One topic that comes up often—especially as people age—is how to maintain strong bones or maintain mineral bone density. While running is a popular choice for fitness, when it comes to preserving bone mineral density, strength training stands out as the most effective load bearing exercise available.
What Is Bone Mineral Density and Why Does It Matter?
Bone mineral density (BMD) measures the amount of minerals, primarily calcium, within your bones. It’s a critical marker of bone strength and a major predictor of osteoporosis and fracture risk. As we age, we naturally lose bone mass, making it crucial to incorporate activities that support bone health.
Why Not Running?
Running is often assumed to be beneficial for bones because it’s a weight-bearing activity. However, not all load bearing exercises are created equal. Running places repetitive stress on the lower body, which offers some benefits to bone tissue, but the impact is limited in scope and intensity. It doesn’t adequately stimulate bone growth across all major areas—especially the spine, hips, and wrists, which are key regions prone to osteoporosis-related fractures.
Additionally, excessive running—especially without resistance training—can lead to stress fractures and may even negatively impact BMD in individuals with low energy availability or hormonal imbalances.
The Strength of Strength Training
Strength workouts are the most effective exercise for improving and maintaining bone health. Whether it’s using free weights, machines, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises, resistance training applies direct, targeted stress to the bones through muscular contractions. This mechanical loading triggers a response from bone-forming cells called osteoblasts, which helps strengthen and rebuild bone tissue.
Research consistently shows that resistance training increases BMD in key areas like the hips and spine—something running alone simply can’t achieve. This is backed by the great advice in this article that references various studies on the subject, the Role of strength training in preventing osteoporosis.
Additional Benefits of Strength Training
Unlike running, resistance training can be adapted for the entire body. It not only supports better bone health but also improves balance, coordination, and muscle strength. These benefits significantly reduce the risk of falls and fractures, especially in older adults. Resistance training also stimulates hormones like growth hormone and testosterone, which further support bone and muscle health.
Not to mention that if you are a runner, strength workouts are going to improve your running. You will be more robust and able to minimise your injury risk. Your economy of effort will improve, same speed for less effort or more speed for the same effort.
Strength workouts also produces quick results, you will see improvements in only a few weeks.
Making Strength Training a Priority
If you’re serious about preserving your bones, resistance training needs to be a regular part of your routine. Aim to train all major muscle groups at least twice per week, progressively increasing resistance over time. Exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, and overhead presses are all excellent examples of load bearing exercises that support good bone health.
Final Thoughts
Running has its place for cardiovascular health, but it doesn’t deliver the bone-strengthening benefits of resistance training. As a long-term strategy for maintaining bone health, resistance training is the superior load bearing exercise. Strong bones are key to a strong, independent life. Don’t just run—lift.
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