Improving your bone strength..

We should all be careful and mindful of how we exercise. Low impact exercise such as indoor rowing and cycling has it pros, less harmful on your joints, it slowly builds up strength and muscle endurance over time without putting stress on the joints increasing your strength and endurance. It can also help promote weight-loss as participating in low impact exercise is a great way to lose weight but there is a place for high impact exercise as well.

High impact exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn more calories since it's easier to get your heart rate up when you're jumping around more. High-impact exercise also strengthens the bones. Experts know that subjecting the bones to stress, like high impact activity, causes them to add mass in response. So that morning run you do not only helps burn more calories but in theory it will help increase your bone strength too.

There are other benefits such as it..

Gets your heart rate up more quickly so you burn more calories during exercise

Improves your stability, balance, and coordination

Strengthens your heart and lungs

All the above are really important, but I feel that the most important reason for high impact exercise - especially for women is the improvement of the strength of their bones. You see strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This terrible chronic condition that effects mainly women later in life makes the bones brittle and weak leading to injury if falls take place. As well as strength training we must ensure we eat a nutritious diet and adequate calcium intake. We must also avoid under-nutrition, particularly the effects of severe weight-loss diets. Maintain an adequate supply of vitamin D too through supplements, diet and good old sunshine!

There are scientific studies which have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and several show it can even build bone as with that stress comes from the tugging and pushing on bone that occur during strength training (as well as weight-bearing aerobic exercises like walking or running). So get those lifters on and pick up that barbell!!

As well as all the benefits of warding off Osteoporosis post- menopausal, lifting weights can also help YOUR weight. Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories. It may not make a difference if you step on the scales as muscle weighs more than fat BUT it will change your body’s dimensions, so using that tape measure will give you the proof that all your hard work is paying off. The dress sizes will drop and your fat will too, and you will build lean muscle mass too that will burn the calories that you consume.

Finally not only can lifting help your bones and change your body shape it can also lift those spirits. So what is there not to like? Don’t be intimidated by the weightlifting corner of the gym, ask for help and support from a professional and start helping decrease your risk of brittle bones later in life. The pros outweigh ALL the cons and will help you enjoy your future life more, making you more mobile and stronger!