Would you say of yourself that you are athletic? Can you do more than 20 push-ups in a row without your muscles burning and your lungs going on strike? Can you do more than 6-8 strict pull-ups without leaving your grip like a wet toast for the rest of the day? Are air squats something that gets your blood pumping back and forth in your brain, but are no longer a challenge? Then it's time to change something in your training plan! But how? Many exercises with your own body weight can be scaled up by a more complex execution, but some factors that are difficult to influence, such as mobility and physique, do not allow this. In our opinion, the solution lies in the purchase of a weighted vest.

But how does a weight vest have to fit so that it is the right one? Which weight is suitable and how quickly should the difficulty be increased. We hope that with this article from wodmagazin we can help you and take your training to the next level together with you!

Where did the idea of ​​extra weight come from?

Functional fitness has only a few principles that run through the entire concept. You complete heavy exercises, whether in the maximum strength, strength endurance or endurance area. You vary these and make use of different forms of stress. In short: Your body faces new disciplines and new stimuli as often as possible in order to become holistically fitter and more athletic. Well-known tools such as a barbell can be used as well as a sandbag, a truck tire or a simple rope, which you have to climb several times. "Making the most out of what you have" could be the basis of the fitness concept. The urge to use everything that can be used probably also stems from this adaptive concept.

How the agony began:

The weight vest itself could have emerged from two directions. The less likely version is that they were simply looking for a tight fitting, "heavy pack". It is much more conceivable that weight vests are the civilian version of plate carriers and have accordingly found their way into sports. With brands like 5.11 , which appear in the USA as outfitters for the military and functional fitness alike, tactical equipment has become indispensable. The weights are standardized and can be purchased in the wodstore in sizes of 5.2 and 8 kilos. Alternatively, Picsil also offers plate carriers that can be equipped in even smaller steps. So you can simply scale the additional weight to the extent that suits you best.

What are the benefits of a weight vest?

Even if the origin story might be exciting for you, you actually read through this blog to find out how a weighted vest can improve your training. The benefits can be divided into four points: strength, condition, posture and supporting muscles.

The point of strength is explained in no time at all: If you increase the weight that your body has to move when doing squats, push-ups and the like, you are likely to increase muscle stimulus. In the long run, more muscle stimulation means that the muscle grows alternately with enough regeneration and stimulation. It's the same with your condition: If you carry out the same exercise at time X longer than before, you will develop more capacity in the cardio area. As a result, you produce less lactate, which means you don't feel like your muscles are "blocking" for longer. This means you can do more work at a time and become more efficient.

Posture and supporting muscles can be summed up in one, even if they are improved by different things. First of all, it should be mentioned that a weight vest does not forgive mistakes. That doesn't mean that beginners like you might not be able to use them for yourself. Rather, it means that a weight vest creates learnings that you cannot gain with your body weight alone. If the hand position is not right in the pull-up, the additional weight pulls on you even more and the hand slips. If your center of gravity is wrong in the squat, then you slip out of balance, much more likely with a vest than without. So you have a heavy, annoying coach on your shoulders who mercilessly points out your mistakes. Good posture through programming with weight.

Good posture and a heavier weight than your body also develops supporting muscles, which in turn pull you straight independently. So there are a plethora of benefits developing here.

Posture comes from fit:

The waistcoat has to fit, just like the waistcoat of a three-piece suit. It's tight at the waist, stable on the shoulders and doesn't constrict on the arms. This keeps your blood flow upright and you efficient. If pressure is exerted on the neck after a few minutes of carrying, then you should adjust the carrying straps.

The general rule is: Tight fit? Absolutely! stay flexible? Without doubt! Slipping during workout? Please avoid!

We summarize:

A weight vest will help you improve on other exercises. It serves as a kind of feeder for all elements of fitness. It should fit the body and not appear superfluous. If you want to increase your strength, you use more weight. If condition and posture are to be upgraded, then smaller weights will help. With the plates in the vests of 5.11 and Picsil, you can individually dose which stimulus is right for you.

Do you use weight vests in training or is your body enough for you? Which team do you belong to?