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Is Exercising Making Your Bones Brittle?
by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, November 19, 2009 • 19 Comments
Exercise promotes health…but did you know that certain types of exercises can actually make you more fragile? What may seem like a healthy, active lifestyle may be missing something critical that’s keeping you in the high-risk category.
If you look up to super freaky athletes like Michael Phelps, the swimming phenom that won 8 Olympic gold medals in a single Olympic Game or Lance Armstrong, the cycling and cancer survivor extraordinaire who won a record 7 Tour De France. There’s something you need to know…doing too much non-impact long duration exercises can seriously weaken your bones.
Here’s a little excerpt from an article titled The Shatter Proof Skeleton, in the October issue of Outside Magazine:
... a study of six Tour de France riders showed bone-density losses of up to 17 percent over the course of the race. Seven years later, the SDSU study demonstrated that two-thirds of the masters bike racers tested had, on average, 10 percent more bone-density loss when compared with the male control group. The results led the study’s author, exercise-physiology professor Jeanne Nichols, to warn of the risk in those participating exclusively in low-impact sports—like cyclists and swimmers. The latter, according to Scott Going, associate professor of nutritional science at the University of Arizona, are engaged in the sport ranked dead last for bone maintenance.
Now, I’m sure professionals like Lance and Michael have everything all under control with their posse of coaches, therapists and medical doctors monitoring their every move. But for the rest of us who don’t have the luxury of having such a posse… here’s the deal:
Doing long endurance types of exercises maybe good for your heart and mind, but not on your bones (nor for your lean muscle building and fat burning capabilities for that matter…but I’ll leave that one alone for another article). Especially when it involves low-impact types of exercises like cycling and swimming. But fear not you endurance junkies! There’s a simple solution.
The best the way to “shatter proof” your bones is…weightlifting!
I know it sounds too simple. But, weightlifting is by far the most effective way to enhance your bone density and strength. You’ve heard the saying…”what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger”. Well…your bones sort of work the same way. The more stress you put on them the stronger your bones get. And the best way to do that is by doing weight bearing exercises.
Even if you’re an endurance junkie and can’t stop riding your bike 100 miles a week, or you’ve been in training for an upcoming long distance triathlon event—putting in a couple of weightlifting sessions a week will not only keep your bones strong, but it’ll also help improve your performance—if you do the RIGHT THING.
THE RIGHT THING…is not body building since you’ll just be building non-functional muscle just for show. It’ll only bulk you up and make you heavier and slower.
THE RIGHT THING…is to perform functional exercises using challenging weights (think squats, deadlifts, lunges, and press ups)—these full body moves will make you stronger, more powerful and protect you from getting repetitive injuries commonly experienced when doing long endurance training.
If you’re unfamiliar with what functional exercises are or you aren’t sure how to combine them into an effective workout—try out the MAX Workouts program. The program has over 40 different full body functional exercises all programmed into a short but high intensity workouts to maximize your strength and power while building you a lean, strong body, without gaining any unnecessary bulk—all while keeping your bones strong and healthy.
How often do you add weightlifting to your weekly schedule? Or, do you tend to focus more on longer duration cardio for fear of gaining back your weight (which is wrong, by the way)? I’d love to hear from you, so please post your comments below.
About The Author
Shin Ohtake is a widely recognized strength coach and fitness & fat-loss expert. His unconventional, no-nonsense approach to getting fit has made him the go-to source for fitness enthusiasts and trainers alike. Shin is also the author of the world famous, MAX Workouts book, which has transformed and reshaped the bodies of thousands of people across the globe - without requiring hours in the gym. To learn more about how MAX Workouts can help you achieve your fitness goals, visit maxworkouts.com.
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19 Comments
Posted by Ana de la Portilla on 11/19 at 09:19 AM
I am very surprise to read the articel you posted today regarding your bones and swimming and cycling. I am 55 ,I have been a swimmer all my life , swam competitive until I was 17. I am still swimming twice a week for about half hour, do spinning twice a week half hour but I am also doing three times a week half hour of 4 sets combination of squats lunges and press ups. One day a week I take pilates for 45 min. Is this taking care of my bones or should I be doing more weight lifting excercises.
Posted by Kathie on 11/19 at 11:22 AM
I am only lifting weights, not much cardio or endurance type of exercises. I see better results in lifting weights. currently 3x a week. Is that Ok?
Posted by Franco Crincoli on 11/19 at 11:54 AM
Endurance running (swimming and cycling) is a great mind-freeing exercise and I can’t knock that health benefit but for burning fat and leaning out, getting stronger and more powerful, there is no substitution for weight training or bodyweight training. And as Shin says it has to be functional. Personally I never train clients on machines or use isolation exercises. Functional is the way to go.
Posted by Linda E. Paxton on 11/19 at 12:13 PM
Hi I cycle and am now attempting weights again after stopping them do to what my doctor said. I don’t have a grip on the kind of weights that you do. I think I do them way to fast and don’t get the muscle build in which I need. Can you explain to me how fast or slow a workout with weights should be? That would be great.
Because I believe in workouts and I know how they affect me mentally.
Thanks
Linda Paxton
Posted by Max on 11/19 at 01:15 PM
There may be a lot of truth in that bone density descreases with non-impact exercise. I would add that this tends to be at high aerobic to short anaerobic burts of long duration cardio. What’s more, unless the subject ingests high levels of carbohydrate, it will cause immense stress on the body due to rapid glycogen depletion, which in turn significantly impacts the levels of growth hormone, and increases stress hormones, catabolising tissue (bone, muscle etc). However, long duration cardio done at around 50% MHR is relatively safe and does not catabolise tissue, but burns fat, mainly because the body is a protein sparing system—which means at low intensities and at rest, it burns higher ratios of fat to other tissue.
Great post Shin!
Posted by Mahjong on 11/19 at 03:22 PM
I know it sounds too simple. But, weightlifting is by far the most effective way to enhance your bone density and strength.
Posted by Robert P Ruschak on 11/19 at 04:17 PM
I do resistance workouts 3x a week using bodylastics, and power walk on alternate days. I workout out at home and the strength bands work great.
Posted by Sonny on 11/19 at 04:32 PM
So glad I enjoy weights as well as all the other activities I do.
Wish more people would get it.
S
Posted by Sophia on 11/19 at 04:42 PM
About 7 or 8 years ago I saw a story on the evening news about something that they were doing in Canada. It seems that the concern was that kids today do not drink as much milk as we did, and they are more likely to be sitting in front of a computer or tv screen instead of outside running and playing. Hence, they were noticing that kids were breaking bones at an alarming rate due to bone loss.
The plan to reverse this turned out to be simple and free, and the story reports that it worked by not only stopping the bone loss, but they have seen a significant increase in bone mass. No other changes, but this one thing! What is it?
In school each day, once mid-morning and once mid-afternoon, the kids stand up beside their desks and jump in place for two minutes (jumping jacks if space permits). That’s it! Not only did this solve the bone loss and breakage problem, it had the unexpected benefit of waking the kids up so they would learn better too!
I immediately implemented this simple concept into my daily routine. I’m 60 and while I haven’t increased my bone mass, I haven’t seen a decline in the 7 or 8 years that I’ve been practicing, and I get annual bone scans. I do weight lifting 3 times a week and cardio 2 to 3 times each week.
Posted by setoki salusere on 11/19 at 11:14 PM
dam!!!this is really good…thanks man…i like your articles and i have tried out your favourite full body exercise(squat and press-up),it take the breath out of me ...gud day mate… merry x-mas and have a blessed life!!!
Posted by MaryAnn on 11/20 at 11:18 AM
I run 3 times a week; weight lifting 3-4 times a week in increments of 10-30 minutes as well as lower leg exercises 30 minutes twice a week.
Posted by cheryl lindsay on 11/21 at 02:09 PM
Hi i workout 3 times a week in the gym on weights toning endurance plus i exercise in zumba classes 8 times a week. Is this ideal or will my bones deteriate whilst doing this as i have been doing this for over 10 years .
Posted by Tony on 11/22 at 03:23 AM
Its about finding a balance i feel, I do kick boxing and are thinking about going back on the weights to build a bit of bulk up (not too much though)as i feel i’ve lost a bit too much weight due to intensity of the boxing work-outs.
What would work best, do you think?
Posted by joey perez on 11/22 at 06:40 PM
WOW IS IT ME OR is everyone here a workout junkie (just playing). Ive noticed my personal experience with cardio is that it is great for burning fat but weights are a lot more affective for that afterburn and runnin consistently can screw with joints and ligaments, weights are much safer and affective unless your a whimp
Posted by charlie on 11/22 at 06:45 PM
so glad to hear, i love to go for a long jog maybe once a week, but i dont doit for cardio(i use your HIIT system for that)but more for the enjoyment and to know i still can. weight training and HIIT has definitley helped in my legs, and they feel quite comfortable to continue and also to be able to maitain easy breathing which comes at ease now after all the HIIT Ive been doing, thanks to you and your lovely wife. CHRZ Shin
Posted by Rachel Doyle on 11/23 at 07:48 PM
WOW! that article kind of surprised me! im a long distance (5-10-15km) swimmer and hope to do the english channel challenge over and back in a couple of years. with this article i am now worried i will loose bone density by then?? i do karate 3 times a week with my swimming and i thought the 2 would compliment each other? we dont do weight lifting in karate and i used to do a bit in swimming training but not in a good while. i dont have the money to join a gym at the moment because im in university so would you recommend any home remedies?
Thanks as always for great tips Shin 
Posted by Ken on 11/24 at 11:44 AM
If it’s for personal fitness (and not for being the first), a mix of different exercises should imho be healthiest. If you do the same type of exercise every day, for years and years, this might sure cause problems.
Posted by Laurie on 12/19 at 05:33 PM
I train for ironman. This is my fourth year. I swim, bike and run alot. I also make sure that I take the time to go to the gym to do the Max Workouts, bootcamp, kickboxing…
I think the gym time is the reason I am not injured. I am 50 years old and training hard.
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Posted by Jacqueline on 11/19 at 09:01 AM
Will this finally convince my husband that running is not the alpha & omega of exercise?