Hey there. I have noticed a lot of conversations lately about weighted vests and how they are “revolutionizing” walking workouts. They have been around forever, but like most fitness trends, TikTok has a way of making something that has existed for years suddenly seem brand new. And while I think weighted vests can be useful in some situations, I want to zoom out and talk about walking itself, how to scale it, how to make it effective, and how to use it as a foundation for cardio that you can actually do for the rest of your life.
Why Walking Matters
Walking is the most natural form of movement we have. It is accessible, low impact, and easy to adjust based on where you are right now. Too often, people dismiss walking because they feel like it is not intense enough to burn calories or “count” as exercise. But here is the truth. walking at the right pace, consistently, is more than enough to improve your cardiovascular health, burn calories, and support weight management.
If you are wearing an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or any heart rate monitor, pay attention to your numbers. For most people, aiming to stay in the range of 115 to 135 beats per minute is more than enough. In fact, I tend to encourage people to stay in the 115 to 125 range if they are building consistency. That pace will elevate your heart rate, challenge your body, but also keep you in a place where you can carry on a conversation. That conversational pace is important because it helps you stay in control, avoid burnout, and most importantly, show up for your next workout.
At the end of the day, the most important goal with cardio is not how many calories you burn in a single session. It is whether or not you can do it again tomorrow.
Incline Over Speed
When people want to make walking more challenging, the default thought is usually to walk faster or start jogging. The problem is, faster speed usually means more pounding on your joints. Jogging and running can be great, but they also increase the risk of overuse injuries, especially if you have not built a base of consistent movement yet.
A better option is incline.
If you are at the gym, look at the incline button on the treadmill. Even if you have to reduce your speed, adding incline will increase your heart rate without the same joint stress that comes with running. If you are outside, look for hills, uneven terrain, or short stretches of incline that you can add into your walk. You do not have to climb mountains. Walking up a hill for 15 to 20 seconds, then coming back down, is enough to spike your heart rate and make your workout more effective.
Incline walking is one of the simplest ways to burn more calories, build endurance, and keep your workouts joint friendly.
Building Your Walking Workout
Here is a simple structure I like to share when people are starting or adjusting their walking workouts.
Warm up. Spend the first 1 to 2 minutes at a slower pace to loosen your body.
Main pace. Settle into a steady pace where you can still talk but feel your heart rate elevated.
Intervals. Add incline bursts, either outdoors with hills or on a treadmill by adjusting incline. These intervals can last anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute.
Cool down. Spend your final minute at a slower pace to bring your heart rate down.
If you are brand new to walking for exercise, start with 10 to 15 minutes. See how your body feels. If you want to walk daily, begin with shorter sessions so you can repeat them consistently. If you prefer three or four days per week, you can push a little longer. The main thing is to build a foundation and allow your body to adapt.
Alternatives When Walking Is Not an Option
There will be times when walking is not the right fit. Maybe you are dealing with an injury, maybe the weather is terrible, or maybe you just want variety. Low impact alternatives include lap swimming, upright or recumbent cycling, or even using ankle weights for shorter bouts of movement at home.
The point is to choose cardio that you can recover from and repeat consistently.
The Weighted Vest Trend
Now let us address weighted vests. Some people claim they help preserve bone density, increase calorie burn, and make walking more “worth it.” And while there is some truth to these claims, here is my perspective.
Strength training is the most effective way to preserve bone density and muscle mass as you age. Walking with a weighted vest might help in comparison to not doing resistance training at all, but it will never replace the benefits of lifting weights or even doing bodyweight strength work.
Weighted vests can have their place, but I see them as a “nice to have” once you have already built a solid base of cardio and strength. If you are already walking consistently, strength training a couple of days per week, and want an extra challenge, then trying a weighted vest could be fine. But start light. Think about one percent of your body weight. A two pound vest might sound silly, but it is better to start there and progress slowly than to overdo it and burn out.
Consistency Over Hype
Fitness trends come and go. For most people, the biggest benefits come from keeping things simple. Walking, adding incline, doing intervals you can recover from, and combining cardio with strength and mobility.
Longevity is the goal. If you are in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, you are probably already noticing that your body does not recover the way it used to. Every decision you make with your workouts should have one question attached to it. Will I be able to do this again tomorrow?
If the answer is yes, then you are on the right track.
Closing Thoughts
Walking works. Incline beats speed. Consistency trumps intensity. Trends like weighted vests might look appealing, but they are not necessary for most people. Build your foundation first. Start with short walks, pay attention to your heart rate, and layer in incline and intervals over time. Pair your walking with strength and mobility work, and you will not only see results now, but you will also set yourself up for long-term success.
If you take one thing from this, let it be this. The number one goal of any workout is to be able to do the next one. That mindset alone can shift the way you approach fitness for the rest of your life.
If you are ready to build a sustainable plan that matches your preferences, keeps you accountable, and helps you put this inside/out approach into action, I invite you to join The YLF Experience. This is where we take the ideas we talk about here and turn them into a clear plan that works for you.