5 Weighted Vest Exercises for a Strong and Fit Body

If you are looking to upgrade your fitness training, using a weighted vest can be the best low-impact option for the purpose. Weighted vest exercises can boost your physical performance and help you achieve a strong and fit body. Moreover, they can help burn a large amount of calories and improve your bone density, too.

Not only does this exercise tool create additional resistance during strength training, but it amps up your cardio, muscle-building, and bodyweight workout sessions as well. Carrying extra baggage in the form of a weighted vest changes the way your muscles and joints work during exercise, thereby giving out a more challenging and productive training session. The best thing about weighted vest exercises is that they add variety to your fitness session and even beginners can incorporate them in their training.

Although any exercise you perform can be leveled up by using a weighted vest, here are a few simple ones to begin your training.

Weighted Vest Exercises to Achieve a Fit Body

Here’s a look at some of the easiest weighted vest exercises that can help you get started with this tool. The following exercises are beginner-friendly, however, make sure to practice them under a trainer to ensure safety and effectiveness.

1. Parallel Bar Dips

If you want to work on your upper body, weighted parallel bar dips are one of the best exercises as they target some of the major upper body muscles, including the shoulders, triceps, and chest.

To add challenge to your muscles, you can try out different dip options, including triceps dips, bench dips, straight bar dips, and paused dips. People with regular shoulder pain, however, should be cautious when performing this exercise as descending too far can aggravate the pain even more.

How should you do it?

Wear the vest and stand tall in the middle of the parallel bars. Hold the bar with your palms facing toward your body. Jump and hold your body off the floor and ensure that your arms are completely extended straight.
Bring your shoulder blades down and back, lean forward and slightly bend your knees to position your feet off the floor at all times.
Now slowly lower your body and do not allow your feet to touch the floor. As you go down, your elbows should be at a 90-degree angle at the bottom. Push back to the start by extending your arms.
Repeat.

2. Squats

Squats are versatile lower body exercise that primarily target the hamstrings, adductors, abductors, glutes, and quadriceps. Considered to be the king of leg exercises, squats can improve your overall sports performance and help you achieve stronger, bigger, and bulkier legs.

You can opt for different squats using a weighted vest, including wide-stance squats, squat jumps, heel-elevated squats, and more.

How should you do it?

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and bend your knees as you lower your body toward the floor.
Continue to squat until your thighs get parallel to the floor. Engage your butts and thighs to get back up to the initial position.
Repeat.

3. Push-Ups

Weighted push-ups are an ideal exercise for developing muscle strength and growth in the upper body. This exercise helps increase the level of intensity and also develops muscle in the chest, shoulders, and core. Again, you can try different variations, including regular push-ups, decline or incline push-ups, diamond push-ups, deficit push-ups, and more.

How should you do it?

Lie down on all fours with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width but in line with your shoulders. Position your legs behind and straighten your knees.
Press into your toes, engage your abs, and press through your palms to push up from the floor. As you do this, keep your upper body straight and in line with your legs, head, and toes.
Once you are at the top position, lower your body until your chin or chest touches the floor.
Repeat.

4. Lunges

Weighted lunges are quite effective for increasing your overall balance and mobility. As this exercise can be a bit challenging, it is important to go slow and not choose too heavy weights too soon. For weighted lunges too, you can opt for different variations, such as jumping lunges; forward, walking, or backward lunges; deficit lunges; and so on.

How should you do it?

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and step forward with your right leg.
Keep your right foot flat on the floor and then bend both knees to lower yourself while keeping your back heel slightly lifted. Make sure your front leg is in line with your toes.
Push off firmly and return to the initial position.
Switch legs and continue.

5. Planks

Weighted planks help develop massive core and back strength and also enhance your body posture. This core crunching exercise engages the entire body and helps burn calories as well. For planks, you can try weighted forearm plank, foot elevated plank, plank on a stability ball, side plank, and so on.

How should you do it?

Take a tabletop position with your hands at shoulder distance and legs extended straight behind with your feet pointed.
Keep your hips in line with your toes and shoulders and hold the position as long as it feels comfortable.
Remember to keep your abs engaged throughout the exercise.

Takeaway

Although weighted vest exercises can tremendously level up your strength training and bodyweight exercise sessions, you can wear one for other exercises too. For example, you can wear one while running, jogging, jumping rope, sprinting, etc.

Don’t have a weighted vest? No problem. Just fill your backpack with heavy objects and use it for your home workout session.