Three serious reasons you should run with a weight vest
Recently, I bought a weight vest for running. It is a beautiful piece of equipment, comes in black, and weighs around 20 pounds (ca. 9 kg). My dad regularly mocks me because he doesn’t get why I try to lose weight and at the same time, put on a weight vest. But I have three good reasons:
Reason 1: It is warm.
Hey, don’t laugh. Winter is here, and running outside is uncomfortable. Every layer helps.
Reason 2: You look badass.
The look on people’s faces when they see you running towards them? Priceless. Even better? Overtaking other runners. I know this is very ego-driven, but hey: you need some motivation to get the training done!
Reason 3: The benefits in training.
Obviously, the first two reasons are just a joke. I think a weight vest is a great way to spice up your training. After four weeks into training (I use it once per week), I saw the first benefits. My strides are more powerful because my glutes fire more, and I feel more stable in my upper body.
Also, I tend to have a “bouncy” running style. Basically, I look like a happy Alpaca jumping on the spot. Undoubtedly, this wastes a lot of energy. The vest helps me to focus on moving forward instead of upward.
To give you some inspiration on how to use a weight vest, here are some sessions I tried so far:
- 3 x 2k with 30 Burpees in between
- 8x 1k with 40 air squats in between
- 150 air squats — 5k run — 150 air squats
- 15x500 m with ten Burpees in between
Besides, I can recommend the CrossFit workout “Murph” if you have access to a pull-up bar:
Important note: If you consider buying a weight vest, gradually increase distance and speed because you don’t want to put too much stress on your ligaments and joints. Also, I don’t think that running a marathon with a weight vest is smart. But it is a great idea with hilarious potential (referring to reason 2).
I am curious: What are your experiences with running with a weight vest? Feel free to ping me on WhatsApp, happy to chat!
Also, if you liked this article, please smash that clap button. Not once, but up to 50 times — you make the difference.
