Hey Stronger Fam!
I was asked a question the other day that I thought would be relevant here.
I go over this question and more in a recent podcast (HERE).
The question was:
What are your thoughts on weighted vest for cardio?
Great question!
Without diving too deep (again for a deeper dive check out the podcast), first we need to focus on the five goals of cardiovascular training.
- Lose fat, gain muscle.
- Improve heart health.
- Recovery.
- Get in shape.
- Training for an event.
Most people are looking for 1-3 because heart health by itself can cover a lot of 4 & 5.
Here’s a few things to remember.
- High intensity cardio is over-rated. You can gain a ton of benefits from 25-45 minutes of cardio in a lower intensity range of 110-140 bpm.
- Training with weights will artificially raise your heart rate. This has to do more from adrenaline than it is cardio demands.
- 100 minutes a week is all you need to be heart healthy.
Most importantly!!!
- Find a way to stay consistent.
Okay, so back to the question of:
What are your thoughts on weighted vest for cardio?
I think wearing a weighted vest to walk and rucking are AMAZING forms of cardio.
As long as you keep the weight below 20% of your body weight (20-40lbs is good), you will not have the artificial rise that I mentioned when training with weights.
That said – walking with a weighted vest DOES NOT count for strength training. You still need both to build a strong, healthy, and fit body.
How often?
2-3 days a week is great.
The litmus test is….it SHOULD NOT affect your recovery. If you feel extremely sore and tired right after your walk or the next day….we need to make a change.
Thoughts?
Start implementing this into your weekly routine today and let me know what you think.
Again, Jared and I dive way more into the weeds on podcast Episode 60: Cardio Made Simple (CLICK HERE).
From a healthy heart,
Doc