Why I’ve Come To Love Hiking With A Weight Vest
I’ve recently started hiking in the mountains wearing a weight vest. I’ve gone a handful of times and I’ve found it to be very effective general conditioning. I recently wrote an article about how running barefoot in the sand is great for strengthening the feet. And I wish I could run in the sand on a regular basis. However most of the time I don’t live anywhere near the beach. That said, I find hiking with a weight vest to be a pretty good substitute. It really does build my feet and the stabilizer muscles and tendons in my lower legs in some similar ways.
I actually got this idea from another hiker I saw in a weight vest. Guy who said he was doing it to get ready for a back country hunting trip. In case he had to pack out a load of meat. Looked like a great idea to me. So I decided to give it a try.
Wow, I was shocked at the dynamic it added to a casual hike. My calves were burning nicely on a relatively tame uphill section. Also, after a few miles I could really feel the small muscles in my feet and my soleus muscles. The tendons and ligaments around my ankles were noticeably worked out as well from stabilizing the extra weight while walking over rocks and uneven terrain.
But perhaps the biggest surprise was how much of a workout I got in my trapezius muscles and upper back in general. Not to mention my entire rib cage. It’s easy to overlook the fact that a weight vest presses down from both the front and back until one’s breathing picks up. Even though I’m used to a heavy backpack this is quite a different sensation. It’s appreciably harder to breathe with a decent weight pressing in on the sternum. But it seems to really work the diaphragm and muscles of the upper torso. The next morning my traps were the most sore part of my body. Not my legs.
Loading The Vest
My vest weighs 50 lbs. fully loaded. But the first time I went out I stripped it down to 25 lbs. Figured I’d start light and work up. Turns out 25 lbs. was more than plenty to start with. And it’s better to add weight next time than to accidentally bite off more than you can chew first time out.
I’ve been a few more times and I’ve been adding more weight each time. I’m able to increase by 2.5 lb. increments with my vest setup. The last time I used 35 lbs. total as my body has started to adapt to this particular workout. And next time I plan on going up to 40 lbs. Looking forward to loading up with the full 50 lbs. sometime soon.
And as the weight gets heavier I work the stabilizer muscles in my lower legs even more. There’s a distinct difference in that regard as I add weight. My feet, calves, shins, and even knees have started feeling bulletproof as I increase the load of my vest.
Not to mention my glutes and hamstrings really feel the extra resistance when I’m walking uphill with more weight. These are the same muscles that are used for sprinting, and I must say that last time I sprinted I felt a lot of power and snap from my posterior chain.
Who Can Benefit From Hiking In A Weight Vest
I realize not everyone lives near hilly trails in the mountains where hiking with a weight vest is an option. But I suspect that even walking a few miles down a flat road would lend some of the same benefits.
Hiking with a weight vest is an interesting combination of low key cardio and strength. The cardio aspect really isn’t intense enough to be detrimental to a strength program in my opinion. This isn’t long distance running that is highly catabolic, and the extra weight keeps the pace in check. But it still gets the heart rate up. And the increased hip/knee angles from walking uphill with extra weight makes it more of a strength builder than jogging. I’d suggest it as a decent option for conditioning and GPP for anyone in the midst of trying to build muscle and gain strength.
And I’d have to imagine it would still be good training for long distance athletes as well. I’m definitely going to go for a rare trail run soon to test out my stronger feet and ankles for fun.
Final Thoughts
One idea I had last time I went out, but haven’t tried yet is stopping my hike periodically to do a few squats and good mornings in the vest to mix things up and work in a little light weight active recovery from heavy lifting. Just get some extra blood flow in my lifting muscles.
That’s really all I have to say about hiking in a weight vest. Mostly just wanted to highlight it as a training possibility for any type of athlete. I honestly think anyone could benefit from the unique strength and conditioning it builds through the body, from the neck down to the feet. Please comment if you’ve had any experience hiking in a weight vest!
I purchased the v- force vest with 50lb, I have a hiking trail that is 4.5 miles round trip. It’s elevation gain is 1250 ft in 2.25 miles to the peak. The first time I tried it with the vest it took me 1 hr 21 minutes to summit. The next day I did it without the vest it took me 35 minutes. 3 days later with the vest it took me 54 minutes to summit. That was a grueling hike. I don’t count the trip going back because it’s all down hill. What I noticed is that hiking up it is all flutes, hamstrings and calves, On the way down it burns in the traps and back of the neck
That’s a solid hike in a 50 lb. vest. And 54 minutes for that distance and elevation gain uphill would be pretty good even without the extra weight, which adds a huge load. I agree that it really gets the posterior chain muscles going uphill. Pretty crazy how it hits the traps too. And don’t underestimate the way the stabilizer muscles and feet get worked out going downhill, even if it doesn’t feel as hard. I worked up to the full 50 lbs. in my vest and was really feeling strong walking around town after that. Way to get after it Drew! If you do any more experiments or different hikes with the vest, would love to hear about it.
I Have been using my best for a while couple of months, only twice a week, load with 13.5 kilos or 30 pounds, plus a 4 kilos or 9 pounds backpack.
I do long hike 6 hours around 25 km. Lots up and down. I feel stronger, my legs get a bit more muscular, definitely stronger glúteos and hamstring. I did a mountain short time ago and I feel the difference going up. But I can not see any benefit or change in my core, no more abs, chest, my Trapezius always hurt, but the pain is not like I getting stronger, just bad pain.
Or I am having the benefits and I can not see it?
I have no doubt that two 25 km hikes per week with a 39 lbs. total load is making you stronger. That’s a lot of work! And it’s no surprise that you notice it the most in your legs since they’re the primary muscles moving you along your hike. The upper body muscles are just stabilizing the vest/pack for the most part as opposed to contracting over and over. To really build those muscles you may want to consider doing some upper body work in the weight room. Shoulder press, bench press (or pushups), pullups (weighted if possible), barbell/dumbbell rows, etc., are some staples for building the upper body. Focus on these, but you can do some curls and such as well if you want. And squats and deadlifts make the whole body bigger. These are the bread and butter to gaining overall size and strength. Keep it simple! For core, I like hanging leg raises, toes to bar or elbows, ab rollers, side bends with a dumbbell, etc. Those will give you more direct results in your core. Keep it to these basics and you’ll see results. I might publish some barbell-based programming in the near future that pulls from all of the things I’ve tried over the years. Let me know if that would be helpful. I also recommend the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe to anybody who wants good lifting technique and programs for getting big and strong. And I have no insight into your diet, but it’s a huge part of the results you’ll see so don’t forget about that. Hiking with a weight vest isn’t truly a “bodybuilding” exercise – what it’s doing is increasing your general physical preparedness and conditioning. It’s not going to make you look a lot bigger, but it’s still making the whole body system stronger. Including your tendons and ligaments. As far as the pain in the Trapezius, I would never recommend anybody endure pain if it’s causing any sort of injury. But in this case it might be possible that it’s just the muscles working in new ways they aren’t used to, which might be making them stronger and more resilient even if you can’t see it. You’ll have to use your best judgement if it’s worth the pain or if it’s causing more problems than it’s worth. But I’d guess anybody would get sore from the long hikes you’re doing. I would hope that in time it would diminish as you get used to wearing the vest though. Also keep in mind that you’ve only been doing this for two months. It takes time for the body to change and adapt. Nobody sees huge improvements overnight, so stick with it and you’ll continue to get in better shape. Little changes add up over time!
Nice blog, thanks. I am inspired by these comments. I just got a weighted vest. For me, at 59 years old and slowly getting back into really good shape, the vest I got is probably perfect. This vest has 16 velcro pockets and each holds a 2.5 lb. bar. You can go from an empty vest up to fully ‘loaded’…so 0-40 pounds (16 bars). I put 2 bars in the front and 2 bars in the back (10 pound load) and I actually felt it. I am in no rush but over time I will push myself and see how high, far and heavy I can go. The vest simulates osteoclasts, this is a fantastic benefit in addition to obvious neuromuscular and colateral circulatory gains. After around age 50 bone health becomes a consideration and using a weighted vest makes 70 the new 30 as far as bone density goes. The only scary thing is my vest looks like I strapped C-4 to my body and I don’t want to get shot at. Sound funny, but it’s also somewhat true. It’s all black and looks really tactical. Kind of badass really, I’ll just stay away from airports when I wear it.
Sharing some ideas and inspiration was the whole idea behind writing articles, so I’m glad to hear you got some benefit from this. And yes, increasing the weight slowly makes a lot of sense. No rush. Very good point about the benefits to bone density as well. That’s one reason I plan to squat for life also. Weight bearing exercise isn’t just for muscles. And I too get funny looks on the trail! Thanks for your comment and contribution!