The effects of exercise on bone health / density and its overall importance to the holistic view of our health is a great topic of discussion that I often have with people I see.

Resistance training is the best form of exercise to improve bone health, but how does it compare to other forms of exercise and what does the literature say about frequency, loads and volume? (load = amount of resistance, volume = resistance x reps x sets)

I listened to a podcast recently (Perform, by Dr Andy Galpin) aptly titled ‘Build stronger bones’. Andy Galpin is a well renowned Exercise Scientist in the US and I highly recommend his podcast.

Bone health is often not something people think about until they are of a certain age or have a specific issue. Just like in previous blog pieces I have written; as with all health measures, it is much easier to maintain strong bones and a high bone mineral density then to try and improve it once you’ve lost it.

The research finds that resistance training is the most effective form of exercise for maintaining and improving bone mineral density. Weight bearing exercises can go a long way in preventing osteopenia and osteoporosis in both men and women. Postmenopausal women become the most susceptible to bone loss and fragility, making the importance of strength training even greater in order to reduce the risk of fractures, falls and weakness as we age.

Research proves that exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling show very little in terms of improvement or maintenance of bone density. This doesn’t mean that these types of exercises aren’t beneficial in other ways, just that a well-rounded exercise regime is always going to be the most effective and that begins with strength training.

In the end it’s all about challenging your systems in a safe and effective way. Sometimes lifting a certain weight might seem daunting, but if you maintain a strong technique and understand when you have hit a fatigue point, you won’t be at risk of injuring yourself.

Much of my focus is to make sure people are comfortable with exercises before progressing to levels required to build muscle, strength, power and improve or maintain bone density. The key being progressions, this means increasing exercise difficultly and volume (load x reps x sets).

What does this mean in terms of volume and loads? To Improve and maintain bone density through exercise we need load (resistance), multi-directional movements (using different body parts), intensity, consistency and progressive overload (regularly increasing load, reps, sets). Bone density isn’t going to improve by a huge percentage but even a 1-2% improvement when it comes to density is well worth the effort.

My advice is to keep challenging yourself no matter your age or abilities. It’s not meant to be easy, but there is no reason one can’t find some enjoyment and/or satisfaction in the challenge and the improvement.