So you've decided on buying yourself a weighted vest huh? That's great, using a weighted vest is actually one of the best things you can do in order to grow stronger and become a better athlete. Not only does it give you bigger muscles and enhances your endurance, it also builds stronger bones. It's a win-win situation.
But before you rush off to Amazon or the closest fitness store, I need to give you some simple advice. Choosing the best weighted vest is not as easy as some people might think, if you choose the wrong one you might lose money or even injure yourself, and we don't want that happen do we?
How much money can you spend?
Obviously the most important question to ask yourself. If we're speaking generally, then weighted vests aren't that expensive to be honest. The most expensive ones cost about $200, and there are FEW people that will need this type of vest to begin with. If you don't have a certain budget, I would recommend to go for something between $50-$100. This seems to be the sweet spot for most vests. If you can afford, go for something more expensive, as long as it has good reviews of course.You have to remember that just because you have a higher price on your product, doesn't mean it's actually any good
Figure out the main use for it
Okay so you've decided on the budget, but do you actually know what you are going to use it for? Different type of sports require different types of vests. A weighted vest for running will be a whole lot different than say, a vest for weight lifters.
If you're looking for a full range of motion, meaning that you want be able to move around without restrictions, you'll need a lighter vest. Most often, the lighter the vest is, the more flexible the material. But that doesn't mean you'll be running around with a wimpy 1 pound vest, these slimmer models can actually go up to 40 pounds. Usually more than enough for most people.
If you don't care about movement as much, you can go with the bulkiest of them all, usually these are cheaper and will allow you to put on more weight. Just a word of advice, they are not mobile at all. If you were to decide to go for a jog one day, I can assure you you're going to have a bad time.
Fit is everything
A vest that fits you is also very important, because doing any type of movement with a loose vest will kill your shoulders in a matter of minutes. Don't get too attracted to the very cheap ones, as these will ALWAYS have a bad fit.
Choosing something fitting is even worse if you're a woman, since most vests are designed for men. For example, women with larger breasts can forget about using a normal weight vest. Usually you'll be stuck with those "girly" light weight vests that only go up to 15 pounds.
Make sure it's well ventilated
Something a lot of people forget is the fact that most vest are NOT ventilated. This means that doing a workout with it on during a hot summers day will most likely not be very fun. You also have to remember that most vests are black, which is the color that absorbs the sun the very most. If you live in a hot country, please look after a vest with good ventilation. Otherwise your workout will be ruined, probably your vest too because of all that sweat!
Take it easy pal!
When you get your weighted vest, it's going to be really tempting to use it directly. But I can't stress this enough, you need to start slowly. Your body is not made to suddenly carry around 40 pounds of weight for all day.
There are so many stories out there of people buying vests without reading any more information about them. The most common injuries are sore knees and joints. If you continually use the vest with a heavy load when you're not used to it you can actually damage your body permanently. So you can probably imagine why it's better to start slow
Also a last word of advice, make sure to read whether you can wash your vest or not. Sometimes people will wash their vest thinking it's safe, only to find out their brand new equipment is ruined.. Not so fun yeah? For more information please visit my site: http://weightedvestreview.com/
