7 Best Weighted Vest Exercises (By Category)

If you are trying to decide which are the best exercises to do with a weighted vest, one of the most effective ways is to start by grouping all exercises into categories by movement pattern and intended outcome. From there, the best weighted vest exercises will be all the exercises within the category (or categories) that align the most with your specific objectives.

Below are seven of the best weighted vest exercise categories, containing weighted vest exercises that are familiar, cover a wide range of movements and objectives, are relatively beginner-friendly, and make the benefits of a weighted vest immediately noticeable, especially once the vest is removed.

Best Weighted Vest Exercises (By Category)

Burpees, pull-ups, and other bodyweight workouts are often labeled as the best weighted vest exercises, but that isn’t true for everyone. In reality, multitudes of exercises can be performed with a weighted vest, and which exercises are best for you depends on your fitness level, experience, and training goals.

1. Full-Body and Cardio Weighted Vest Exercises

If you favor full-body and cardio, the best weighted vest exercises would be high-intensity, full-body movements that elevate your heart rate quickly and demand coordination, strength, and endurance at the same time.

• Burpees
• Jumping jacks
• Sprints 

A weighted vest is ideal for these because it forces your muscles to work harder during acceleration, deceleration, and repeated ground contact, which is exactly what these exercises rely on.

Benefits of Using a Weighted Vest for Full-Body and Cardio Exercises

• Higher calorie burn in less time
• Improved cardiovascular conditioning
• Greater power output and work capacity
• Increased metabolic demand without needing longer workouts

For full-body and cardio exercises, consider Zelus Classic U-shaped weighted vests with 3 adjustable weight ranges (4-32 lbs) that suit all fitness levels. They are adjustable, made of breathable material, and have a special U-shaped design that frees chest space, with zero pressure.

2. Plyometric and Explosive Lower-Body Exercises

If you are more interested in movements that focus on explosive leg drive, balance, and coordination, then the best exercises to do with a weighted vest would be 

• Broad jumps. 
• Box step-ups.

These exercises are best for a weighted vest because the vest adds resistance directly to your center of mass, making each jump or step more demanding while preserving natural movement patterns.

For plyometric exercises involving a lot of movement, you need a weighted vest that fits tightly and is not cumbersome to move around in. The X-Shaped Weighted Vests from Zelus are made from an exclusive Z-Fit™ material and designed in an X shape, which allows you full mobility and quick use of your upper body. Perfect for plyometrics.

Benefits of Using a Weighted Vest for Broad Jumps and Step Ups

• Increased lower-body power
• Stronger tendons and connective tissue
• Better athletic carryover to running and jumping
• Improved balance and body control

3. Squat-Based Lower-Body Exercises

If your objective is building foundational strength movements that target the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core, the best weighted vest exercises are squad-based lower-body exercises like 

• Squats
• Bulgarian split squats
• Pistol squats

A weighted vest distributes load evenly across the torso, reducing spinal compression compared to barbells while still adding meaningful resistance. For squats, consider the Y-Shaped weighted vests from Zelus. They keep the weight centered on your torso, allowing you to squat with ease.

Benefits of Using a Weighted Vest For Squats and Lower Body Exercises

• Increased leg strength (without heavy equipment)
• Improved joint stability and posture
• Greater muscle activation through the full range of motion
• Safer progressive overload for bodyweight training

4. Lunge and Single-Leg Training Exercises

Lunges are also some of the best weighted vest exercises because they emphasize unilateral strength, coordination, and hip stability while mimicking real-world movement patterns.

• Back and forth lunges
• Switching lunges
• Squat lunges
• Curtsy lunges

The vest increases load without shifting balance as dumbbells can, making it easier to maintain form during dynamic, single-leg movements.

Benefits Weighted Vest for Lunges and Single Leg Training Exercises

• Improved balance and coordination
• Stronger hips and stabilizer muscles
• Reduced muscular imbalances
• Better functional strength for daily activities

5. Upper-Body Push Exercises

Exercises are those that target the chest, shoulders, and triceps using bodyweight as the primary resistance. These include the following exercises:

• Pushups
• Decline pushups
• Assisted trunk pushups
• Diamond push-ups
• Explosive pushups
• Bross tricep pushups
• Pike pushups
• Leans
• Bench dips
• Dips
• Skull crushers

Weighted vests are ideal for these exercises because the vest increases resistance evenly across the torso, making push movements more challenging without stressing the wrists or shoulders.

Benefits of Weighted Vests for Upper Body Push Exercises

• Greater upper-body strength and hypertrophy
• Increased triceps and shoulder engagement
• Improved pressing power and endurance
• Easy progression beyond standard bodyweight exercises

6. Upper-Body Pull Exercises

If you are interested in pulling movements that develop the back, biceps, and grip strength while improving posture and shoulder health, the best exercises to do with a weighted vest are:

• Pull-ups
• Jumping pull-ups
• Jumping chin-ups
• Row chin-ups
• Chin-up curls
• Bar curls
• Back and forth bar curls

Adding weight to your torso increases resistance without changing your grip or bar mechanics, making progressions smoother and more controlled.

Benefits of Weighted Vest for Upper-Body Pull Exercises

• Increased back and arm strength
• Improved grip and forearm endurance
• Better muscle engagement through a full range
• Scalable difficulty for all strength levels

7. Core and Stability Exercises

These exercises train core stability, rotational strength, and muscular endurance. The best core and stability exercises to do with a weighted vest include:

• Planks
• Plank alternative toe taps
• High planks to low planks
• Boat hold
• Russian twists

A weighted vest increases anti-extension and anti-rotation demands, forcing deeper core engagement without spinal flexion overload.

Benefits of Weighted Vest for Core and Stability Exercises

• Stronger, more resilient core
• Improved posture and spinal stability
• Better transfer of strength to other exercises
• Reduced reliance on high-rep ab work

Beginner vs Advanced Weighted Vest Exercises

Beginner vs Advanced Weighted Vest Exercises: What’s the Difference?

• Stability: Beginners use more stable positions; advanced users train instability
• Speed: Beginners move more slowly; advanced exercises involve explosive or dynamic movement
• Load Tolerance: Beginners adapt to weight; advanced users maximize performance under load
• Risk Management: Beginner movements minimize joint stress; advanced exercises require excellent form

Beginner weighted vest exercises focus on control, stability, and movement quality. These movements use slower tempos, two-legged stances, or partial assistance to help the body adapt to the added load. For beginners, the goal isn’t intensity-it’s learning how to move correctly while carrying extra weight.

Advanced weighted vest exercises, on the other hand, introduce single-leg work, explosive power, higher impact, and longer time under tension. These exercises place greater demands on joints, connective tissue, and neuromuscular coordination, making them ideal for experienced users who have already built a base of strength.

Final Thoughts on The Best Weighted Vest Exercises

Weighted vests work best with compound, functional movements: exactly the exercises above. They allow progressive overload without bulky equipment, making them ideal for home workouts, calisthenics, and athletic conditioning.

The key is to have a clear understanding of what your workout goals are, which exercises best align with those goals, and what size weighted vest you need. From there, you can throw on a weighted vest, remain dedicated, and you will see and feel great progress from the first day.