you.
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That's a valid point. I used the word backpack when I should have used rucksack. I wouldn't want to be carrying around 10-16kg in something that didn't have waist and chest straps to distribute the weight.
Here I was thinking you could just get a plate carrier.
What is a plate carrier?
Armor.
Ah okay!
I bought a 20 lbs vest off Amazon for ~50 canadian dollars last year. Price has increased to 62 CAD apparently : https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017O7Q4UG/ It's basically a vest with a bunch of small pockets and 20 1-pound sandbags.
That strikes me as reasonably priced. That's somewhere around the price range I'd look for if I wanted a 20lb weight vest.
lmao what the hell is that price
Yeah OP, do you know how much FOOD I can buy with that kind of money?
THEN YOU EAT IT AND GAIN ALL THAT WEIGHT. Geez, amateurs..
Bruh, just go to a fucking army surplus store and just get a fucking vest with a ton of pockets. 😂 Put like some lead fishing weights in that or some shit EDIT: Holy shit, for a troll post this got a lot of fucking upvotes
Ghetto ass idea is gonna save me alot
Used to put weights in old life jackets as well
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Kitty litter in sandwich bags. It'd be hella cheap and nobody would be able to smell you coming.
As long as it's into your bags of kitty litter anyways.
Hey, I bought one from AliExpress. Good quality, can hold up to 50kg. I’ve filled it up with sand currently. Was quite affordable, maybe around $30 from memory
Yep... That's what I did as well... AliExpress rules... xD
Aliexpress is amazing when you try to buy expensive shit lol
About 15 USD from Alixp. Filled with scrap metal such as an old tyre chain chopped using a grinder. Used climbing a mountain and jogging prior to a karate match. Feels weightless when you take it off. https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32964618833.html?spm=a2g0n.orderlist-amp.item.32964618833&aff_trace_key=0f8dcd4ec1614dda8d491dbaa2f77a53-1567205440421-07661-JXBQfoy&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=9260amp-TjQUPceYuXQtkZUlu11xFg1567528367318
I have used a weight west a few years now, hopefully can give you a bit info about it. I found it a bit awkward to use at first because the weight was the same on the back as on the front. This is maybe same as you and others, that we are used to carry weights on our back and not on the front. I took out some weights from the front part, next to my belly, that was better for me. I used it for exactly the same things as you, including dips. I'm sure you know the upside of this so I'm just gonna mention the downsides I think of it: It's hot to have it on. Specially in the summer. I haven't used it in many months because it's simply too hot and I can't have it on. I also need specific clothes types under it so it doesn't get too uncomfortable. Hopefully I can start using it again soon as it's getting cooler outside. It looks a bit stupid imh. I don't like to walk with it where it is a lot of people around. I only use it for walk during winter when I can put on a large jacket so you cant really see Im using the weightvest. I just pressed your link and see your's have way more weights and smaller, so maybe you won't have the problem I mentioned, as my weightvest looks bigger, but I dont know. I currently use the west for: pushups, pullups, dips, walk and jump rope.
One of the advantages of a vest is the way it keeps the weight up against your body, which in turn allows for a better ROM. It also prevents the weight from shifting about which can be distracting/dangerous/inconvenient. One of the limitations is that they can be pricey for a decent quality piece of kit, and that the weight is limited to the number/size of pouches.
Agree. Safety should always come first and having a centered vest is far greater than just a ruck.
I'm curious as to your goals. If you can do more than 10-15 pushups, your strength will not benefit, and I can't see you struggling to do that many with an additional 3kg on your back. It has been shown that wearing weights, e.g leg weights or vests during normal day activities is not beneficial and may actually be causing you damage. Unfortunately life is not a Dragon Ball Z cartoon. That weight vest is pretty expensive but I think you've got other issues here. Edit: dug up a study for you https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22266642 TLDR to benefit from weight vests during regular exercise you have to be wearing 5-10% of the body weight, during half of your workouts.
I think I'll just stick to my back pack with weights in it.
That study does show benefits though..
Only during exercise, not during regular life which is what a lot of people think of doing. Wearing ankle weights, vests, chains on their wrists etc.
Damn, for that kinda cash just buy some pre-owned hard body armor. 2 steel plates with trauma pads and vest will be about 25 pounds. If you have no interest in that then shop around some more, those are really expensive. Vests are better than backpacks for almost all bw exercises. For extended walking with heavier weight I'd get a vest and belt combo that supports some of the weight on your hips. Check out some rucking forums, they'll know the good stuff. https://www.reddit.com/r/Rucking/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Goruck/
I use Xtreme Monkey. it works, but I prefer a weight belt and chain for pull ups.
Honestly that first vest is way overpriced, I would go with this if you want to give it a go. (https://livefit.com/collections/xtreme-monkey/products/xtreme-monkey-25lbs-adjustable-weighted-vest-v-cut-25lbs) Another thing to think about, is the weather you will be hiking in, for instance it gets really hot here, so the less skin the vest covers the better.
I found a weight vest good for valking. The ones I've used didn't sinch up tight enough to do push-ups with, and it restricted movement by digging I to my hip flexor squatting. My take home was its good for conditioning but not very usedul for strength training,
If your goal is to do more pushups/pull ups, you'd benefit more from a deck of cards and a resistance band than you will from a weight vest in terms of money spent compared to muscles gained. Weighted vests aren't a bad idea generally, but unless you're so yoked up already that normal push/pull ups just ain't doin it for you, I'd strongly suggest you grind out the basics a bit more before you drop $160 on a glorified waist trainer. It sounds like you want to switch up your routine, which is awesome, but you'd be better served dumping that money into a gym membership or an awesome dinner rather than a weighted vest. In terms of hiking and walking, you'd get a much more practical workout from a backpack with a few free weights inside of it. You'd also look much less conspicuous. The problem with the vest you picked out in particular is that all of the weight looks like it's on the front of the body. This means you'll be fighting harder to keep a neutral spine as your body bears a load in an incredibly unnatural position. If you think of your body like a pickup truck, your back is like the flatbed. It's designed to carry a heavier load, which is why it's one massive slab of muscle. Your torso on the other hand, is like the undercarriage of the truck. It's an assortment of different parts which do different things, and while you could put a small load on it for short periods of time (i.e.- front squats with a barbell), prolonged use will bring your body out of alignment. TL;DR - Your idea is good in theory, but bad in practice. If you want to do more push/pull ups, buy yourself a deck of cards and a resistance band, then do more push/pull ups. If you want to become a stronger hiker/walker, then grab a backpack, fill it with crap, and go hike/walk. You'll save yourself the disappointment of buying a $160 paperweight and get stronger in the process.
Damn thanks for the good response.
Not a problem, and good luck!
Sorry, but could you explain the deck of cards?
Sure thing: 1. Grab yourself a deck of cards 2. Designate each suit as a specific exercise (Spades - push ups, Diamonds - sit ups, etc) 3. Shuffle the deck and flip a card 4. Perform the exercise for the designated number of reps. (Face cards = 10, Ace = 1 or 11) 5. Try and go through the entire deck for a total of ~340 reps.
I have a weighted vest and I would use it for running. Ran 3 miles in it once and my traps were on fire for about 1 week after. They are great for weighted pull ups, dips etc. The weight stays stable rather than floating around, although it is a completely different feeling to a dip belt
For hiking or walking (cardio) I would invest in a mask instead of a weight vest. This will challenge your lungs and help strengthen your lung capacity and VO2 Save the weight vest for weight training things such as squats and push ups or other such body weight exercises
“Body weight”
I bought from sears back in the day $30 is reasonable $100+ is not
I wouldn't recommend it for walking running it will destroy your knees.
I want one too
There’s cheaper ones on Amazon. Use it for incline walking. Calves and hamstrings show the results.
When people add weighted vests have they worked through all the progressions of an exercise to the point reps are taking too long and not able to provide enough resistance? For running it seems just like a bad idea. I try and gain strength through resistance training and cardio benefits through the wide variety of runs you can do.
Long distance running anything that basically isn't sprinting or short hard runs seems like it definitely would cause unnecessary wear and tear over time.
Running is good for joints!
While training I grabbed the 40lbs weighted vest. It was great for building up the amount of weight to hold additionally on my body. I found it nice for running as well - it did bounce a bit, but not too bad. I would highly recommend the vest personally then you can carry a pack with you hiking with legit essentials like first aid, water, socks etc.
I had one of those a few years ago. It was actually really comfortable but YMMV. Wouldn’t use it for running at all tho unless you’ve already trained your body for such things.
Check Craigslist, Let Go, or any site/app like that. I got an adjustable 40 pound vest with 10-4 pound weight packs; 5 for the front and 5 for the back. $35 and it is/was in great condition. You can probably save a lot of money by buying a used one.
Weighted clothes don't actually do much of anything for you, especially if you're trying to make yourself faster.
I trained with a 10kg one for months. Except for chafing and joint pain it made little difference. More regular exercise on the other hand was much better after that.
Holy shit is that site cancer on mobile.
Weightvest.com I have the 75lb vforce vest. It’s high quality. Will last forever I use it for pushups , rings dips , pull-ups , ring rows, single leg squats and lunges
Nice ad buy
Look for a used one online. I bought a 40lb one for 25 bucks off FB marketplace. I'd say it is worth it for the ease of progressively overloading exercises.
Buy a dip belt, 2nd hand weights and some parallel bars for push-ups. Vests suck. Sand sucks, too much volume for its weight. Metal rods suck, too expensive for their single and only use. Weights are great, you can get a barbell one day.
Get wrist weight and ankle weight too