UB professors offer tips for using weighted exercise vests

Start with light loads, these experts say, and be sure to maintain a healthy diet

BY DOUG SITLER

BUFFALO, N.Y. – There is a growing exercise trend of people wearing weighted vests while working out. Enthusiasts claim on social media and elsewhere these vests can improve weight loss, cardiovascular health, posture and increased bone and muscle growth. Is there any validity to these claims?

Two University at Buffalo professors in the Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, J. Luke Pryor and Christopher Perry, discuss the studied benefits of weighted vests. They both agree that using weighted vests can be a useful addition to someone’s exercise routine, but they are not a miracle cure that will fast-track weight loss and building muscle mass.

Are weighted vests here to stay, or is this another fitness fad?

“Weighted vests and load carriage in general are non-traditional exercise implements that should be kept in the proverbially exercise toolbox,” says Pryor. “Walking with weighted vests for the purpose of increasing energy expenditure is effective and a prudent option to include in a weight management program or to add variety to an existing exercise regimen.”

Perry says weighted vests are not a fad, but they’re not a magic weight-loss device either. “They’re a simple way to make everyday movement, like walking, taking the stairs, or body weight drills, a little more demanding. Add a bit of external load and you burn more energy at the same pace, you challenge your muscles and bones a touch more, and you raise the training effect without changing the movement pattern. For people who don’t love the gym but will walk, a vest can be a practical ‘take it up a notch’ button.”

What’s the science behind weighted vests? How does it deliver better fitness results for those who wear them?

Pryor cites a 2024 research publication led by Dave Looney of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine observed a substantial non-linear increase in energy expenditure while walking while wearing a weighted vest. “Essentially, the more weight worn in the vest, the more energy expended,” says Pryor.

Perry says, “It’s still the basics that drive fat loss: consistent activity, smart nutrition, and sleep. A vest can help you do more work with the same time, especially on walks, but it won’t outrun a poor diet.”

How might weighted vests help with bone health?

“Theoretically, adding load during locomotion or resistance exercise can improve bone mineral density,” says Pryor. “However, the typical load carried in the weighted vests is usually not sufficient to evoke bone mineral density changes.”

If someone is interested in using a weighted vest for exercise, how should they start?

“If someone wants to try one, I tell them: start light (5–10% of body weight), keep it to walks or easy hills at first, stick to good surfaces and footwear, and build up slowly,” says Perry. “People with joint pain, balance issues, or medical conditions should talk to a clinician first. Used intelligently, a weighted vest can be a useful accessory, like seasoning on a meal. It enhances the dish, but it doesn’t replace the main ingredients, which is often the biggest problem I find working with clients interested in weight loss approaches.”