Strong Bones Without Gym? 10 Inexpensive Exercises To Try

Need Stronger Bones Without the Gym? Try These Inexpensive Exercises Today

By Team Luke Lifestyle, 2023 Aerobics, badminton, bodyweight exercises, bone density, bone health, bone loss, bone marrow, bounding, clap push-ups, climbing stairs, core exercises, Dance workouts, healthy bones, high-impact exercises, hiking, hopping, Jogging, jump rope, jump squats, jumping jacks, jumping rope, load-bearing activities, loss of bone density, low-impact exercises, Lunges, no gym, no gymming, osteoarthritis, osteoblasts, osteogenesis response, osteopenia, osteoporosis, Pilates, plank, pushups, racquetball, Running, skipping, sport, squats, strong bones, tennis, tricep dips, Vitamin W, walking, weak bones, Weight-bearing exercises, yoga, Zumba 0 Comments

We all know the importance of building strong bones. Yet, it is unfortunate how many of us don’t pay attention to bone health until it is too late. Young people in their late 20s and early 30s are diagnosed with osteopenia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. Think of it like this. If they have bone density loss at this age, can you imagine the intensity of the bone issues they will face when they are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s? Many young women with bone health issues face complications in their pregnancies.

The benefits of good bone health extend beyond bone marrow which helps produce blood cells and maintains the immune system.

Need Stronger Bones Without the Gym Try These Inexpensive Exercises Today — Are you looking after your bones? Representational image credit: Freepik/kjpargeter

Why do you need strong bones?

Beyond preventing osteoporosis, a condition characterized by low bone density, good bone health creates a sturdy framework that supports your body and helps protect your internal organs. Well-built bones are more resilient and less likely to fracture or break, reducing the risk of injuries.
They contribute to overall physical function by providing the necessary structure and support for muscles, tendons, and ligaments to work effectively. Strong bones improve balance, stability, and coordination, making daily activities easy and reducing the risk of falls.
Strong bones help with long-term mobility and independence as you age.
Your bones work as a reservoir for essential minerals, including calcium and phosphorus. When your body needs these minerals for other functions, such as nerve signaling and muscle contraction, it can draw from the bone tissue.
As you age, bone density naturally decreases. By focusing on bone health with nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional wellness, and good lifestyle choices, you can slow down the rate of bone loss and minimize the impact of aging on your bones.

What can you do to build good bone health?

We will not focus on calcium, vitamin D3, magnesium, or K2 today. What I want to focus on instead are simple exercises. When you do these consistently, they can work marvels for your bones.

Weight-bearing exercises

Weight-bearing exercises, also known as load-bearing activities, are physical activities that require your body to support its weight against gravity.

These exercises involve bearing and moving your body weight through your bones and joints, providing mechanical stress that stimulates bone growth and strengthens muscles. In weight-bearing exercises, the musculoskeletal system, including bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, works together to support and move your body against the force of gravity.

When there is a force on your bones from your muscles and gravity, it helps promote bone formation and remodeling, leading to increased bone density and strength. This is known as the osteogenesis response. Anything that can produce osteoblasts makes the bone stronger.

Weight-bearing exercises have two categories. You can opt for low-impact exercises if you have existing issues or are elderly. These activities are less forceful on the bones and joints compared to high-impact exercises.

You can choose to do high-impact exercises if you are relatively young and fit, and your body can do it. These activities involve forceful impacts on the bones and joints. They require the body to absorb and withstand the impact forces generated during the exercise.
It doesn’t matter which category you fall in – do what’s correct for your body.

Let’s discuss 2 inexpensive weight-bearing exercises that you do not need the gym for.

Walking

It is free. Most of us can do it if we have the ability to. It is good for your bones at any age and can help you prevent bone loss.

Many people do not look after their knees. It can accelerate osteoporosis. While there are several other reasons for knee pain, one of the most common issues is tight calf muscles, glutes, and hamstrings. When these muscles are tight, they pull on your knee. If you suffer from knee pain, try to get flexibility into your calf muscles, quads, and hamstrings. You can do this through walking, yoga, or simple stretching. You will experience an immediate change in your knee pain.

Tight hamstrings also pull on your lower back and cause pain. Your muscles and tendons are supposed to be flexible to facilitate movement. Walking is one of the best low-impact exercises to do this.

Jumping jacks

A rich medium-impact exercise that you can try is jumping jacks. Any jump exercises – simple jumping jacks, skipping, or plyometrics (skipping, bounding, jumping rope, hopping, lunges, jump squats, and clap push-ups) are excellent to build strong bones. 10, 20, or 30 jumping jacks every day is good. Try not to overdo it.

You don’t have to buy expensive gym memberships. Even if you are trotting around the globe, you can still do jumping jacks in your hotel room. You can try skipping. If you don’t have a skipping rope, try imaginary skipping.

When you jump, your feet hit the ground and create an impact. It is good for your bones. Check if your workout program includes jumps. It will also explain why jumping jacks are mandatory in army, navy, and air force regimes.

You see animals jumping and frolicking around. Their musculoskeletal systems are way stronger. Kids who jump and play all day rather than sit behind gadgets have better growth and stronger bones.

As a society, we are so focused on extremes, complicated workouts, and expensive machines and equipment that we forget simple movements natural to the human body that are super effective for us.

What are some other examples of weight-bearing exercises?

Running
Jogging
Climbing stairs
Dance workouts/Zumba
Aerobics
Hiking on uneven terrain
Jump rope
Playing a sport (tennis, badminton, racquetball)
Bodyweight exercises (lunges, squats, plank, pushups, core exercises, tricep dips, jumping jacks)
Yoga
Pilates

Choose activities that suit your fitness level, body type, and health condition. Consult a qualified fitness professional if you do not know where to begin.

The bottom line

The stronger your bones, the stronger you are, and the better your muscle quality and tone. Your internal bones are also important. Your bone marrow generates stem cells required for every function in your body. If you didn’t have stem cells, you would most likely die.

For instance, in a critical third and fourth-degree burn patient, when the burn has reached the bone – there are very slim chances of survival. Why? Because their immune system is disabled. Their bones are affected and cannot produce stem cells. Your immune system depends on stem cells to repair wounds, control inflammation and fight infections.

Don’t wait until you are 60 and tell yourself, “I need a hip or knee replacement.” In critical cases, like if you have been in an accident or have a genuine health problem, you may need it. But for everyone else, bone issues are preventable.

Building bone health starts today. If you want strong bones in the next 5 to 20 years, start moving to action today. Walking, jumping jacks, and skipping, are all inexpensive weight-bearing exercises. As you do these, pay attention to other aspects of your lifestyle and make a holistic change.