Engineer Designs Weighted Clothing Line

Posted By elissa on Jul 18, 2010 | 2 comments

Using weighted clothing to improve strength, power and/or endurance isn’t new – in fact, well-made, close-fitting weighted vests and shorts have been used by athletes for quite some time.  I own a “Smart Vest” myself, and have made good use of it. But – let’s face it – unless I’m wearing a jacket or sweatshirt, it’s pretty obvious I’m wearing athletic gear.

According to CNN, a young engineer at Georgia Tech,  Patrick Whaley, has come up with weighted clothing that’s both unobtrusive and useful.  So useful, in fact, that he was able to use his creation(s) to facilitate his rehabilitation following a near-fatal assault.

As a child, Patrick Whaley was so skinny, he carried extra books in his bag to build up muscle.

He came to realize that if his own clothing could weigh more, that would also help him bulk up. That’s how he invented a clothing line called Omega Wear, which incorporates hydro-gel weights, strategically placed over major muscle groups.  The extra weight helps raise the number of calories you burn and improve muscle endurance – read more from Georgia Tech.

…Whaley nearly lost his dream in 2009, when he was shot in the chest during an armed robbery.  The bullet missed his heart by one compression, he said, and left him with only two-thirds of his lung.

The weighted shirt turned out to be instrumental in his rehabilitation.  His own success of getting back in shape with the shirt made him realize that it could also be useful for patients who need physical therapy.

Neat looking stuff – when the shirts go on the market, I may have to one or two of my own.