After using a number of different weight vests, I have found that this vest is by far the best weighted vest for sprinters and runners.
The Best Weighted Vest For Sprinting
Most weighted vests are bulky, and they tend to bound around when running, jumping, or sprinting while wearing them. Because of this, many athletes avoid sprinting with a weighted vest and lose out on the potential benefits they can derive from this form of resisted sprinting.
After researching and trying out different weight vests, I have found that the best weighted vest for running and sprinting is the Hyper Vest Elite by Hyperwear who make several weighted vest models.
Testing The Hypervest Elite
To test the the Hypervest Elite and determine if it is in fact the best weighted vest for sprinters, I performed a variety of sprint drills, plyometrics, acceleration sprints, and block starts while wearing the weight vest. For my testing, I used a load of 10 pounds in a size large vest.
Fit & Comfort
I picked size large in accordance with the sizing guide on the Hyperwear website, and it fit perfectly. The Hypervest Elite fits snugly on your body, and feels more like you are wearing a heavy shirt rather than some bulky vest.
The main problem I have experienced with other weighted vests is that, due to their bulk and thickness, they tend to bound up and down when sprinting or running with a weight vest, and this leads to an inconsistent and unpredictable feeling that makes me hesitant to sprint as fast as I could while wearing these other vests.
In contrast, the Hypervest Elite fits so well that you can barely even notice that you are wearing it. I noticed that it did not bounce or jostle around while sprinting and jumping in the vest, making it an optimal weighted vest for anybody who is performing high intensity exercises in their workouts.
Additionally, the combination of a zip-up front and adjustable sides ensures that you can get the right fit, while being able to put on and take off the vest with ease. Many weighted vests require you to lift the vest overhead to put it on and take it off, whereas the Hypervest Elite is very easy to get in and out of.
Sprinting With A Weighted Vest
Once it was time to perform my workout, I put the vest on and was ready to go. My goal with this workout was to work on projecting out of the starting blocks at a lower angle and to be as forceful as possible.
The workout I performed went as follows:
- 3x20m block starts with the weighted vest.
- 1x30m block start with the weighted vest.
- 1x20m,1x30m, 1x40m, 1x50m without the weighted vest.
- Various hops and jumps with the weighted vest.
As I progressed through this workout, I found that the weighted vest sprints were actually faster than my first couple sprints without the weighted vest. At first, this might sound odd, but the reason was that the weighted vest allowed me to achieve better projection angles as well as to spend more time on the ground during early acceleration, both of which improved my early acceleration.
After a few sprints without the Hypervest Elite, I was able to take transfer those better projection angles achieved with the vest into my sprints without the weighted vest. In this manner, the weighted vest sprints helped tune my brain into having better sprinting technique, ultimately improving my sprint performance in this session.
Similar sessions can be done with a sprinting sled.
Sprint Faster With A Weighted Vest
By using a high quality weighted vest like the Hypervest Elite, you can improve sprinting performance in a number of ways.
First, using a weighted vest can help add resistance to your movements, increase the load on your muscle and tendon tissues, and encourage your body to produce more force while training.
Second, sprinting with a weighted vest can help athletes learn which angles are best for them to push out at during acceleration. Weighted vest sprinting helps you feel the ground more, and as a result can help sprinters learn to be more forceful during early acceleration.
Third, weighted vests can be used as a contrast training method, where you alternate back and forth between weighted and unweighted sprinting. This can help athletes learn to be more powerful during acceleration, and may even have a potentiation effect on subsequent sprints.
Hyperwear Hyper Vest Elite Sizing
In choosing a weighted vest for sprinting, it is important that you purchase the right size.
- Small - The small vest is best for people between 90 and 130 pounds, with a height range of 4'10" to 5'4". The small vest has a weight capacity of 15 pounds, and is 20 inches tall.
- Medium - The medium vest fits people ranging from 130 to 170 pounds, and with a height of 5'4" to 5'9". The medium weight vest has a maximum weight capacity of 20 pounds, and is 21 inches tall overall.
- Large - The large vest fits people from 170 to 210 pounds who 5'9" to 6'4" tall. The large vest has a weight capacity of 20 pounds, and is 22 inches tall.
- Extra Large - The extra large vest is for people who are over 210 pounds and taller than 6'4". This vest has a larger weight capacity of 25 pounds, and is 24 inches tall.
I am approximately 6 feet tall and weigh around 180 pounds, and found that the large size was a perfect fit for me.
Conclusion
After testing out the Hyperwear Hypervest Elite, I am confident that this will now be my go-to weighted vest for sprinting.
The fact that the Hypervest Elite fits well, is very snug and form-fitting, and offers a good weight range for sprinting all make it the best weighted vest for sprinting.
Not only can this weight vest be used for running, sprinting, and jumping, it can also be worn during strength training workouts or as a form of hypergravity training.
If you want the best weighted vest on the market that you can use during sprint training, high intensity interval training, or while sprinting for fat loss, then the Hyperwear Hypervest Elite is the right weighted vest for you!
Check out this article for the best weghted vests for women.