Peloton Weighted Vest Walks & Hikes (Rucking Classes) - New Class Types

Peloton has introduced a new class sub-type & accessory to the platform this week: Weighted Vest classes.

These classes are teased as a great way to take your favorite workout and take it to the next level; without having to do much else besides add the weighted vest, and without requiring extra time from your day. The classes should help you get stronger over time. The official description for Peloton’s weighted vest walks & hikes are:

Challenge your body in new ways by adding a weighted vest to your Walk! Boost your bone health, strengthen muscles and improve your posture and balance in this class that is crafted to account for the extra load.

At launch, two instructors are teaching Peloton weighted vest classes: Rebecca Kennedy & Joslyn Thompson Rule. However, they both teased that other instructors would be teaching them as well.

Peloton Weighted Vest walk with Rebecca Kennedy.

While there are only a handful of weighted vest classes to start, the instructors say that their goal for these classes are to teach members enough so that they have the tools & knowledge to add a weighted vest to any of Peloton’s walks & hikes. The Peloton instructors also note that they will refer to the classes sometimes as “Peloton Rucking Classes” as well.

One big question people will have is how heavy of a weighted vest they should use. Both Rebecca & Joslyn recommend doing no heavier than 10% of your body weight – and possibly even starting off with only 5% as you get used to the classes. Then, as you get used to a weighted vest, progress up to 10%. While wearing the vest, you want it tight enough to stay in place, but not so tight it restricts your breathing or movement. It should be worn centered & balanced (not too low, and not too high), and be nice and snug.

Rebecca shared that this weighted vest (affiliate link) is the specific one she uses in her Peloton classes.

Progression is a big theme in weighted vest classes. When using a weighted vest, you should notice that your heart rate is more elevated than it would be at the same pace without the vest. This is normal & expected – but may require you to adjust your regular speeds as you get used to the vest. The recommendation is to not worry about pace at first for your first weighted vest classes.

Both Rebecca & Joslyn recommend that you start with shorter classes wearing the vest, but over time you will then want to build your endurance & tolerance. Week over week you can increase your time wearing the vest, but they warn not to overdo it at first, as you might not feel super tired in the moment – but it is causing an increased load on your body. Just like when you do progressive overload with strength training, you want to follow the same theory with adding weighted vests to your workouts.

What are the benefits of working out while using a weighted vest? Some of the highlights Joslyn & Rebecca shared are:

Boost intensity & level of workouts – you burn more calories in the same amount of time
Functional conditioning – it’s a strength & cardio combined into one
Building overall core strength
Improved bone health & density
Stronger muscles
Improved cardio health
Improved posture & balance

In addition, they both highlight additional workouts for women going through menopause, perimenopause or postmenopause. The workouts are great for offsetting bone density & muscle loss. If your focus is to get strong & build muscle – the weighted vest classes are a great addition to cardio you may already be doing. Weighted vest classes are low impact, and won’t add extra stress to your joints, but still help you increase your overall strength.

As hormones change, many see a dip in their metabolism – but adding a weighted vest can help counter some of that. Hormone changes also impact your connective tissues – which can lead to joint laxity or weakened posture – and adding a weighted vest can help prevent that as well. A reduction in estrogen can also lead people to suffer more fractures in their bones. However, another benefit of wearing a weighted vest (and strength training) is keeping bones & muscles strong, and functioning well.

Peloton Weighted Vest hike with Joslyn Thompson Rule.

There are 3 Peloton weighted vest classes currently available. Unfortunately, there is not currently a filter to jump directly to them. You can use the search filter to search for “Weighted”, or find them in our list below. They are:

List of Peloton Weighted Vest Classes (Hikes, Walks, Rucks)

Rebecca teased these classes as ones that will help you “maintain that strong posture and have a whole new lease on life.”

There are additional safety concerns to keep in mind while doing a Peloton weighted vest class. This includes keeping an extra eye on your posture: keeping your shoulders open, and not overarching your back. You want your foot to land directly under you, and keep your eyes forward. They also note that if you are pregnant or have recently had a baby, you should consult with your doctor before working out weight a weighted vest.

If you aren’t doing a post-class stretch, you may want to consider it after these classes since it is extra stress on the body. They recommend a full body stretch or full body foam rolling class.

Peloton’s weighted vest classes seem to fall under the new health & wellness focus – which includes nutrition content on social media as well.

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