Do you need a weighted vest?

Sarah Ann
Sep 23
3 min read

How do you spot someone entering Perimenopause?

Look outside your window, she's out there walking in her weighted vest :)

(Kidding.)

Before we start, I am NOT here to crap on these. I've used them before, they're wonderful for building strength! However, allow me to de-influence you a bit, and explain why you might NOT want one... for now.

We know when it comes to aging, strength training is where it's at. Exercise, in general (cardio and strength building) will keep you alive longer. Stronger hips and solid balance prevent falls, common injuries, you know this already. We know that with the drop of Estrogen during perimenopause, every bit of strength training counts.

Same goes for postpartum and prenatal fitness. Progesterone and Relaxin increase, and Estrogen decreases. This makes our joints and muscles all bendy for birth, but isn't great for recovery. We are much more likely to get injured in the first year Postpartum if we go back "too hard, too soon."

So what can you do? Add resistance when you can!

Does this mean adding a weighted vest while you are recovering from childbirth (which can take 18 months)? Probably not.

Most of us walking postpartum are pushing a heavy stroller, or baby wearing. I would argue that that is enough. Sometimes, more than enough.

With all things fitness and health, all bodies are different. If you are prone to knee or hip issues, please don't just go out and buy what you see on the internet. (Unless you get a really great deal and plan to do this when your kiddo is walking.)

If your pelvic floor is not ready for impact, it's probably not ready for load-bearing for an extended period of time. There are lots of other things I would recommend for someone who is still recovering before loading them up with a vest. (I would argue that this trend does not match a full-body strength program.)

However! If your kiddos are older, muscle loss is a concern, and you don't have any pelvic floor/ DRA/ back issues, go ahead! This is a great substitution for adding resistance and getting bonus calorie burn vs running. Adding weights to your walks will make running a lot easier, and a great tool for cross training.

Here is what I recommend for you who are looking to try this out:

Start with a vest adding 5% of your body weight*. If possible, grab one that allows you to adjust the resistance. (I've used one with little peg weights you can add or subtract and strategically place so the vest is loaded for your comfort.) Start on a relatively flat surface for 10 minutes. If you can do this 1-3x per week without noticing any increased pelvic floor symptoms (pain, pressure, peeing/ leaking stool), you are fine to add up to 10% of your body weight and start going longer. Add some hill or hill-repeats when you can find them for more of a challenge.

*For the average 145 pound female that would be roughly 7 pounds in increasing to 14 pounds.

I would also remind you that Fitness is a process. Try it on and see what sticks. If you are noticing an increase in leakage or heaviness in your pelvic floor, I would recommend that you start seeing a pelvic floor therapist. And then avoid weighting your walks until you are ready. If you are experiencing pain in your low back or shoulders or if it’s making your diastasis worse, hold off for now. The DRA exercises I have on here aren't just for postpartum, they're for all phases of life. So if you are experiencing low back pain, give those a revisit.

For those of you wanting to get back into running, I have a simple 3-workout series you can start. Click here to become a MomTrainer.com site member and get access to this program.