Go Next Level with a Weighted Vest Workout

You’ve crushed bodyweight workouts. Your air squats are clean, your push-ups are smooth, and your cardio? Pretty solid. So now what? 

Easy: Strap on a weighted vest and watch your “easy” workout punch you in the lungs. 

Weighted vest training isn’t new — military, fire, and tactical athletes have been doing it for decades — but it’s exploded in popularity lately for good reason. With just one piece of gear, you can turn a basic jog into a quad-burning hill climb, and turn 10 push-ups into a full-body strength session. 

And no, it’s not just about making things harder for the sake of suffering. A weighted vest can actually help you build muscle, improve endurance, boost calorie burn, and yep, even help with fat loss. 

But like anything worth doing, you’ve got to do it right.  

Here’s everything you need to know before throwing on the heavy vest and trying to conquer the world (or just your garage workout). 

What are the benefits of weighted vest training? 

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Putting on a weighted vest makes everything harder. That’s kind of the point. 

But the weighted vest benefits go far beyond just “more difficult squats.” Here’s what you’re really getting: 

This isn’t just about making workouts “tougher.” It’s about making your body more capable across the board. 

Does a weight vest help build muscle? 

If you're doing bodyweight training and want to actually progress, a weight vest is a game-changer. 

Yes, traditional strength work with barbells and dumbbells is great. But for calisthenics, a vest provides the progressive overload you need to actually grow muscle, not just maintain it. 

Think: 

So does a weight vest help build muscle? Yes! Especially in movements where you’ve hit a plateau with bodyweight alone. 

Do weighted vests help you lose weight? 

Weighted vests won’t do the fat-loss work for you. But they’ll make the work you do go further. 

When you add load to any movement, you increase the amount of energy your body uses. That means more calories burned, a higher heart rate, and more metabolic stress. And when paired with solid nutrition (i.e. likely a caloric deficit with plenty of protein), that’s a fast track to fat loss. 

So yes, weighted vests help you lose weight. They’re not a magic bullet (that doesn’t exist), but they do make your workouts way more efficient. And efficiency is its own kind of magic.  

How to use a weighted vest  

Before you go full hero mode and toss 45lbs on your chest, let’s talk basics. 

Best exercises with a weight vest 

Here’s where it gets fun. Just about every bodyweight movement can be turned into a strength builder with a weighted vest. Try these: 

Reminder: Don’t go max weight right away. Progress gradually, and you'll actually enjoy the burn instead of dreading it.  

Does a weighted vest make cardio better? 

Better? Maybe. Harder? Definitely. 

When you add resistance to cardio — whether it's a run, a hike, or a high-intensity circuit — your body has to work harder to move. That means elevated heart rate, increased oxygen demand, and higher calorie burn. 

Try this spicy little conditioning weighted vest workout: 

How often should you train with a weight vest? 

There’s no universal rule, but some solid guidelines: 

Listen to your body. Weight vest training hits your joints and spine differently, so ease in and recover fully between hard sessions. 

Is a weighted vest worth it? 

If you want to level up your training without buying a full home gym — or if your bodyweight workouts have gone stale — a weighted vest is one of the simplest and smartest tools out there. 

It makes your workouts harder in all the right ways. You burn more calories, build more muscle, and get more done in less time. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about peeling off a vest post-workout and realizing just how much effort you gave. Makes you feel a little like Rambo, too.  

When you’re ready to try it, the Strata Weight Vest is a solid option. It’s low-profile, breathable, and designed to stay in place no matter how hard you’re working. Add Strata Plates when you’re ready to scale the weight. Personalize it with patches and look as fire as your muscles will feel.  

But whatever you use, here’s the bottom line: If your workouts feel too easy, you’re probably ready to carry more. Strap in, show up, and see what happens.