Firefighter Weighted Vest & Weighted Backpack Training | YOMP Co
YOMP Athlete · Firefighter · 411 miles
The mind quits first.
Firefighter. Strength coach. Endurance athlete.Will trains with a weighted vest and weighted backpack until his head starts bargaining. Then he keeps going.
Follow Will @willrefute →
The kit behind the miles
Carry the load
Will carries.
Weighted Training Vest 10kg
Lightweight 500D weighted vest. 10kg included, bounce-free fit, one size S–XL. Field tested by 50+ athletes over a 24-hour race.
£145Shop →
Y-CO Weighted Backpack
British-designed rucking backpack built to carry plate weight for long miles in the wet. Hip belt and sternum strap as standard.
From £129Shop →The mind quits long before the body does.
It starts negotiating the moment things get hard. You've done enough. No one would blame you. Stop here.
Will goes looking for that moment. He takes himself to the crossroads where every excuse to quit sounds reasonable, then chooses to carry on.
You see the finish line. You don't see the hundred quiet decisions it took to get there.
Firefighter first
He carries weight for a living.
Breathing apparatus. Protective kit. Hose, tools, sometimes a person. Carried through heat and smoke, with no option to put it down because you're tired.
On a fireground, strength that only exists in the gym is no use to anyone. What counts is strength you can move with, for a long time, under load.
That is exactly what weighted vest and weighted backpack training builds.
Train like Will
Weighted vest or weighted backpack?
Both put real load on your frame. The difference is where the weight sits and what the session asks of you.
Weighted vest
- Close to your body. The load sits tight to your torso and doesn't swing.
- Built for movement. Runs, burpees, press-ups, Murph and CrossFit sessions.
- Strength under load. The engine work between the long days.
Weighted backpack
- Built for distance. Long rucks, hills and hours on your feet.
- Carries more. Plate weight plus water, layers and food.
- Load through the hips. A hip belt takes weight off your shoulders over the miles.
The next test
411 miles.
7 days.
Full kit.
An ultra marathon for The Fire Fighters Charity, which supports serving and retired firefighters and their families. The people he's running for are the people he works alongside.
Follow the miles @willrefute →“Game changer”
Will, on training in YOMP kit
A week like that leaves no room for kit that rubs, shifts or needs adjusting every mile. When the mind is already negotiating, it doesn't need another reason to stop.
Start under load
Your first miles.
Questions
Weighted training FAQ
Who is Will?
Will is a firefighter, strength coach and endurance athlete, and a YOMP Co athlete. His next challenge is a 411-mile, 7-day ultra marathon for The Fire Fighters Charity. Follow him on Instagram at @willrefute.
Does weighted backpack training help firefighters with BA (breathing apparatus)?
It's one of the closest matches you can train for. A BA set puts a cylinder and harness on your back, often well over 10kg before you add PPE, hose or tools. That load sits high on your back and pulls through your shoulders and hips, which is how a loaded weighted backpack sits too. Regular rucking builds the things BA work asks for: an upper back and core that hold posture under load, legs that keep going on stairs and uneven ground, and the conditioning to work for long periods with weight on. Add a weighted vest for the shorter, harder efforts like crawling, carrying and climbing. It won't replace your service's BA training or fitness tests, but it makes the load feel familiar before the day you need it.
Should I start with a weighted vest or a weighted backpack?
If your sessions are mostly running, bodyweight movements or gym circuits, start with a weighted vest. It stays close to your body and doesn't bounce. If you want long walks and distance under load, start with a weighted backpack. Many people end up using both.
How heavy should a weighted vest be?
Start light and build up. The YOMP Co weighted vest comes with 10kg, a sensible load for most people to train with straight away. The vest itself weighs 1.2kg unloaded.
Can you run in a weighted vest?
Yes. The YOMP Co vest is built for running, rucking and CrossFit, with adjustable straps and stretch waistbands for a snug, bounce-free fit. Build distance gradually before running long with load.
What makes a good weighted backpack?
The weight should sit high and tight against your back, with a hip belt and sternum strap to stop it shifting. YOMP Y-CO backpacks are designed in the UK for plate weight and come with both as standard.
Welcome to the team, Will
Stay ready.
Let's go find out where the boundary actually is.
Follow Will @willrefute →Serving firefighter, first responder or military? We offer a discount for the people who keep us safe. Email sales@yomp.store for your code.
