Weighted vests are an easy and fairly inexpensive way to turn any workout into a real gasser. The rule of thumb is that wearing a vest that equals 10 percent of your body weight results in an additional 8 percent caloric burn in most workouts.
Related: Weight vest amps up simple exercises cheaply
I have designed two workouts that I feel really fit the vest capability. But first, let’s talk a bit about weight vests.
1. Do not try to save money by getting the cheapest product. It will last only a couple of workouts before the zippers start to snag and then break or the pockets start to tear from the jostling of the weights.
2. Choose a vest that that comes with all the weights you will need versus an empty vest you fill yourself with your weight plates. The pockets are always a bit big, which allows for more slop in the weight pocket.
3. Buy your vest from a fitness company experienced in selling top-flight fitness equipment. Rogue is a top company for everything (if you watch the Crossfit games, you will see the Rogue label on a lot of gear).
My go-to company is www.weightvest.com in Idaho. The company’s made-in-the-USA vests are 1,000-denier, including a women’s version, and all vests have an adjustable belt system. They can go long- or short-bodied and include progressive vests from the economical WOD to the top-line V-Force with extra reenforcement on the pockets and shoulders. All have lifetime warranties. Granted, the vests cost a bit more than others, but believe me, it’s a quality product. I have learned in the last 12 years that in the fitness world, there is value added when you pay a bit extra for quality equipment.
In the workouts, remember: Scale anything for sets, rounds or time if you need to, but do not scale the rep numbers. Start with a light weight in the vest, at least 5-10 pounds, and work up.
Workout 1
‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’
This is a grind. No, or minimal, resting the entire time. Go for 30 minutes (if you don’t have a clock, 18 rounds).
5 kettle-bell/dumbbell swings (about 36 pounds)
10 horizontal pullups. Set a bar low enough so that your chest is right under the bar, your body straight, at whatever angle you want to start, and the heels of your feet are on the floor. Extend your body fully under the bar and pull up so that your chest touches.
15 pushups
20 squats to 90 degrees
Workout 2
Five seconds between sets, lengthen as needed. Do four sets of everything. You may have to scale back the sets if you’re just starting to work with the vest. Try to get through one set of everything as a start.
10 pushups
10 squats to 90 degrees
10 calf raises using a cardio step to put your toes on
10 crunches with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet on a bench. Focus on bracing your abs prior to lift. Lift only your shoulders off the ground, holding for a 5-count with abs braced.)
10 triceps dips on a bench
10 lunges/5 each leg
10 jack-knife or dive-bomber pushups. Set up in a pushup position so your hips are raised very high in the air. Your legs may have a slight bend, and you might be on your toes. Your back will be at about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Perform the pushup so that you keep the 45-degree angle and touch your forehead to the floor. Return to arms at almost full extension.
10 step-ups/5 each leg. Use a 6- to 7-inch step, which is the height of a stair run. Scale up to a 20-inch box.
Related: For more exercise combinations and a tip on scaling the workout for very fit individuals, go to militarytimes.com/weightvests2012.