For years it’s been assumed that the best way to lose weight is by doing endless amounts of cardio. Sure you’d be losing fat, but you’d also be losing muscle. Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders and athletes. If you’re looking for a way to lose fat and build muscle then strength training is one of the best ways you can do so.

In fact, strength training also helps to speed up your metabolism hours after you’ve completed your workout. This is known as EPOC - excess post exercise oxygen consumption and can help burn fat after you’ve trained as well as during the session. This is great for anyone looking to decrease body fat because it means your body will still be burning calories at an increased rate in the 24 hours after exercise.

Strength training doesn’t have to be limited to barbells and dumbbells either. You might have seen weighted vests being used in events such as conditioning activities in sport, or even seen people use a weighted vest for running. It’s a versatile piece of equipment that will ramp up the intensity of your training.

What is a Tactical Weight Vest?

It may look like something security use, but these should strictly only be used for exercise. Some of the specifications of a weighted vest include:

• It can hold up to 10kg of weight plates

• Padded shoulders for comfort

• Plate pockets in the front and back for even weight distribution

A weighted vest is the perfect piece of equipment to add resistance to bodyweight exercises. It can be used to increase the intensity of your training progressively, making the exercises more difficult than bodyweight alone. Plus, it’s a convenient piece of kit to take to your training sessions and can be used as part of a home gym set up. Even if you don’t have space for a full gym setup, a tactical vest would be a perfect start as it’s small and easy to store. You can start progressing your bodyweight workouts with limited space. 

Weighted Vest Exercises

Most bodyweight exercises can be done using a tactical weighted vest. Here are some examples of exercises you can include in your workout that will build muscle and burn fat.

Squats

Begin standing and squat down, bending your ankles, knees and hip simultaneously until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Keep your spine neutral and lead with your chest as you rise to stand.

Forward Lunges

Place your hands on your hips and step one foot forward, bending both knees until you’re in a lunge position. Your front knee should be over your ankle and your back knee close to the ground. Step the front foot back and repeat on the opposite leg.

Burpees

Bring your hands to the ground and jump your feet back to a high plank position. Lower your chest down to the floor, then quickly lift off the floor and jump your feet back to your hands. Jump up to standing and repeat.

Technique tip: To regress the burpee, instead of jumping, step your feet in and out and come to stand at the top.

Tuck Jumps

Start standing with your feet hips width apart. Jump as high as you can in the air, swinging your arms for momentum and tuck your knees close to your chest. Before you land, extend your knees and land with a soft bend in them.

Split Squats

Begin in a split stance position with your feet a shoulder width and a half apart, feet and hips pointing forward. Place your hands on your hips and bend your knees until your back knee is close to the floor. Put all of the weight into your front heel and drive up to stand.

Bound Jump

In a squat position, hold your arms out in-front of your face. Push off and jump forwards as far and as high as you can. Land back in a squat position, swinging your arms behind you.

High Plank

In a high plank, your wrists should be under your shoulders and your legs out behind you straight with the balls of your feet resting on the floor. Continue to keep your body stiff and push it away from the floor while engaging your core muscles.

High Plank to Low Plank

Start in a high plank with wrists under shoulders, then lower down to your elbows and back up to your hands. When doing this exercise, your body should stay in a straight line and refrain from swinging from side to side.

Box Jumps

Use a Soft Plyo Jump Box for this exercise. Begin in a squat, then push off the floor and jump up onto the box. You can swing your arms for momentum to help you clear the height. Step down from the box and repeat.

Tricep Dips

Hold onto the middle of the Dip Bars with your arms straight. Bend your knees and cross your feet over each other so they aren’t in the way when dipping. Lean slightly forwards and bend at your elbows until they are level with your shoulders. Once at the bottom, push back up until your arms are extended.

Regression - If you struggle with full dips, you can start by practising the eccentric, lowering phase of the movement. Start in the same position and lower yourself down as slowly as possible. Once at the bottom, place your feet back on the floor and stand back up to the start and repeat. By practising the eccentric phase of the exercise, you will be increasing muscle strength to eventually do the whole movement.

If training intensity is something you're looking to increase with minimal equipment then a tactical weighted vest is the way to go. High intensity strength workouts using a weighted vest and exercises such as the ones listed above are optimal for burning fat whilst building and maintaining muscle mass.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber

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Tags: Equipment > Weight Vests ; Exercise Type > Cardio ; Exercise Type > Conditioning ; Misc > Workout