WEIGHTED VEST VS. VIBRATION PLATE: WHICH IS BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

If you have access to a weighted vest or vibration plate, know that both tools can be instrumental in your weight loss journey if you learn to use them efficiently. But, if you have to make a choice, you might want to know which of them is more efficient at fat-burning and can offer you quicker results.

Well, let's dive into how each piece of equipment functions, what its specific benefits are, and which one is better suited for your weight loss journey.

Weighted Vest vs. Vibration Plate: Results Compared

1. Calorie Burning

As far as calorie burning goes, the weighted vest is superior to a vibration machine. 

• Using a weighted vest is a more active way to burn calories. By adding resistance to traditional exercises like running, walking, and bodyweight movements, you significantly boost your calorie expenditure.
• The vibration plate is efficient in muscle activation, but it usually does not provide the same high level of calorie burn as performing high-intensity exercises with a weighted vest.

Explore some ways to burn calories with a weighted vest with our complete guide.

2. Muscle Building and Toning

• A vibration plate enhances muscle activation, helping you get more toned muscles, but the muscle-building effect isn’t as strong as using a weighted vest. 
• The vest challenges your muscles by adding resistance, which helps build strength and tone your body. The increased muscle mass also boosts your metabolism, helping with long-term fat loss.

3. Accessibility and Impact

• The vibration plate is superior when it comes to accessibility. It can be used by people with joint issues or those looking for a low-impact option. 
• The weighted vest is for those who can handle higher-impact exercises and are looking for faster, more intense fat loss.

4. Long-Term Results

A weighted vest is more comprehensive for achieving sustainable weight loss because it can be easily integrated into cardio and strength routines, for better fat-burning and muscle-building results over time. 

A vibration plate is a supplementary tool, which means it may not provide the same benefits when used for full-body exercises. It is great for easing muscle recovery, blood circulation, and muscle activation, but it does not do the main job as well as a weighted vest.

Vibration Plate With Weighted Vests: Does it Work?

Using a weighted vest on a vibration plate is entirely possible, and it is particularly beneficial for improving mobility and body balance if you engage in the right exercises. 

An academic study conducted by the National Institute of Medicine evaluating the training effects of whole body vibration (WBV) combined with a weighted vest (WV) in older adults found that combining a weighted vest and vibration plate had a greater effect on some exercises (the single-leg-stance and the timed-up-and-go) compared to a weighted vest or vibration plate alone.

However, the benefits of a weighted vest on a vibration plate did not cut across all exercises and workouts. As the study reports:

• All groups improved their isometric muscle strength with little difference between groups.
  
• Rectus femoris muscle thickness and total muscle mass were significantly increased in all groups equally, with little difference between groups.
  

So, while combining a weighted vest with a vibration helped with mobility and body balance, it did not do much to boost muscle strength or muscle mass. At least not significantly more than a weighted vest or vibration plate would do independently. 

Should You Use a Weighted Vest with a Vibration Plate?

Wearing a weighted vest on a vibration does work in that the added weight of the vest does make the workout harder, increasing your heart rate and causing you to sweat harder.  

Demonstrations of weighted vests with vibration plates do show that the combination increases the level of workout intensity and helps boost heart rate and mobility. 

• Combining both is great for a general exercise and leaves you with the satisfaction of having had a good workout. 
• Using a weighted vest also allows you to work out hands-free, which is an advantage because you need mobility on a vibration plate. 

However, keep in mind that the benefits of using a weighted vest with a vibration plate (at the moment) remain relatively unexplored, and there is limited evidence regarding the extent to which combining the two is beneficial.  

Remember to start with a lighter weighted vest (5–10% of your body weight). The X-Shaped 5 lbs and 10 lbs weighted vests are one of the best weighted vests for walking with adjustable straps for a snug fit to prevent bouncing and even weight distribution (front + back).

Weighted Vest With Vibration Plate: Tips

1. Keep your core throughout for the best results
2. Stick to less intensive workouts; mostly warm-up movements to stretch the arm muscles, back, and lower body.
3. Feel free to step partially off the plate to engage more muscles and try out numerous positions.
4. Keep the sessions short (especially when vibrations are high) and take breaks in between.

Weighted Vest for Weight Loss: Why it Works

Wearing a weighted vest during exercise adds extra resistance, which basically forces the muscles to exert themselves more.  As you spend more energy overcoming the additional weight during exercise, you burn more calories. 

This is the simple reason why weighted vests work: they boost the intensity of your workout and accelerate calorie burning.

Benefits of Using a Weighted Vest For Weight Loss

1. It Also Boosts Endurance

• Consistently using a weighted vest improves your endurance over time.
• As your body gets used to carrying more weight during your workouts, it becomes more efficient at performing exercises without the vest.
• In the long run, you benefit from better cardiovascular fitness and stamina.

2. You Gain Functional Fitness

A weighted vest also enhances functional fitness, which refers to your body’s ability to perform daily tasks more efficiently.

With a weighted vest, you engage the core and stabilizing muscles in your body. In time, your balance and posture improve, your movements get quicker, and you feel more agile even when you are out of the gym.

Why Choose a Weighted Vests For Weight Loss

The weight is customizable: When you get a weighted vest like the Adjustable Vest from Zelus, it comes with 20 sandbags, which allow you to adjust the weight based on your fitness level. If you are a beginner, you can start progressing slowly and increase the number of bags as you go on.

1. Weighted Vests are Versatile

You might have several preferred exercises that tend to be more effective and help you lose weight more quickly.  Weighted vest exercises are numerous and varied in nature, from cardio (running, walking) to strength training (bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats). So, there is no doubt that this equipment will benefit you.

2.  It Boosts Strength and Muscle Tone

A weighted vest makes your muscles work harder. As the fat burns away, your muscles will get more toned.

 Risks of Using a Weighted Vest for Weight Loss

Strictly speaking, there are no direct, natural, unavoidable cons of using a weighted vest. However, you should pay attention to some health and safety tips while using the vest. Take particular note of the following:

• There is a Risk of Joint Strain: If you wear a vest that is too heavy or use it during high-impact exercises (like running), it can put stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles.
• Good Form Is Crucial: If your form is bad or your technique is improper, you could face an increased risk of injury. You don’t want the weight to become too concentrated on your spinal cord, for example.

How Vibration Plates Help With Weight Loss

With vibration plates, the idea is that the vibrations enhance muscle activation, and therefore, even simple movements are performed with greater intensity.

• The vibration plate’s primary function is to generate rapid vibrations, which stimulate your muscles, causing them to contract multiple times per second, even if you are standing still. 
• This increased muscle activation is what helps your body burn calories, and your muscles become toned over time.

1. Efficient Workouts

The vibration plate allows you to perform shorter, more efficient workouts. Even with simple movements like standing, squatting, or doing push-ups, the plate can engage more muscles than if you were to perform the same exercises on the floor. Even the simplest movements result in efficient calorie expenditure.

2. Low-Impact Exercise

The vibration plate generally accommodates exercises that are more low-impact. If you have joint issues or problems with mobility, it is easy to set the vibrations to engage the muscles in a gentle way.

Gentle vibrations will reduce the stress on your joints while still providing a sufficient challenge to your muscles.

3. Improved Circulation and Recovery

Vibration plates play a unique role in promoting faster recovery. By stimulating the muscles to contract rapidly, the rapid vibrations can improve your blood circulation and enhance lymphatic drainage.

The benefit of a vibration plate is perhaps most noticeable when you need to recover quickly after workouts, but it also helps your muscles repair more quickly, which is crucial for weight loss.

Benefits of Using a Vibration Plate for Weight Loss

• It is Low-Impact: The plate goes gently on the joints, making it a suitable option for those with mobility issues or joint problems.
• More Time-Efficient: Like with the weighted vest, you can achieve significant muscle activation and calorie burn in a relatively short period.
• Enhances Quick Recovery: The vibrations help with muscle recovery and blood circulation, making it useful even after you are done working out.

Setbacks of Using a Vibration Plate for Weight Loss

• The calorie burning could be limited: An increase in muscle activation on a vibration plate does not usually lead to a proportionate increase in calorie burning. So you may not be burning off as many calories as it feels you are.
• The workout may not be as comprehensive: The vibration plate can complement your workout routine, but it may not provide the same comprehensive benefits as performing traditional exercises like running or strength training.

Final Thoughts on Weighted Vests vs Vibration Plates

For active weight loss, the weighted vest is generally the better option. When combined with regular strength and cardio workouts, it accelerates fat loss and helps improve body composition over time.

However, remember that this does not mean that the vibration plate is bad for weight loss. Vibration plates offer a myriad of other benefits and are more suitable than weighted vests for many other uses.

Before You Decide!

At the end of the day, what really matters is your fitness goal. If your primary goal is weight loss, the weighted vest provides a more direct and effective path. The vibration plate, while useful, may serve more as a supplementary tool in your overall fitness plan.

Explore the best times to wear a weighted vest, and more health and safety tips for combing your weighted vest with a vibration plate.