Walking with a weighted vest is one of the simplest ways to make your daily walk work harder. Here’s why more women are embracing the trend, the benefits it could offer, and how to use one safely
With autumn on our doorstep and my routine slowly returning after the summer, September feels like the perfect time to get outdoors, explore and soak up the last of the mild temperatures before winter sets in.
It’s also why I’m loving my weighted vest – and I’m not the only one. A growing number of women are turning ordinary walks into more challenging full-body workouts simply by adding some extra weight. And the potential benefits go far beyond a lower-body burn and burning a few extra calories.
Known as weighted vest walking, the trend involves wearing a weighted vest while getting your steps in. It’s gaining popularity among fitness enthusiasts, longevity advocates and women over 40 looking for a low-impact way to build strength and improve cardiovascular fitness without spending any more time in the gym.
The beauty of wearing a weighted vest is that “you’re turning your daily steps into resistance training,” says Gary Brecka, Human Biologist and Founder of The Ultimate Human. “A few extra pounds, worn right, turns an ordinary walk into real resistance work – better posture, more core engagement, and a workout that sneaks up on you without adding a single extra minute to your day.”
According to Brecka, the added load forces your body to work harder with every step. “The added load shocks the body into raising its metabolism, increasing your body temperature, and increasing the load of that exercise. So, if you’re going to walk for 30 minutes and you simply just add a few pounds (he recommends three to seven pounds for a woman), you’re going to get 35 per cent more out of that small burst of exercise. So it’s essentially taking whatever movement you’re doing and accelerating it.”
But what is actually happening to your body when you strap on a weighted vest?
Why does walking feel so much harder with a weighted vest?
The answer comes down to simple physics. “Carrying extra mass forces your muscles to expend more energy,” says Miguel Vargas, Fitness Trainer, Senior Master Instructor and Training and Education Manager for TRX.
When you add weight to your body, every step requires more effort. Your muscles have to work harder to move the additional load and your heart rate is likely to rise, increasing the cardiovascular demand of what would otherwise be your usual walk.
“Weighted vests make it easy to add progressive resistance to almost any workout,” adds Vargas.
That’s because the increased demand forces your muscles to generate more force while your cardiovascular system works harder to deliver oxygen throughout the body.
Think of it as your usual brisk or Zone 2 walk with an added strength-training element. The vest increases the intensity, meaning your heart and muscles work harder, while – provided the load and pace are appropriate – you may still be able to maintain that all-important conversational pace.
And I think that’s where the appeal really lies. You don’t need to find another hour in your week or completely overhaul your training. You can simply make the walking you’re already doing work a little harder.
The longevity benefits of weighted vests
One reason weighted vest walking is generating so much interest among longevity experts is that it brings together two forms of exercise associated with healthy ageing: cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.
As we age, maintaining muscle and bone strength becomes increasingly important, particularly for women as we move through perimenopause, menopause and beyond. Adding load to walking may provide an additional stimulus to the muscles and bones compared with walking alone.
In fact, “it’s one of the best ways to fight sarcopenia, age-related muscle wasting,” says Brecka.
At the same time, you’re still getting all the benefits of walking itself, including supporting cardiovascular fitness, endurance and overall physical function.
Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise has also found that walking with a weighted vest increases the metabolic cost of walking, with heavier loads producing greater increases in energy expenditure.
For busy women, that’s perhaps the biggest draw: you’re potentially ticking several fitness boxes in one workout, without having to spend longer exercising.
Are weighted vests safe for your joints?
For most healthy people, weighted vest walking can be a relatively low-impact way to increase the intensity of a walk. Unlike running, you’re not repeatedly leaving the ground and landing with every stride, but that doesn’t mean more weight is always better.
The key is choosing an appropriate load and maintaining good walking mechanics rather than piling on weight and hoping for faster results.
There can be mental benefits to training with additional load, too. “Training with a weighted vest builds mental resilience by encouraging focus, control and proper movement mechanics,” says Vargas. “While the added load increases intensity, maintaining good form and mobility helps maximise results safely.”
If the vest changes the way you walk, causes you to hunch forwards or leaves you with pain in your back, hips, knees or ankles, it’s a sign to reduce the load or take it off.
How to get started with a weighted vest
The best place to start is light. Choose a vest that weighs no more than around 5–10 per cent of your body weight and, if you’re completely new to weighted walking, there’s no harm in starting below that.
Look for a vest that distributes the load evenly across your torso, with adjustable buckles or straps so it sits snugly against your body rather than bouncing around as you walk.
“A high-quality vest distributes load perfectly across the torso and shoulders. To maintain balance under the weight, your deep core, back and glutes lock in automatically, improving movement and posture,” says Vargas.
You can also buy vests with removable weights or plates, which I particularly like as they allow you to increase or decrease the load depending on your fitness, route and goals.
Start with a 20- to 30-minute walk two or three times a week and focus on walking tall, keeping your shoulders relaxed and maintaining your normal stride.
As you become more comfortable, resist the temptation to simply keep adding weight. Instead, make your walks progressively more challenging by choosing a hillier route, picking up your pace or adding a few minutes.
Because ultimately, that’s what I love about weighted vest walking: it isn’t complicated. I can strap mine on, head out of the door and make a walk I was going to do anyway feel like a workout – without adding another session to my already busy week.
