When done correctly, exercise has only positive side effects.
Like our skin, our bones respond to stress. This is especially true during our growth years. If you rub your skin in one area your skin responds by getting thicker and tougher (i.e., that area will develop calluses). Your bones respond in the same way to stress as a result of physical work, play and exercise.
The effect of exercise on bones is very area specific. If you want stronger leg bones, then running, squats and leg presses will help. But if you want stronger arm bones, you have to use the bones and muscles in your arms, by performing arm-specific exercises such as push-ups or tennis.
Studies have shown that bones in the right arm of a right-handed tennis player have a greater density than bones in the left arm of the same player. This means that if you want to be stronger throughout your body, you should have an exercise program that targets as many muscles and bones as possible. This is a special feature of the MelioGuide program. You get a progressive strength-training program that covers fourteen different exercises, gradually building over twelve weeks. The exercises have been designed to specifically target the areas most commonly affected by low bone density.
As we age, the benefits of exercise go well beyond bone strength. Exercise has a direct relationship to:
- Preventing falls
- Improving quality of life
- Maintaining independence
- Pain reduction and prevention
- Improving posture
Studies show that regular weight bearing exercise and strength training can increase bone density in adults by up to 1% per year. This may not sound like a lot, but it is huge considering that without it you lose 1% per year.
Click here to learn more about MelioGuide exercise programs.
