Weighted vests
If you’re interested in wearable weights, perhaps the best option, Bryant says, is a weighted vest. They’re typically 10 to 150 pounds and can be a terrific way to increase the intensity and difficulty of your cardio and strength workouts. He recommends using one that’s 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, which will help ensure safety and comfort. Exceeding that could lead to joint pain.
Weighted vests are “centrally loaded and don’t impact your movement mechanics,” Bryant says. “Yet it does add extra weight, and you’ll see about a 5 to 10 percent increase in caloric output when wearing one.”
Mazzucco also prefers weighted vests over ankle weights. “For the most part, you can really wear it for any exercise,” she says — with a few exceptions. “I would avoid exercises that place strain on the lower back, like a bent-over row or dead lift.”
Some research among older women suggests mobility and balance benefits. According to a sixweek study of women exercising on a treadmill, for example, wearing a weighted vest led to a slight reduction in bone loss and helped improve balance. Another study found that working out with a vest improved leg power and could enhance balance and mobility. Additional research indicated that participants mostly in their 20s experienced gains while bench-pressing and doing push-ups with weighted vests, and that runners who trained with vests could go faster for longer periods without getting tired.
No matter what kind of wearable weights you choose, Mazzucco says to remember the perennial tenet of trying fitness trends: Always consult with your doctor before getting started.