WORTH THE WEIGHT
We Wore a 10-Pound Vest for 2 Weeks
By: Elizabeth Rakow
I’m on my regular evening walk through South Philly, taking in the sweltering heat and the thick August air. It’s around 6 pm, the sun is still high in the sky, and I’m walking my regular route. I pass through Passyunk Square, traipse across Broad Street, and keep an eye out for my favorite neighborhood cats, always reliably perched on their windowsills.
This is a walk like any other–except that I’m carrying an additional 10 pounds.
The weighted vest craze is in full swing and a few of us on the Free People and FP Movement teams have taken it upon ourselves to put it to the test first-hand. We each vowed to wear the Everlast 10 lb. Weighted Vest for at least 20 minutes a day for 14 straight days and see how we felt. The results? A diary-style breakdown of our collective experience, with nothing but the weight of our own expectations (and, of course…our vests).
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A WEIGHTED VEST?
To put it simply, doing any activity with some extra weight is going to make your muscles work a little harder. From your calves and glutes to your abs and back muscles, an additional ten pounds (or any amount of weight) is going to have a strengthening effect. For those who prefer low impact activity (walking, hiking, even yoga), adding some extra weight to your workout can not only build muscle, it’s also been proven to build bone density, burn more calories, and even improve balance.
The Everlast 10 lb. Weighted Vest is designed for strength training and conditioning. Crafted from neoprene with built-in iron and sand weight filling, this vest offers adjustable straps and a soft-feel for comfortable long-term wear. Everlast’s EverGrip™ technology secures the vest in place and reduces movement during exercise, plus the reflective details are perfect for getting a workout in at night while staying visible. With nothing to lose and plenty to gain (literally), our team decided to put this vest to the test. Here’s how it went.
The Everlast 10 lb. Weighted Vest is designed for strength training and conditioning. Crafted from neoprene with built-in iron and sand weight filling, this vest offers adjustable straps and a soft-feel for comfortable long-term wear. Everlast’s EverGrip™ technology secures the vest in place and reduces movement during exercise, plus the reflective details are perfect for getting a workout in at night while staying visible. With nothing to lose and plenty to gain (literally), our team decided to put this vest to the test. Here’s how it went.
THE WEIGHTED VEST DIARIES
How we used our weighted vests:
DAY 1
“When you first put it on, you feel the weight, and there is a significant difference when standing up or doing certain movements in it. It felt a bit like I was in school, wearing a backpack filled with heavy textbooks, but better distributed.”
DAY 2
“Feeling a bit sore from yesterday’s weighted walk and workout—mostly in my upper body, but also a little in my legs, which could be from my other workout. Despite the soreness, I’m feeling strong, and honestly, I get a rush of motivation just from putting it on.”
DAY 3
“I’m really surprised by how much quicker I started to sweat during my walk!”
DAY 4
“The first few days I definitely felt it, especially if I opted to walk longer than 20 minutes. I remember being particularly sweaty on days 3-4 because it was like 85 degrees out and I was walking around with an extra 10 pounds.”
DAY 5
“Getting out there was hard the first few days, knowing I'm gonna have that extra weight, but once I got used to it, I started to feel my stamina grow.”
DAY 1
“When you first put it on, you feel the weight, and there is a significant difference when standing up or doing certain movements in it. It felt a bit like I was in school, wearing a backpack filled with heavy textbooks, but better distributed.”
DAY 2
“Feeling a bit sore from yesterday’s weighted walk and workout—mostly in my upper body, but also a little in my legs, which could be from my other workout. Despite the soreness, I’m feeling strong, and honestly, I get a rush of motivation just from putting it on.”
DAY 3
“I’m really surprised by how much quicker I started to sweat during my walk!”
DAY 4
“The first few days I definitely felt it, especially if I opted to walk longer than 20 minutes. I remember being particularly sweaty on days 3-4 because it was like 85 degrees out and I was walking around with an extra 10 pounds.”
DAY 5
“Getting out there was hard the first few days, knowing I'm gonna have that extra weight, but once I got used to it, I started to feel my stamina grow.”
"What I thought was a workout trend was actually something that made a simple movement even more effective.”
DAY 6
“At first, I wasn’t loving getting sweatier on my walks, but I came to appreciate how easy the vest made it to do a simple workout.”
DAY 7
“I actually started to look forward to it, knowing it was a quick way to get a sweat in.”
DAY 8
“I think after the first week of doing it every day (so day 8 I guess) I started to make it an actual habit and didn't need to set a reminder to grab the vest.”
DAY 9
“When I went on longer walks in the vest, I felt more sweat buildup under the straps. I felt the strain the most in my shoulders, and definitely felt “the burn” sooner into my walk than I usually would (in a good way). It really felt like an easy way to level up my movement for the day. During this time, I also saw another girl in her weighted vest, and felt solidarity.”
DAY 10
“When I think about doing this on my lighter walks long term, maybe I'd switch to a 7-pound vest instead. But I've already gotten used to the 10 pounds and I def felt like I could go for longer walks in it already. 10 felt like a lot the first day, but it's all stamina, and it got easier as I went!”
“At first, I wasn’t loving getting sweatier on my walks, but I came to appreciate how easy the vest made it to do a simple workout.”
DAY 7
“I actually started to look forward to it, knowing it was a quick way to get a sweat in.”
DAY 8
“I think after the first week of doing it every day (so day 8 I guess) I started to make it an actual habit and didn't need to set a reminder to grab the vest.”
DAY 9
“When I went on longer walks in the vest, I felt more sweat buildup under the straps. I felt the strain the most in my shoulders, and definitely felt “the burn” sooner into my walk than I usually would (in a good way). It really felt like an easy way to level up my movement for the day. During this time, I also saw another girl in her weighted vest, and felt solidarity.”
DAY 10
“When I think about doing this on my lighter walks long term, maybe I'd switch to a 7-pound vest instead. But I've already gotten used to the 10 pounds and I def felt like I could go for longer walks in it already. 10 felt like a lot the first day, but it's all stamina, and it got easier as I went!”
DAY 11
“I started to feel more familiar with the vest. I began putting it on for everyday tasks in the house to spice things up a bit. The longer you have the vest, the easier it is to get creative with it, thinking of ways to add more movement into everyday activities. I enjoyed that I was getting a light burn without it feeling overpowering. During this time, I also would forget I was wearing it, as it became more and more normal.”
DAY 12
“By day 12-13 it was second nature. I would even pick it up to wear on my walking pad when I wanted a little extra sweat even though I had technically done my 20-minute challenge for the day already.”
DAY 13
“Ultimately, I think it was more of a mental thing for me. It really helped me challenge myself after a long period of being stagnant over the summer. It made my walks feel like real workouts, which made me feel really good about getting out there and taking care of my body.”
DAY 14
“At this point, I finally understood the hype, and why so many people were walking around my beach town with these vests on. What I thought was a workout trend was actually something that made a simple movement even more effective. Let's just say after day 14 I reserved my judgement ;)”
“I started to feel more familiar with the vest. I began putting it on for everyday tasks in the house to spice things up a bit. The longer you have the vest, the easier it is to get creative with it, thinking of ways to add more movement into everyday activities. I enjoyed that I was getting a light burn without it feeling overpowering. During this time, I also would forget I was wearing it, as it became more and more normal.”
DAY 12
“By day 12-13 it was second nature. I would even pick it up to wear on my walking pad when I wanted a little extra sweat even though I had technically done my 20-minute challenge for the day already.”
DAY 13
“Ultimately, I think it was more of a mental thing for me. It really helped me challenge myself after a long period of being stagnant over the summer. It made my walks feel like real workouts, which made me feel really good about getting out there and taking care of my body.”
DAY 14
“At this point, I finally understood the hype, and why so many people were walking around my beach town with these vests on. What I thought was a workout trend was actually something that made a simple movement even more effective. Let's just say after day 14 I reserved my judgement ;)”
WEIGHTED VEST FAQs
HOW TO USE A WEIGHTED VEST
When using your weighted vest, make sure you try to walk standing upright, rather than bending backward or forward with the added weight. The vest should fit snugly without being too tight or uncomfortable. While we opted to do 20 minutes with the vests every day, you should start at whatever pace feels right and comfortable for you, increasing your speed and time as you see fit.
HOW TO CHOOSE A WEIGHTED VEST
When choosing your weighted vest, consider your comfort level and weight preference. While the vests we used had a set weight of 10 lbs, other styles have removable weights that you can adjust based on preference. It is recommended that most people choose a weight that does not exceed 10% of their body weight. However, this all comes down to personal preference - you should always choose whatever weight or style feels right and comfortable for you.
HOW OFTEN TO WALK WITH A WEIGHTED VEST
This completely depends on your workout regimen and preferences! We opted to walk 20 minutes per day for 14 days as a means of getting a light workout in and giving the weighted vests a proper test run. Some recommend starting with one to two walks per week with a weight of 5 lbs and gradually increasing from there. Those with more ambitious fitness goals may opt for a more intermediate or advanced routine–it all comes down to personal choice!
When using your weighted vest, make sure you try to walk standing upright, rather than bending backward or forward with the added weight. The vest should fit snugly without being too tight or uncomfortable. While we opted to do 20 minutes with the vests every day, you should start at whatever pace feels right and comfortable for you, increasing your speed and time as you see fit.
HOW TO CHOOSE A WEIGHTED VEST
When choosing your weighted vest, consider your comfort level and weight preference. While the vests we used had a set weight of 10 lbs, other styles have removable weights that you can adjust based on preference. It is recommended that most people choose a weight that does not exceed 10% of their body weight. However, this all comes down to personal preference - you should always choose whatever weight or style feels right and comfortable for you.
HOW OFTEN TO WALK WITH A WEIGHTED VEST
This completely depends on your workout regimen and preferences! We opted to walk 20 minutes per day for 14 days as a means of getting a light workout in and giving the weighted vests a proper test run. Some recommend starting with one to two walks per week with a weight of 5 lbs and gradually increasing from there. Those with more ambitious fitness goals may opt for a more intermediate or advanced routine–it all comes down to personal choice!
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
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