High Velocity Resistance Training for Bone Health

Thought I’d share some info on bone density this month. Low bone density (LBD) affects women and men and can become a significant quality of life issue if it leads to fractures. While it’s true that active people can get LBD, it’s more common in sedentary (non-exercising) folks. If your work involves a lot of standing, you’re better off even if you do not exercise. The key – weight bearing and resistance training exercise. Research says impact activities (plyometrics like jumping, skipping & hopping) trigger increases in bone mineral density. We can’t all jump, can we? Heel drops are a good option and here’s a link to a demo: http://tinyurl.com/yyn8wsun.

For more overall fitness,there’s “high velocity resistance training.” Done more quickly with less weight, this triggers bones to become denser with less risk and targets the aerobic and balance systems too. This style of resistance training can be subbed in on any training day. Click here for an excellent discussion on velocity training from the good folks at Johnson Fitness.