# Weighted Vest for Training?



## nbpt15 (Mar 11, 2009)

Has anyone tried using a weighted vest while cycling before? 

What could be the possible benefits/dangers/ect? 

I'm looking to improve my sprint this winter for track cycling. 

What are your two cents? 

Best!


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## black_box (Jun 7, 2008)

maybe ankle weights instead of a vest?


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Never tried it but some things:

Since the weight is on your torso, it'd make you a bit more top-heavy, attributing to lesser manueverability and stability - but I doubt the added weight is significant enough to make a noticable difference in these aspects for the typical avid rider. A backpack stuffed to 20lb can be worse, and I'm sure there are commuters regularly carring such loads.

In regards to safety, I'm actually wondering what impact that thing can take. Wasn't necessarily designed for such a puprose, but hey.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

black_box said:


> maybe ankle weights instead of a vest?


or maybe a hat one, would strenghten the neck muscles nicely.


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## ElvisMerckx (Oct 11, 2002)

You'd be much better off following a structured training program and diet.


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## zoikz (Sep 5, 2003)

put some commuter cross tires on, the heavier the better. 
I'd guess the vest would be really annoying. Impede lung function, make your bike handle like *&% put stress on your lower back etc...


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Why?*



nbpt15 said:


> Has anyone tried using a weighted vest while cycling before?
> 
> What could be the possible benefits/dangers/ect?
> 
> ...


Why don't you just ride harder? The weight will slow you down, and make your acceleration slower, but so what? It would be one thing if you were somehow limited to the maxiumum effort you could put out, and the weights would allow you to put out more, but that is not the case. Also, there is some small risk that the weight would tweak your back or some other muscle/structure in your body, and it's hard to see how this would be productive in any way. If you think this would work, then you could just tie a cinder block on a rope and drag it behind the bike


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2009)

I'd think sprinting or standing starts done uphill would be a better option, plus hills come pretty cheap in most areas.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Kerry Irons said:


> Why don't you just ride harder? The weight will slow you down, and make your acceleration slower, but so what? It would be one thing if you were somehow limited to the maxiumum effort you could put out, and the weights would allow you to put out more, but that is not the case. Also, there is some small risk that the weight would tweak your back or some other muscle/structure in your body, and it's hard to see how this would be productive in any way. If you think this would work, then you could just tie a cinder block on a rope and drag it behind the bike


This.

Unless you plan on racing with the vest, there's no point in using it in training.


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## Mahatma Kane (Oct 25, 2005)

On a team I was on a long time ago, one of the riders had the idea to fill up his waterbottle with lead fishing weights to make his bike heavier for training. He asked our coach ( who was a real old school guy from Eastern Europe) what he thought of the idea. Our coach replied "do you want to be like the plow horse or like the race horse?"


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

nbpt15 said:


> I'm looking to improve my sprint this winter for track cycling.
> 
> What are your two cents?


I would suggest saving your money and doing some sprinting.


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