Weighted Vests Bad For You?

Weighted vests are good when playing basketball. I would ask a doctor/trainer how long you should wear it though. It's good to use during drills and light play. I wouldn't go Michael Jordan on anyone with that thing on.

For running, bad idea. It's O.K. to use it during sprints but I wouldn't run long distance with it. Depending on who makes it, it might not be built very well. If there is any type of bouncing then your joints won't be to happy.

I'm not sure if you know about this but parachutes are an excellent way to build endurance and increase your speed. Instead of pushing weight down onto your joints it pulls your body back (kind of like attaching weight to a rope and pulling it). When I first heard of it I thought it would be expensive but it is a fraction of the coast of a weighted vest. I got one for $15 (including shipping on eBay). You may feel retarded running with a parachute at first but you won't get as many people telling you that it's bad for your joints. It's got a weird feel to it as well.

Weighted vests only push down on your body, so it doesn't work the muscles that you use while running. Running with a weighted vest doesn't increase your leg muscles. If it did fat people would be quick as bullets if they ever lost the weight. So there really is no benefit to RUNNING with a weighted vest.

i would say it depends on how much you weigh, start off with the 25lb definately or if you can you should try like a 10lb. I know that if they arent very heavy they will do no harm