Weight Vest - A Complete User Guide

How to Use and Maintain Your Weighted Vest for Best Results

With a weighted vest, you will significantly upgrade your workout. It’s like multiplying the gravity of your exercise space.

This wearable exercise equipment is excellent for routines that build muscles. But, of course, you will have to use the equipment the proper way.

Here Are 7 Tips for Using Your Weight Vest

Tip No. 1: Only use a reliable product.

Using a weighted vest the proper way starts when you acquire a high-quality product. It is vital that you do not get a weighted vest from unreliable sources.

Low-quality and substandard workout equipment are dangerous to you.

Remember that you will wear the weighted vest on your body, and if you have a flimsy product, you make yourself prone to wrong movements that can significantly damage your joints, bones, and tissues.

One strap break can imbalance you, and a substandard material for holding a hefty load can tear and let a weight brick loose and land on your foot.

A minor injury can mean months away from training. So do not risk yourself by using a low-standard weighted vest.

Tip No. 2: Ensure that the vest fits you snuggly.

Before jumping on your workout with the weighted vest, ensure that the equipment is adequately strapped onto your body.

Wearing it too loosely will put you off balance during your workout. Also, wearing it too tightly will constrict your body and limit your blood flow and breathing.

Make sure that your weighted vest is attached properly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It should feel snug enough without being too tight that you are uncomfortable breathing.

On the other hand, a properly fitted vest will allow you to do a wider range of movements without restrain.

One thing you can do is to buy a high-cut weighted vest that has a flexible design that you can easily adjust. This type of weighted vest is easy to wear and will not make you feel “bulky” or squished.

Tip No. 3: Adjust the weights to your current capacity.

Do not jump into using all the weights that come with your newly-purchased weighted vest. Make sure that you know how much you can take and gradually increase the stress from there.

Jumping into a significantly inappropriate heavy amount of weight can cause serious injury.

It would be best if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and consult your trainer to determine how you should start.

Tip No. 4: Pace yourself to adjust to using the vest.

If you need to adjust or acquaint yourself with a new pair of shoes, coat, or a dress, you will always have to get yourself used to a piece of workout equipment.

The weighted vest is not a simple piece of clothing that you put on and merely go with.

So walk around with it and try to do some simple movements first before going for a full-on workout. Get yourself adjusted to wearing it so that you become comfortable.

Tip No. 5: Only do appropriate workouts.

While a weighted vest allows you to move more freely than with other workout equipment, there are things that you should avoid when on one.

For example, when you are lifting weights, you won’t be able to fully use the appropriate muscles when wearing a vest.

Also, remember that a weighted vest adds some pressure to your spine, and if you are doing a workout that exercises that part of your body, you should not overdo it.

If you are unsure of doing a workout with your weighted vest, do not do it without professional advice.

Here are some of the best workouts to do with a weighted vest.

• Push-ups and push-up variations
• Dynamic planks
• Bar exercises like pull ups
• Cardio like walking and running
• Crossfit
• Core exercises
• Squats
• Jumps like jumping rope or box jumps.

Here’s a list of weighted vest workouts that you can start with.

Tip No. 6: Regularly clean your weighted vest.

Cleaning your weighted vest doesn’t only protect the material it is made of from wear, but it will get rid of bacteria that are attracted to your sweat. Bacteria causes stenches that make using your weighted vest unpleasant and uncomfortable.
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Also, a grimy, slimy vest can cause slips that end up in accidents.

Here are 11 Easy Steps to Follow in Cleaning Your Weighted Vest Within 10-20 Minutes

1. Remove the weights.
2. Fill up a tub with room temperature water.
3. Add 1-2 tbsp of mild laundry detergent.
4. Soak the vest in the water.
5. Give it a scrubbing using a sponge or a medium-strength brush.
6. Double down the scrubbing on parts that touch your torso and those that are particularly grimy.
7. Remove things stuck to the velcro using a toothbrush.
8. Also, use a toothbrush to clean the zipper.
9. Rinse it with fresh water.
10. Hang the vest to dry.
11. Wipe the weight bricks clean with a cloth and non-corrosive cleaner.

Here are some tips for keeping your weighted vest clean.

• If your vest is not too dirty for you to do a complete cleaning, you can simply use a brush to remove any dirt. This should be done every after use.
• Do not soak the vest in water for more than your necessary cleaning time.
• Do not share your weighted vest with other people, as your sweat can mix and produce a stenchier bacterial residue.

Tip No. 7: Store your vest appropriately.

Do not store your weighted vest in damp areas. So find a place where you can hang the vest without the weights.

Also, place the weights in a cool, dry place, away from children and pets. File them properly so that they won’t cause any accidents in your workout space.

The Key Principles Are Care and Safety

A weighted vest offers significant potential in improving your physique, but as a piece of workout equipment that uses heavy materials, it can cause damage when you do not use it with complete care and safety.

Using it inappropriately or not wearing it properly can injure you, and if you leave it dirty and under maintained, it can wear and tear and cause accidents or, at the minimum, discomfort in terms of bad smells and more.

But of course, to, more so, avoid any problems, it all comes down to you when you pick the right weighted vest to use.