Weight Vest Workout

[Marlene123]

In the most current issue of "Muscle and Fitness Hers" I came across an interesting workout using a weighted vest and wanted to get some opinions here as to its effeciveness and worth-whileness.

For those of you who do not have this magazine I will describe it here.

From the article directly:

"Reebok's weighted Iron Wear is a great solution for increasing intensity without risking injury from jogging or running. I called Reebok Master Trainer Kathy Stevens to test drive the product and get in an outdoor workout. She gave me the following information about the energy expenditure diferences between walking and running the same distance.

Looking at energy expenditure alone, a walker certainly doesn't burn the same number of calories as a runner (depending on speed). But when a walker slaps on a vest weighing 10% of her bodyweight, her calorie expenditure rises by 10%, coming closer to the calorie burn of a more intense activity like running.

A few minutes into exercising with a vest, you won't be concentrating on the numbers. After walking briskly and doing squats with the weighted vest, I find myself huffing and puffing, working much harder than I usually do when walking.

Because the vest tends to weigh people down, Kathy adds scapular squeezes throughout the walking bouts. Standing tall, simply squeeze your lats together and lift your chest, thus correcting fallen posture.

Though you may be tempted to try the heaviest vest you can find, Kathy cautions against ever wearing a vest that exceeds 20% of your body weight. A 130 pound woman should go no higher than about 25 pounds - and that's if she has excellent core strength, posture and level of fitness.

This circuit workout alternates five minute walking bouts with strength exercises for a total of approximately one hour. Perform 12-15 reps for each exercise, or until form falters. Repeat for up to three sets per exercise. Begin with five minutes walking warm up, light stretching of chest, calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, shins and shoulder shrugs and rolls.

Bout 1:
5 minutes walking
stationary lunge (12-15 each side)

Bout 2:
5 minutes walking
push ups off bench

Bout 3:
5 minutes of walking
squats (advanced can do squat jumps)

Bout 4:
5 minutes walking
tricep dips off bench

Bout 5:
5 minutes walking
standing diagonal scale reach (*described later)

5 minutes cool down

Repeat warm up stretches.

Note: before attempting to walk with a weighted vest, people should demonstrate the following:

-- low back strength (having an adequate range of motion and being pain free in all directions)

-- core stability (be able to prop self up and maintain stability for at least 20 seconds

-- hip and ankle mobility/stability."


Now Marlene is talking:

I have been searching for a cross training solution to get me out of the house once in a while. My cardio sessions only include step bench and kickbox and I wanted to find something else appealing. My knees will not allow me to run or jog for any length of time and this seemed like a possible alternative.

I went out early this morning to City Park (lots of shade trees and benches for the modified pushups and tricep dips) and did the whole routine. I did not have a vest so I must tell you that the workout did not tax me in any way. Oh sure, I worked up a little sweat (because the heat and humidity in New Orleans is awful) but at least without a vest, this workout was not a difficult thing to accomplish.

But it was nice to get out in the fresh air and it was certainly a change of pace for house-bound me that only exercises in air conditioned comfort.

I ordered the vest. The best deal I could find was at Fogdog.com. The vest was $69.99 plus around $8 for shipping. Weight can be added in increments up to 20 pounds.

I am aiming to do this as a crosstraining about once a week, in addition to kickbox, step benching and of course, weight work.

Now, here's my question:

Is this considered a cardio workout? A weight workout? I just am not sure where to fit this in.

My idea was once a week to go to the park bright and early, do this and then come home and do my usual weight workout (whichever I had planned to do regardless of this circuit). For example, do the abovementioned circuit, come home and do Pure Strength Chest, Back, Shoulders, Bis and Tris plus abs.

Does all this sound like a good idea?

My goals are just to maintain current weight and I usually do three cardios per week. Is this a 4th cardio? Should I eliminate one of my regular cardios in lieu of this new routine?

I read that it is good to crosstrain to avoid overworking a particular muscle group overmuch. Would this be a satisfactory solution?

*standing diagonal scale reach:

The picture this move shows the author standing with one hand on her hip and the other arm extended forward. On the same side as the hand on hip, extend leg straight back. Lean forward. I guess this move is for balance and core stength.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Marlene

 

[naughtoj]

Man, that was a long post!!!!

It sounds pretty good Marlene. Overtraining would be a concern for me though being that you say you would be adding this workout to whatever you had planned for a specific day. Also, I do not think it would be appropriate to do this workout before a lower body strength day. I would assume you would only be doing this workout every other day?? Why do you feel you must incorporate strength exercises during your walk?? I don't know much about this vest, this seems a better topic for either Honeybunch or Aquajock, but do you not derive any cardio value from just wearing the vest alone?? If you are to do this every day, I might try only doing the upper body exercises during your walk on the days you are working upper body, and the lower body exercises on the days you are working legs. No matter what, make sure your body parts have a full day recovery.


You know where it really seems like this vest would excel??? Hiking, or possibly rollerblading. Once you got used to it of course!!! Hiking is slow enough that adding wt. would not seem too detrimental or dangerous. Do you have any mountains where you live..or hills???

I will be interested to see what the others have to say, as this vest sounds intriguing, but I question its true value as far as increased calorie burn. Seems like the pressure it would put on your joints would outweigh any calorie burn benefit.

 

[naughtoj]

Oh yeah, I forgot to say, but I think it would be considered mostly a cardio workout. But when you integrate all the strength exercises you make it weights. I would not cut out one of the other cardios for it though. Not unless you feel overtrained.