Would wearing a weight vest all day give you more muscle/mass?

[Smokin Horn]

Carrying around all that extra weight, wouldn't that do something?

[eagles56]

I don't think that it'd give you spectacual gains but I would imagine it would still have its benefits and your body will adapt to having the extra load on it. I'd reccomend a weight vest to make certain exercises harder (push ups, skipping, chin ups, etc). There was a guy on my football team who would wear one around the halls in the morning but I never noticed a difference from when he started (then again, all he did was jsut walk around).

[Dinotrainer]

Carrying around all that extra weight, wouldn't that do something?

Yes it would, but the key is to start off light, gradually adding weight, giving your body time to adapt. If you get the 100 pound vest, and just add one 2 1/2 pound weight per week, you'd be up to wearing the full vest in a year, and would definitely be far stronger than when you started. One thing I'd add into the equation though, is a way to de-compress your spine at the end of a hard session with the vest. Either a regular or forward facing inversion setup, or something similar, would go a long way in keeping your back healthy after all that compression. At minimum, learning some stretching techniques, and then religiously doing them, would be mandatory.

[booger_dee]

I tried that years ago with a 30 pound vest. Traps and shoulders got extremely fatigued. Gave it up after 3 days.

Finally just resorted to running up the stairs of a 12 story DOD building twice a week. First time 1 step at a time, second time skipping a step. Thighs actually pumped up as well as doing several sets of squats.

Stopped after 9/11. The vest was black with 12 pockets for lead weights. Kept getting stopped and questioned in the stairwell. Vest looked like something a suicide bomber would wear.

[covertwar]

We got a guy at work that walks around with a 75 pounder vest all day long. He says he wears it to sweat for weight loss, and it also strengthens his legs up for the 20 km road marches that we do.

[Grimmy]

Yes it would, but the key is to start off light, gradually adding weight, giving your body time to adapt. If you get the 100 pound vest, and just add one 2 1/2 pound weight per week, you'd be up to wearing the full vest in a year, and would definitely be far stronger than when you started. One thing I'd add into the equation though, is a way to de-compress your spine at the end of a hard session with the vest. Either a regular or forward facing inversion setup, or something similar, would go a long way in keeping your back healthy after all that compression. At minimum, learning some stretching techniques, and then religiously doing them, would be mandatory.

Very helpful , I was thinking of posting a similar question. But now I have a new one. I was wondering what do you mean about the spine compression set up?

Was also wondering what would be a good brand that sell good quality vests. I heard V- MAX is pretty good.

[Dinotrainer]

Very helpful , I was thinking of posting a similar question. But now I have a new one. I was wondering what do you mean about the spine compression set up?.

I was talking about de-compressing your spine after having a heavy weight vest on your back for an extended period of time. Something like this http://www.net2fitness.com/total_back_system.htm

Was also wondering what would be a good brand that sell good quality vests. I heard V- MAX is pretty good.

I have a V Max, and I like it.