As in the best adventures of Dungeon & Dragons (or your favorite RPG), there are items that have undeniable magical powers.
Le weighted vest fall exactly into this category.
Their magical gift is evident: they transform any activity - even the simplest - into a tough challenge. And an athlete fresh from a shower in a panting pool of sweat.
Index
What is the weighted vest
It is a jacket, usually made of resistant materials and doubly reinforced along the seams. There plate carrier it is composed of a large number of small pockets into which weights are inserted.
Weights are generally sand bags or metal bars.
Thanks to the insertion of the weights we can add weight to our body. The main purpose is to be able to perform also free-body activities with an overload.
Why the vest?
Because you can fall on yours CrossFit © partner and challenge him to do the WOD with the vest on him.
Result? A hell of sweat, hearts pumping wildly, desperate breaths. But also laughter, jokes and jokes.
And we all know it how cool camaraderie is!
Performing activities and exercises with additional weight on them increases the metabolic cost - ie the calories burned.
This applies to everyday activities - walking, jogging - as well as for the free body exercises, from push ups to jumping jacks.
And actually the weigthed vest (WV) can be worn during all gym activities.
I benefits of the vest involving
- force and resistance
- amount of fat burned
- cardiovascular system
- muscle and bone density
They are also a great tool for bringing variation to workouts.
In the professional field, several studies have shown how sprinting and running performed by wearing a WV require the lower body the expression of greater energy, and lead to the improvement of strength, power and acceleration.
Any suggestions to use them
Weighted vest is available on the market that allows you to load different quantities of weight. It starts from five kg and you can get to the 20-25.
The choice depends above all on yours level of preparation.
These are 5 tips to incorporate them into your training regimen.
1) Do bodyweight exercises with overload
you can take the simplest of routines and make it more intense by wearing a vest. For example
- 2 minutes of running
- 20 push up
- 20 squat
- 20 get up (you lie down on the ground, and get up with a movement that starts like a sit ups)
- 20 sinks
You do 5 / 6 of these circuits below.
2) Walk or hike
This if your daily routine or the mountain tour you have chosen does not already include a heavy backpack!
In any case, if you want to train for that particularly challenging trek that you have been offered, the vest can be a better option compared to the backpack loaded with cast iron discs. The latter unbalance the load and, in the end, do more harm than good.
3) Use it doing MTB
Or even road bikes, better if the route includes differences in level - even light - you have to face standing on the bike.
Even a workout on the exercise bike in the gym can benefit from this enhancement.
4) Do weights
Yes, you can add “load to load” by wearing your weighted vest while lifting weights in the hall.
You will immediately realize that core, lower back e thoracic muscles they will have to make much greater efforts to ensure optimal stability and breathing.
Warnings on the use of weighted vest
There are few warnings, but there are.
1) Vest can increase pressure on unaccustomed areas of the body, such as shoulders, upper back and trapezoids. Don't overdo it, because you may then need to a good masseur!
2) Since they must be resistant, the materials with which the vest is made often increase body temperature and prevent perspiration. If the workout is particularly intense, or if you are training in the heat or under the sun, make sure you do hydrate yourself more.
Another way to make more effective your workouts? Subscribe to the Youtube channel of CrossMag.it, and watch all the videos!