Is a weighted vest a bad idea?

I was wondering how practical is it to use a weighted vest with a hard cardio HIIT based workout. I own a 75lb weighted vest that I barely use and I follow a workout called gameday on insanity made by the company beachbody. If your not familiar with it, it has many different workouts contained in it. It’s a hour long and jumps from a 1 mile race to a long jump session, then some basketball drills, wrestling, soccer, tennis, some ski race drills, swimming races, football training, mountain climbing, and finally some baseball drills. There are a few others but that is the bulk of it.

Currently, I cannot get through this hour long cardio training without taking breaks. Which are anywhere from a few seconds up to a full minute. I think I’m in fairly decent shape but just having a hard time losing body fat around the mid section. So along with changing my diet and using a fitday similar application on my smart phone, I am getting results. So would it be a bad idea or beneficial to wear the vest when I train on this hour long cardio workout for better results? What about weight training with it? I’m thinking it will burn more fat and help improve my endurance over time.

I’d prefer professional trainers, actual coaches, or those who have tried everything opinions and advice if possible but everyone's opinion is great too.

[QUOTE=lightingbird;714628891]I was wondering how practical is it to use a weighted vest with a hard cardio HIIT based workout. I own a 75lb weighted vest that I barely use and I follow a workout called gameday on insanity made by the company beachbody. If your not familiar with it, it has many different workouts contained in it. It’s a hour long and jumps from a 1 mile race to a long jump session, then some basketball drills, wrestling, soccer, tennis, some ski race drills, swimming races, football training, mountain climbing, and finally some baseball drills. There are a few others but that is the bulk of it.

Currently, I cannot get through this hour long cardio training without taking breaks. Which are anywhere from a few seconds up to a full minute. I think I’m in fairly decent shape but just having a hard time losing body fat around the mid section. So along with changing my diet and using a fitday similar application on my smart phone, I am getting results. So would it be a bad idea or beneficial to wear the vest when I train on this hour long cardio workout for better results? What about weight training with it? I’m thinking it will burn more fat and help improve my endurance over time.

I’d prefer professional trainers, actual coaches, or those who have tried everything opinions and advice if possible but everyone's opinion is great too.[/QUOTE]

Im getting one for basketball they'd burn more calories because there extra tension on you but idk there more for sports:
[url]http://www.eastbay.com/product/model:42946/sku:200210/strength-weighted-training-vest-mens/?cm=GLOBAL%20SEARCH%3A%20KEYWORD%20SEARCH[/url]

If you cannot get through the carido session right now without taking breaks, don't you think you will REALLY strugle with the vest on? If you are getting results then stick with what you are doing.

I don't know much about training with weighted vests, but I do know you need to start with low weights and work your way up gradually. Don't hurt yourself working with too much weight before your body is ready for it. Start with a weight you barely notice and go up slowly from there.

Yeah I just bought a 60 lbs weight vest for building calves.
The theory being that those carrying a lot of weight have much larger calves despite not working out.
OP you might want to get a bit more conditioned (less breaks) before you add the vest.
But you will see results!

Dont run with a 75lbs vest...your knees will be all jacked up

[QUOTE=naija2atl;714857231]Dont run with a 75lbs vest...your knees will be all jacked up[/QUOTE]

Are you a professional coach or trainer?

[QUOTE=lightingbird;714858181]Are you a professional coach or trainer?[/QUOTE]
I have used weight vest for about 5 yrs, 25lbs to 100 lbs I think I know what I am talking about . weight is great for adding extra workload to your work out. Running with that vest will put alot of extra load on your knees. google Femoral patella syndrome , I should know I was the. If u need harder running do hill sprints save ur knees for your 40s/50s

[QUOTE=naija2atl;714861421]I have used weight vest for about 5 yrs, 25lbs to 100 lbs I think I know what I am talking about . weight is great for adding extra workload to your work out. Running with that vest will put alot of extra load on your knees. google Femoral patella syndrome , I should know I was the. If u need harder running do hill sprints save ur knees for your 40s/50s[/QUOTE]

You realize anything could have caused your knees to go bad right? The vest might have just made it worse for you. Also, most of training I'm doing is in the house, in bursts. I'm not actually running for a hour or anything. The only reason I asked if you were a professional trainer was to see if I was getting advice from a trained professional or an assumptive response from someone guessing.

I hope that's not offensive. For example, you said Google and this is what I found.

[b]What is the chondromalacia patella?

[i]Chondromalacia patella is abnormal softening of the cartilage of the under the kneecap (patella). Chondromalacia patella is the most common cause of chronic knee pain. Chondromalacia patella results from degeneration of cartilage due to poor alignment of the kneecap as it slides over the lower end of the thigh bone (femur). This process is, therefore, sometimes referred to as patellofemoral syndrome.[/i][/b]
[url]http://www.medicinenet.com/patellofemoral_syndrome/article.htm[/url]

Reading that description, it sounds like you have an existing problem before you starting using the vest. Again, I'm not trying to be offensive. Just illustrating why I was hoping for professional opinions so I won't get mislead.

I haven't done the asylum, but I have done Insanity (I still do workouts from it 4 times a week for my cardio), Using a weighted vest for that seems like overkill.

If your stats are current, you are already carrying around an additional 75 extra pounds of bodyfat assuming you would be around 175 lbs at a reasonable bodyweight. Ditch the vest for any kind of cardio at the moment.

For what it is worth, my wife's knee doctor told her that every pound of weight she gained with the baby would put 4 pounds of stress on her knees. Weighted vest would be similar.

[QUOTE=lightingbird;714858181]Are you a professional coach or trainer?[/QUOTE]

I'm a trainer, and I can tell you that running with a 75 lb weight vest on top of your weight will wreck you.