So, you’ve decided to enter a triathlon for the first time.

 Before going into the nuts and bolts of what you need and how you can get the most out of your first race, WELL DONE YOU FOR PURSUING SUCH A GREAT SPORT!! I’ve been competing in triathlon for 7 years (pre- working as a personal trainer), and I can tell you that the community surrounding this sport and the variety of quality events across the UK make it a fabulous challenge to undertake…so, let’s get started!

 Terminology

There are 5 standard race lengths for triathlon.  

Shopping List

Here is a list of items you will need to get going with your triathlon training

If you plan on entering a race where you swim in open water you will also need a wetsuit. These range in price from £165-470, but if its your first race you may want to consider hiring one for the season, as you will save a significant amount of money (£65 for the season) and be able to return the item at the end of the season (there is also the option to buy). For more information and advice on fitting visit www.wetsuithire.co.uk.

 How to train

 Here are a few key rules to assist you on your way to completing your first triathlon.

1. Train all disciplines – you may be world class at one of them, but don’t forget to train the one you are best at.

2. Balance your sessions – the total time spent on a triathlon can be broken down into the following rough percentages, 20% swimming, 50% cycling, and 30% running. When you plan your weekly triathlon training leading up to your first race, keep that rough breakdown in mind when deciding how much time you have in total to train.

3. Treat Nutrition as ‘the 4^th discipline’ – the fuel you put into your body during training and racing will have a dramatic effect on the your improvements as you prepare, as well as your results on the day. Also, make sure that any nutrition (i.e. energy drinks, gels or bars) have been tested in training to make sure that they agree with you. Race day is not the day to experiment, so go with what you know.

Where to find events

There are literally hundreds of triathlons in the UK, and the following are a few options for locating an event near you:

www.humanrace.co.uk

www.uktriathlon.co.uk

www.fun2tri.co.uk

www.trifinder.co.uk

 Best of luck with your first race, and watch this space for training tips and more information!

The Leading International Trade Show For Fitness, Wellness & Health

Group Exercise Rig

 This year’s show was a chance for us to see what the world’s leading suppliers of fitness equipment had to offer. Whilst there was the usual standard fare of selectorized fitness machines and cardiovascular equipment there was a marked increase in functional training equipment and demonstrations on how best to utilise this equipment to improve health and wellbeing. There was also a distinct increase in the number of spinning bikes and the paraphernalia that accompanies this burgeoning fitness trend.

Commercial Treadmills

The large commercial gym equipment suppliers such as Life Fitness, Technogym, Cybex and StarTrac all had impressive stands, not surprising given their well-established positions in the commercial equipment market and each were keen to show their latest models and ranges. The move to cloud computing has been embraced by the large suppliers so users can now use interactive screens on their machines to plan, monitor and share their workouts. 

Spinning Studio

Spinning has seen a big increase over the last few years due in part to the uptake in cycling in our cities. Suppliers were keen to show off their latest ergonomic bikes that promise a comfortable riding experience. However, spinning classes have evolved significantly and now users are looking for a more complete experience rather than just loud music, flashing lights and energetic instructors. Spinning studios can now take you on a real journey so that you can see as well as feel your ride and all the  while you can track your hear rate performance by real time feedback on a large screen right in front of you!

Functional Training Rig

However, by far the most dominant feature at this year’s show was the functional training rig which has embraced the movement in recent years towards functional free weight and bodyweight training. These large but compact rigs allow users to move quickly and efficiently from one exercise to the next making it an efficient and exhilarating workout experience. Combining strength and cardiovascular stations this is group exercise experience will be a mainstay of commercial gyms for some time to come. 

Aerobic Exercise

The increasing popularity of weight training and proliferation of gyms offering extensive free weight training areas is a welcomed development in the health and fitness world. Indeed, the Olympics with it’s close up shots of athletes with chiselled physiques has given, pardon the pun, beef to resistance training programmes.  Muscle and its attainment is now seen as a mainstream aspiration and whilst this is to be encouraged it should not be at the exclusion of other popular and beneficial exercise modalities, more specifically, aerobic exercise.

In a world obsessed with image and aesthetics, resistance training and the huge benefits it provides, lean muscle tissue, increased metabolism and sensitivity to insulin to name but a few, we should be careful not to throw the aerobic baby out with the bathwater. For it is clear that aerobic exercise, as more and more research is showing has enormous health benefits that are becoming increasingly relevant in a population that is living longer and therefore becoming more susceptible to ailments associated with old age, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Scientific research is being conducted to determine how exactly aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, swimming etc can aid cognition, improve memory, reduce brain shrinkage and prevent other common Western ailments. Scientists at the Beckham Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois have reported that regular aerobic workouts can improve cognition and intelligence in older adults as well as children. Traditional aerobic modalities, running, brisk walking etc has positive effects on areas of the brain involved in memory and problem solving and conversely there is degeneration in these areas if no aerobic exercise is performed. It is the increased blood flow to the brain and oxygen that is suspected of causing these positive benefits and also by preventing brain shrinkage of the all important grey matter. Another study by scientists at UC Irvine (UCI)* showed that in older adults, 50-85 years, even short bursts of exercise (6 minutes at 70 per cent VO2 max) improved memory even in participants suffering from Alzheimer’s. Even IQ seems to improve with aerobic exercise. A Swedish study found teenage boys performed better in intelligence tests if they were fitter.

Other areas that seem to benefit from aerobic exercise are eyesight and male impotence. Tests done on 41,000 runners in the US found that running reduced the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, whilst also reducing the risk factors for glaucomas. Vigorous aerobic exercise, 30-60 minutes performed 2-3 times per week was shown to assist with male impotence.

No doubt this is all good news to the legions of fans of cardiovascular training and for those who would never go near a weight room. But how much aerobic exercise is needed to illicit some of the above benefits? Many of us will have seen Dr Michael Mosley in his BBC programmes researching the benefits of short bursts of intense exercise and how it can be as, if not more effective than steady state training. The good news is that short duration, interval based training at moderate to high intensities is the most effective at bringing about some of the benefits outlined above, although even a brisk walk can be as effective. Even in a time-poor society there can be no more excuses about not having enough time to exercise! 

Moderate to intense interval training can be done on a stationary bike, treadmill, outside in your local park, on a Boris Barclay hire bike, in your home up and down the stairs, using a skipping rope. Combine this with some resistance work using dumbbells and barbells and you’ve covered all your bases. A good old fashioned circuit of weight training and cardiovascular stations would appear, based on the above evidence, to be a good way to ensure all round health and wellbeing.

If you have a tried and tested 10 minute workout that is challenging and suitable for all levels then we would love to hear from you. We will post the best workout on our Facebook page.

 * Segal et al. Exercise-Induced Activation Enhances Memory Consolidation in Both Normal Aging and Patients with Anmestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.  Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. November 2012

Power Rack

Power Rack at Waterloo Gym, London, SE1

In line with our on-going investment in our gym facilities in order to provide the best personal training centres and training equipment for our clients and gym members in central London, we have recently installed a new power rack at our Waterloo gym. This wonderfully versatile and safe training tool is an essential piece of gym equipment if you want to train safely with Olympic barbells, particularly when lifting heavy loads.

What are the benefits of using a Power rack/Squat rack?

The main reason for using a power rack apart from developing a healthy, functionally strong physique is safety. Traditional Olympic benches whilst great to bench from are not the safest form of equipment if you are training on your own, as there are no spotters or catchers on these types of bench which are typically found in large commercial gyms. The power rack on the other hand has safety bars or catchers so that if you miss a lift (fail mid way through the movement) the bar will be caught by the catchers enabling you to safely crawl out under the bar safely unharmed, the only damage being a bruised ego!

The personal training team will be demonstrating correct set up and use of the power rack over the coming weeks for gym members and personal training clients as well as leaving out a guide to ensure all users know how to correctly set up the rack for safe benching and squatting. 

As the popularity of weightlifting continues to grow power racks will become more mainstream and commercial gyms as well as personal training gyms will need to ensure they allocate resources and space for this increasingly-popular piece of equipment which is a key tool for developing all-round strength. 

Home Gym

How To Design the Perfect Home Gym

If you’re looking to design and build the perfect home gym then there are a number of factors that you should consider before making the financial commitment that will ensure your enterprise is a success and leads to a healthier and fitter you!

• Budget

Gym equipment can be costly depending on the brand you select, the type of equipment you choose and the amount of individual pieces you want. Having a predetermined budget set aside to spend on your project will make the whole enterprise easier to manage and give you a limit to your gym spending. By and large, unless you are having major structural work done to accommodate the gym (extension, basement dug out etc) the majority of your spend will be on gym equipment so make sure this allocation is sizeable to account for the larger pieces of equipment that you may want such as a treadmill, rower, cross trainer, power rack etc.

• Location

As a general rule most home gyms are best suited to the lower floors, basements etc or if you have the space and the budget, outside annexes. Although there won’t be the natural light that you get on higher floors (unless you’re annexing) you won’t need to worry too much about reinforcing the floors or soundproofing so as not to disturb the neighbours when you’re making your way through your gym programme at home (it’s not just for show!). Keeping the gym well away from other rooms in the house (if possible) is also a good strategy as if it’s too close to the living room there will always be the temptation to switch on the television and sit back on the sofa (plenty of time for that after your workout). Having a dedicated training place well away from other homely distractions always makes sense.

• Gym Flooring

If you’re truly keen to set up a mini version of your local commercial gym in your home (and you have the space and resources to do it) then it is important to have a good, durable, preferably non-marking flooring that will absorb sound and be of the non-slip variety. Not all home gyms need to have specialist flooring  (wooden floors will do an equally fine job as long as you have protective matting for areas set aside for free weights) and flooring manufacturers have cottoned on to the fact that home gyms must be stylish and welcoming as well as functional, therefore they have developed flooring styles and colours to suit all tastes. However, if you intend to have part of the gym set aside for free weights then it’s important to have that part of the room well-protected and if using heavy dumbbells and barbells, reinforced.

• Gym Equipment 

Home gyms can be ideal places to workout in if the fitness equipment is well-made, robust and uncomplicated. Whilst there is an array of home gym equipment on the market with a wide variety of brands making every type of machine imaginable it is important to be careful to choose wisely and for the long term.  Some manufacturers home equipment ranges are not designed for repeated heavy usage and oftentimes the mechanics and feel of these ‘home gym machines’  is not ideal. This is particularly relevant when choosing cardiovascular equipment (treadmills, bikes, cross trainers etc). Most of the big, well-known gym equipment suppliers offer home gym and commercial fitness equipment options. Whilst their home models are more than adequate the latter are designed for heavy usage in commercial health clubs and it is sometimes worth paying the little extra for a commercial grade machine as it will last longer, have a longer warranty and be less prone to breakdown. The little extra spend can save a lot of bother down the track.

 • Access

When deciding where to set up your home gym be realistic about how easy it will be to install the equipment and how easy it will be to remove should you decide to move home. Most manufacturers will deliver equipment in several components but even then consider the width of doorways, angle of turns and ease of removal if you decide to relocate the gym in another area of the house. 

• Gym Mirrors

Well-placed mirrors in any room give it a sense of space and in a gym when using free-weights they are invaluable for checking exercise technique. When deciding where to install the mirrors think of positioning them in such a way that you can see yourself from several angles, preferably one to the side and another to the front. This way you can check your form, especially the position of your spine when using free weights and also admire all the progress you’ve made! If you don’t have a personal trainer to check your form then having well-placed mirrors will enable you to ensure you are performing every exercise with perfect form.

• Layout

Perfect planning means perfect execution (well, in most cases) so before splashing out on several pieces of gym equipment it makes great sense to have some idea of where everything is going to be positioned in your gym. Many gym suppliers now provide free, easy-to-use software that allows you to position your equipment so you can see where everything will go when in it arrives. This will help you decide on what and exactly how much equipment you can comfortably fit in your space. Most gym suppliers also provide full dimensions of all their equipment so it makes it easy to plan your home gym design layout until you find a layout that works, and it also gives you prior warning if something is not going to fit in the space if you want to upgrade or replace. Another important factor is to plan (if required) where power sockets will be located as the last thing you want is long cabling traversing the gym causing a health and safety hazard because you forgot to make provision for power sockets. Good planning and 2D layouts will eradicate this pitfall and may just prevent you having to take up expensive flooring after it has been laid.

The above list of considerations is not an exhaustive list, but we hope it provides an initial basis upon which to start planning and designing your home gym. A well-planned, tailor made home gym with easy-to-use equipment will often be the determining factor on how frequently used the space will be, so it’s important to plan ahead. Other features such as colour scheme, audio-visual provision, lighting etc all play a part in making a gym space motivational and a place you want to work out in.  Anything can help make the space more inviting, even inspirational pictures and motivational messages (if you really want to go for it) will all help provide the right atmosphere and suitable environment to ensure you make your home gym a place you’ll enjoy using to achieve long lasting health and vitality. 

If you would like any help or advice on planning a home gym or free advice on the most suitable home gym equipment for your project then please call for a no-obligation free consultation.

Tel: (+44) 020 7224 9956 or email info@morpheuspt.com

If you’re looking for a fast, effective and fun way to train this winter then look no further as we have introduced a new high-intensity small group Kettlebell course of classes at our Piccadilly gym! With a maximum number of 4 participants these 6 week courses are combined with other high intensity activities that will boost your calorie expenditure, increase fat loss and leave you feeling energised, as well as boosting your mood. The Kettlebell instructor is a fully-qualified kettlebell specialist so even if you are a complete beginner he will instruct you on all the correct techniques so you will learn proper alignment and form to ensure you safely progress through the class. 

Why Are Kettlebell Classes So Effective?

Kettlebell classes are effective as they combine resistance training with cardiovascular conditioning, so you maximise your time exercising. No need to perform the classic gym programme of 6 or 7 gym machines followed by 30 minute of cardio that most gyms prescribe their members. When sequenced properly and combined with other high-intensity activities Kettlebell training will provide a big return on your time and energy investment. Most importantly perhaps is that Kettlebell training is fun and does not require time loading and unloading plates to a bar which can be time-consuming if you are short of time. You just need to select several kettlebells to work with for your routine and then move quickly through your chosen programme performing isolation or compound exercises depending on your goals and how much time you have available.

How Long Does The Kettlebell Course Run For And Who Can Attend?

The courses will run for 6 weeks and keep rolling so you can start a new 6 week course as soon as the previous one ends. Also, the class is limited in number to a maximum of 4 people. This means that each participant will receive personal coaching by the instructor to ensure maximum results are made. These semi-pt classes are open to everyone no matter what your level of fitness. To get the full benefit and to learn how to execute each movement properly we strongly recommended that participants do not miss a class.

When and Where Are The Classes Being Held?

The Piccadilly Health Club, 21 Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BH. (Based in Le Meridien Hotel). 

Wednesdays at 1pm, starting Wednesday 26th September. Each kettlebell class lasts for 45 minutes.

If you would like further information or would like to sign up for this new exciting and dynamic small group class then please email info@morpheuspt.com.  The cost of the of the 6 week high- intensity kick-start kettlebell course is £120.00. 

Cybex Bravo Dual Pulley at New Marylebone Gym

We are pleased to announce that we will be operating our personal training services from another new private gym in Marylebone. With a complete range of new Cybex resistance and cardiovascular equipment and a good selection of free weights the gym offers a discreet and focused training experience. It is the perfect training space for those who want to train in a fully-air conditioned private training centre away from busy, overcrowded, impersonal gyms. We specifically base our services in well-maintained, well-equipped private gyms to offer our clients the best possible training environment in which to train and achieve their goals. 

Facilities

The gym has showering facilities, and towels and water are freely available to all personal training clients. The full list of fitness equipment available at the gym is as follows and we will update and add as required.

Cardiovascular Equipment

Treadmill

Upright Bicycle

Cross Trainer

Concept 2 Rower 

 Resistance Machines

Chest Press

Shoulder Press

Lat Pulldown

Seated Row

Hip Abductor/Adductor

Leg Press

Free Weights and Benches

Multi Adjustable Bench

Dumbbell Rack and 2kg-30kg Dumbells

Barbell and Plates

Kettlebells

Core and Functional Training Equipment

Cybex Bravo Functional Trainer

Swiss Balls

TRX

Booking a Personal Training Session

If you would like to view the new private gym in Marylebone or book a trial session with a member of the Morpheus personal training team then please phone 020 7224 9956 or email info@morpheuspt.com. To see more photos of our latest gym then check out our Facebook page Morpheus Personal Training

Lifting Weights at Home

As a personal training company we often meet clients who due to busy work schedules or family commitments don’t have the available time to commit to more than one or two personal training sessions a week. The demands of modern living, family commitments and other social engagements mean the windows of exercise opportunity are very few and far between. However, with a little bit of planning and a small investment in some relatively inexpensive home gym equipment there is a way to get in that extra session that will ease that nagging feeling that you didn’t do enough exercise for the week. Exercising at home is a great way to get that extra gym session in and as such we have compiled a list of reasons to demonstrate that exercising at home is possible, probably more convenient if you’re time poor and ensures that your exercise sessions will be completed leaving you  feeling virtuous and healthy and free to do all the other things you enjoy. 

• Convenience - Often the stress of packing a gym bag and rushing straight from work to secure that treadmill for your mandatory 30 minute run before it gets too busy or the gym closes is, well, just too stressful. But just how productive is a 30 minute continuous run on a treadmill? Investing in some basic home gym equipment and finding a suitable space at home to train in will give you a much more productive workout, you will be less stressed doing it and can jump straight into the shower as soon as you’ve finished.

• Efficiency - Having all your equipment within easy reach in the same room means you will be efficient in your workout time. You won’t have to wait for someone to finish with the dumbbells you want to use which could interrupt the rhythm of your workout. You will always finish exactly on time and maximize your workout time.

• Cost - Whilst investing in a gym membership is potentially good for your health, it is clear that the average gym usage per person per week is once to twice per week and often times they are busy, overcrowded at peak times and intimidating environments within which to train. By investing in some gym equipment for you home you will be guaranteed space to train in and save yourself some money in the process.

•  Flexibility - Having a home gym allows you the flexibility and freedom to train whenever you want even if you have very little time. Often times the journey to the gym can be long and arduous, particularly after a long day at work. Having the freedom to train at home offers the option to train when you want and for as long as you want. Even if it’s a short 30 minute workout (sometimes the best workouts as they are often more intense due to time constraints) you will have improved your health and got that elusive extra session in.

•  Home Personal Training - If you need that extra bit of motivation or require a well-planned exercise programme to make the most of your fitness equipment then having a personal trainer come to your home is an excellent way to achieve your exercise goals. He or she will show you how to use your gym equipment productively and safely.

•  Relaxed - When you workout at home you will feel more at ease and therefore can practice more complicated exercises and perfect them without fear of embarrassment in front of your peers. This is particularly relevant if you are daunted or self-conscious in the gym environment. Training in a home environment helps boost confidence and will ensure you become more motivated.

• Exercise Apparel - Exercising at home removes the often problematic dilemma of what to wear to the gym. This never applies when you’re training at home and means you can wear what you like. You also won’t have to worry about carrying sweaty gym kit around with you all day and making sure you have enough clean gear for the next gym session.

•  Music - You have infinite music choices when you workout at home. No need for headphones so you can move about freely rather than being plugged in continuously to the same machine.

•  Save Money on Childcare - Whilst there may be an initial outlay for some gym equipment (dumbbells, skipping rope, medicine balls, treadmill etc) it will soon be recouped when you realize how much you would have paid in costly gym memberships that you rarely used. Use the saved money to treat yourself on a well-deserved holiday somewhere hot to show off all your hardwork. Also, you may no longer need a baby-sitter or nanny to mind the kids whilst you thrash away on the treadmill at your local gym. If you’re fortunate enough to have kids who take naps during the day then you can quickly whiz through your programme and not have to worry about paying the babysitter. 

So, there you have it, plenty of reasons to exercise at home which will have multiple benefits including giving you more time to spend with your family and friends and unfortunately no excuses with which to persuade yourself that you don’t have enough time to exercise. If you can think of other reasons why exercising at home is a good option then please let us know and we will update the list.

If you are currently exercising at home then please let us know what your favourite piece of exercise equipment is and why and we will publish the best answer on our Facebook page, with your permission of course!

Often times what prompts us to commence an exercise regime is the extra few inches round the waistline or a tightness when we try to get into a certain pair of jeans or trousers that we haven’t worn for a while. This tends to be where men store excess body fat, whilst for women it is around the hips and buttocks. The wardrobe epiphany can then precipitate a rush to exercise too intensely or perhaps more dangerous to huge caloric restriction. But although excess calorie intake does have a huge impact on our weight and fat accumulation there are reasons why we deposit fat in specific areas and the purpose of this blog is to demonstrate how two hormones determine how much and where we lay down body fat. 

The Endocrine System and Hormonal Response.

The endocrine system plays a part in where we lay down fat and the two hormones that determine how much and where you will lay down bodyfat are insulin and cortisol. By management of these two hormones you can limit the amount of bodyfat you lay down around your stomach area. In one respect cortisol is a vital hormone because it helps regulate the metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates. Cortisol however is also responsible for telling your body to store fat, for increasing your appetite and for despositing fat around your middle. 

Cortisol is a stress hormone that can be traced back to our evolutionary response to danger. When your brain thinks that your life is under threat it stimulates the adrenal glands to release the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline helps you become alert and focused and the cortisol increases levels of fats and sugar in the bloodstream to fuel your physical response. Our busy modern lifestyles and long work hours with little rest has resulted in us becoming stressed and this often results in a constant low-grade release of cortisol. Stress comes in many different forms and cortisol can be produced by emotional and dietary stress resulting from poor eating habits, lack of sleep, excessive intake of alcohol and stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and tobacco. 

When we produce excess cortisol we end up with a surplus of fat and sugar in the bloodstream, we then produce insulin in response to the increased sugar in the bloodstream. Insulin is responsible for sending sugar to fuel the brain, stowing sugar into cells and helping decrease blood sugar levels. Fat cannot be stored in cells without the presence of insulin. The reason why fat targets your middle is because it is close to your liver where it can be quickly converted to energy if needed. Abdominal fat cells also have four times more receptor cells for cortisol then anywhere else in the body so you are naturally programmed to lay down any excess fat here.

When the body is consistently producing too much cortisol and insulin then the cells begin to respond less effectively to insulin, the result is consistently high blood sugar levels. This is known as insulin resistance and is the first step towards developing type 2 diabetes. Stress leads to high levels of cortisol, high levels of cortisol lead to insulin resistance and insulin resistance can lead to diabetes and heart disease. If you hold fat around the middle then you have a higher chance of becoming insulin resistant and should take the necessary dietary and lifestyle measures to lose that fat. In part 2 of this two part blog we shall turn to measures that will help reduce this hormonal yo-yo effect and  help reduce the fat around your middle.

Osteoporosis

The World Health Organization estimates that there are currently 200 million people suffering from osteoporosis worldwide. The disease which is part of the ageing process is a result of loss of calcium and other minerals from the bones, making them susceptible to fractures and breaks. A lot of previous research into this area focused on women and men after the age of 65 as well as the crucial developmental years before and after puberty. However, new research has now indicated that exercise in the early 20′s can also assist bone growth and reduce the risk of fractures later in life. Don’t panic if you’re not in your early 20′s like us (ahem) because the study has implications that are beneficial to all age groups, male and female and it’s never too late to start exercising!

Osteoporosis in Men and Women – Main Risk Factors

• Inadequate Physical Exercise
• Smoking
• Low Calcium Intake
• Increasing Age
• Heredity
• Low Testosterone Levels
• Certain Drugs (corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, heparin, excessive thyroid replacement)
• Reduced Levels of hormone Estrogen after menopause
• Excessive alcohol (interferes with body’s ability to absorb calcium)
• Low Vitamin D Levels

The Study

Based on the findings of a five year study in Sweden of  833 men between the ages of 19 and 24 all participants had their bone mass measured in their hips, lumbar spine arms and lower legs at the start of the study. These areas are prone to degeneration as we age and hence account for the high number of fractures in these areas as we age. Over the five years participants had their type and frequency of physical activity recorded. At the end all participants had their bone mass measured again. Published in the Journal of Bone Density the study observed a direct association between increased physical activity and favourable developments in areas such as total body bone mineral content, plus lumbar spine and total hip areal bone mineral density. Indeed, the men who maintained high levels of physical activity also developed larger and thicker bones in their lower arms and legs. Conversely, the men who remained sedentary over the five years lost around 2.1 per cent of the bone mass in the hip – the bone that is most likely to break in later life!

Osteoporosis and Load-Bearing Activity

It is clear from the study conducted in Sweden that the effects of osteoporosis can be reduced by physical activity. But what activity is best? The study showed that it was the load-bearing sports such as basketball and volleyball, followed by soccer and tennis that seemed best at encouraging the body to form new bone tissue. Activities that do not put an increased load on the bones such as swimming and cycling do not really assist in bone strength despite their other health benefits. If sports such as basketball and tennis have an impact on bone density then it seems logical that any other sport/activity that increases the load through the skeletal system would have equal if not greater benefits.

Implications for Exercise Prescription

Clearly, as the study demonstrates, to reduce the effects of osteoporosis it is essential that any exercise programme includes weight-bearing activity. If load bearing sports such basketball and tennis have a significant effect on bone density then it seems clear that weight-training or resistance training would have even greater benefits as they place even greater stress through the skeletal system. However, not only will these activities help improve your bone strength, they will also help increase your muscle strength and functional capacity resulting in better balance, coordination and reduce the likelihood of falls. So, ensure you choose some of the following apparatus in your exercise programme.

• Barbells and Dumbbells
• Kettlebells
• Elastic Resistance Bands
• Resistance Machines
• Body Weight Resistance

Osteoporosis and Nutrition

A poor diet is also a huge risk factor for developing osteoporosis. The most important nutrients are Vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D allows the bones to absorb calcium. The primary source of natural Vitamin D is exposure to sunlight, therefore whilst too much sunlight can be dangerous it is essential we allow a certain amount of exposure to the sun’s rays or alternatively supplement with Vitamin D. Good sources of Vitamin D in the diet are

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Sardines

Good sources of calcium in the diet are 

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt)

The sooner in life load-bearing activity is adopted then the greater the likelihood that osteoporosis will be prevented in later life. Combined with appropriate nutrition that ensures enough of the building blocks of bone tissue are consumed then there is no reason why the high incidence of fractures around the hip in older age should not be significantly reduced. Ensuring your exercise programme has enough weight-bearing activity is essential.