Since bones are living tissue they are continually breaking down and
building back up on a daily basis. The problem is that after age 40 the
process starts to decline and most women will lose 0.5% bone mass a
year. By the time women reach 50 their chances for fracturing a bone
from osteoporosis is about 40%! Men also have to be weary since they
make up a third of all hip fractures.
The good news is you can stop osteoporosis in it’s tracks or better yet
build up bone mineral density with these bone-building tips:
1. Shoot for 2-3 resistance workouts per week.
2. Aerobic Cardio does not build bone mass… sorry.
3. Use moderate to high-intensity resistance when working with
weights
4. Choose a weight that you can handle for 8-10 repetitions before it
becomes too heavy too lift
5. Choose multi-joint compound exercises to build and strengthen
the joints, bones, and connective tissue
6. Pick stair climbing or jogging on an incline for endurance
based cardio
7. No, swimming will not build bone mineral density -it’s not
weight bearing
8. Supplement with 1,000 mg of calcium daily if you are not getting
enough from your diet. Add 400 IU of vitamin D and 500 mg of
magnesium to help calcium absorption
9. Don’t Stop! Your gains in bone mineral density will diminish if you
discontinue your resistance workouts
Guidelines adapted from the American College of Sports Medicine
“I have made more progress with Steve than I have on my own or with other
trainers in the last 10 years. I have lost over 12 lbs, 3 inches off my waist, and
decreased my body fat. Steve is fun to work with and at the same time very
motivational.”
– Mark Anxil