The Fitness Hack That Is Taking The World By Storm

The key is to start slowly.

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Published October 17, 2025
women running, walking, multiple, photograph, collage
AARP (Getty Images)

If your social media feed is tuned in to fitness content, chances are you’ve come across the newest trend in fitness apparel — the weighted vest. What used to be reserved for military training has made its way into gyms, outdoor workouts and living rooms everywhere. People are strapping on vests that weigh anywhere from 4 to 40 pounds before exercising. Some are squatting and planking with the extra weight strapped around their ex, while others wear them during daily chores like grocery shopping or housecleaning.

Why the hype? Dr. Kira Capozzolo, a chiropractor and co-owner of Twin Waves Wellness Center in California, says their popularity is in large part “because they allow people to intensify simple movements without fancy equipment. Post-pandemic, there’s been a boom in at-home and bodyweight training, and weighted vests add resistance without needing [expensive equipment].”

Adding a weighted vest to your regular routine is a simple way to increase your resistance and exertion while improving your results. If you’re ready to put this fitness trend to the test, we say go for it, Girlfriends! Don’t worry — we asked all the important questions, so you don’t have to. Keep reading for the 411 on this trending fitness hack:

Who Should Wear a Weighted Vest?

A weighted vest isn’t right (or safe) for everyone, so it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor or trainer before you get started. Generally, anyone in good health can wear a weighted vest. “They’re great for active individuals who already have good posture, joint stability and core strength,” says Dr. Capozzolo. On the other hand, if you suffer from any respiratory ailments, joint pain, spine issues or poor posture, you should refrain from wearing a weighted vest. Also, be sure you're healthy enough to perform any movements and activities without the vest before adding the extra weight.

The quality of your movements is more important than the amount of weight or resistance you add. “Adding weight to dysfunctional movement is a recipe for injury.”

What Are the Benefits?

A weighted vest is so much more than just a weight-loss tool. Yes, wearing a vest on your daily walk will increase calories burned, but the added resistance also “means more muscle engagement, better cardiovascular conditioning and a stronger stimulus for bone growth,” explains Dr. Capozzolo. Regular and proper use “can improve endurance, posture and bone density” and is especially beneficial for those in midlife and beyond. Capozzolo often suggests their use to her older patients as “a tool for fall prevention training because of the improved proprioception and stability they encourage.”

Weighted vests also help counter some key challenges of aging, such as muscle loss, balance issues and bone density decline. And who among us doesn’t want to prevent or even reverse aging?

How Do I Choose the Right Vest?

Sergio Pedemonte, a Toronto-based certified personal trainer at Your House Fitness, stresses the importance of finding the right fit. Beginners should “start with [a vest that is] one to five pounds.” Those who work out regularly can start with a little more weight and opt for a vest that’s about 10% of their body weight. Try a few on to find the most comfortable fit – the vest should hug your torso but not restrict your breathing. Many come with adjustable weights so you can add or remove them as needed.

You can find a decent vest for about $20 to $50 on Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target or Walmart.

What Are Some Tips for Getting Started?

The professionals agree that the key is to start slowly to prevent injury. They suggest getting comfortable wearing the vest and trying some of your usual activities with the added weight. Pedemonte recommends that beginners wear their vests “for five minutes per workout, one or two times a week.” Slowly increase the time you’re wearing the vest as well as the weight you’re carrying, the latter by a pound or two per week.

You’ll know it is time to increase the weight when, as Capozzolo says, you’re “walking, climbing stairs or doing bodyweight exercises with no pain or compensation (like leaning forward or shortening your stride) and recovery is easy.” Then, “you can gradually increase the load. Small jumps are best. Aim for 2 percent at a time.”

It’s not the advice we usually hear in midlife, but why not add a few extra pounds to improve endurance, strength, balance, bone health and more?

To learn even more about weighted vests, go here.

 

Have any of you tried a weighted vest? How did you like it? Let us know in the comments below.

Suzanne E. Hayes is a freelance writer based in Simsbury, Connecticut, where she’s raising three children and finding plenty of real-life inspiration along the way. Her work explores family, identity, and the beautifully messy moments of modern womanhood. Suzanne’s writing has appeared in Working Mother, Woman’s World, Kveller, Guideposts, Under the Gum Tree Literary Magazine, and more. With honesty and heart, she brings stories to life that resonate long after the last line is read.