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Q&A: Weight Vest for Footwork Drills
Scott Wachter
Q: I recently purchased a 20-pound weighted vest. Is it wise to perform agility and footwork drills while wearing it? If so, what are the potential benefits and or drawbacks to using this piece of equipment? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
A: A weighted vest can be a valuable tool when used appropriately in the correct environment. It's useful for making moves like pull-ups more challenging. You can even wear one running, so long as you can maintain proper technique. But it's not a good idea to wear a weight vest when performing multi-directional movements or agility work.
This is due to the large ground reaction forces people need to overcome without the addition of external load from the weight best. What's more, your nervous system would also adapt to this increase in load, which could have an adverse affect on your neuromuscular performance and muscle recruitment patterns. Stick to using a vest in the weight room.
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