Hollywood’s Secret Weapon: How Movie Stars Use Weighted Vests to Get Fit for Roles

Ever wondered how Hollywood stars transform their bodies for action-packed roles? Sure, there’s a lot of sweat, some serious dieting, and probably a personal trainer screaming at them to do one more rep—but one secret weapon that keeps popping up is the weighted vest. These bad boys add resistance to workouts, making every move harder and forcing muscles to work overtime. And guess what? Some of the biggest names in film have used them to bulk up, tone up, and prepare for the silver screen. Let’s take a look at a few actors who went all in with the weighted vest method.

Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

The Role: In Edge of Tomorrow, Emily Blunt plays Sergeant Rita Vrataski, an elite warrior leading the fight against an alien invasion. Not only did she have to look the part, but she also had to move like a battle-hardened soldier in a heavy, high-tech exosuit.

The Training: To prepare, Blunt trained with a weighted vest to simulate the 85-pound battle armour she wore on set. This wasn’t just about strength—she needed endurance, agility, and the ability to perform intense stunts while carrying extra weight. Spoiler alert: it worked. Her action scenes are some of the best in modern sci-fi.

Gerard Butler – 300 (2007)

The Role: This is Sparta! Gerard Butler’s portrayal of King Leonidas in 300 is legendary. The film follows the Spartan army as they face off against the Persian empire, and let’s be real—the cast had to look like warriors sculpted from marble.

The Training: Butler underwent a brutal four-month training regimen that included wearing a weighted vest during workouts. The extra resistance helped him build explosive power and endurance, essential for the intense fight scenes and, of course, those slow-motion battle shots. His ripped, battle-ready physique became the gold standard for Hollywood action stars.

Bradley Cooper – American Sniper (2014)

The Role: In American Sniper, Bradley Cooper played real-life Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. To do justice to the role, Cooper needed to gain 40 pounds of muscle and look like a seasoned soldier who could handle the weight of military gear without breaking a sweat.

The Training: Enter the weighted vest. Cooper incorporated it into his workouts to mimic the weight of tactical equipment SEALs carry in combat. The added resistance helped him develop the strength and stamina needed to move like a real-life elite soldier.

The Future of Weighted Vest Training in Hollywood

With Hollywood action films getting more intense, actors constantly look for new ways to prepare for roles. Weighted vests make training more efficient by building real-world strength and endurance, so it’s safe to say we’ll see even more stars strapping them on in the future.

So, who’s next? With Marvel entering their next phase, we will see a whole new host of super heroes hitting the big screen to take on the next threat to humanity, so a few penned actors for these roles will undoubtedly be using weighted vests to look the part. We even have an upcoming He-man movie in the works, seeing Nocholas Galitzine, known for his roles in numerous romance films, assume the lead as He-man himself, meaning he will have to bulk up to embody the iconic physique from our favourite 80s cartoon show. Sounds like a perfect job for a weighted vest to me!

If it’s good enough for the stars, maybe it’s time to add a weighted vest to your own workouts. Who knows? You might not be fighting off aliens or leading an army of Spartans, but you’ll definitely feel like a badass.