What are the benefits of using a weighted vest?Updated a day ago

Weighted vests can be beneficial, depending on use and the individual.

It can raise exercise intensity during walking. Adding a vest load increases oxygen use and heart-rate response at the same speed/grade, so your walk “works harder” without increasing speed. **
Can increase energy expenditure at a given pace. External load can raise the energy cost of walking; this is a consistent finding in load-carriage research.**
Can provide a weight-bearing, mechanical loading stimulus. External mass can increase vertical ground-reaction forces during gait, i.e., a greater “weight-bearing dose” per step than in unweighted walking. Outcomes depend on the program you use with it.**
Can support bone-focused programs in postmenopausal women. A small, long-term study of weighted-vest + jumping maintained hip Bone Mineral Density over ~ 5 years; however, results are program-specific and not vest-alone.**

Adds progressive challenge to body-weight exercises and circuits. Using a vest within structured sessions is a practical way to increase load, consistent with ACSM guidance on progressive resistance (the vest is the loading method; adaptations depend on program design and progression).

- Benefits and results can vary from person to person.

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