Our bones adapt under load.  When we strength train or jump and bound we put load on the bone and encourage healthy bone growth.

Multiple studies reflect this in young people—elementary age through college.  The evidence is pretty clear when younger people jump rope, skip, hop, and even use trampolines, they have higher bone density than their peers that don’t do those activities.

Once we get older (postmenopausal in women) the studies get murkier.  Some jump studies in older populations show no improvement in bone density, but many do.  It appears jumping improves bone density at the head of the femur (leg bone that enters your pelvis) more than it does in the spine for older adults.   Studies that don’t show jumping improving bone density do show improvement in balance and coordination which reduces fall risk and can, therefore, save our bones in other ways.

That means, it is never too late to start, but the earlier you start, the better.

Where to start?

Before jumping you always want to assess the status of your body.  Do your knees and joints feel good?  […]

We all want to fight that forward slump.  Gravity makes standing upright a full-time job.  Here are some moves to consider to try and ensure you stay tall.  The good news about all of these, is you can do them for 30-seconds each.  So set the timer on your phone. You don’t even have to count.  To help you remember the moves think MUTT (Mobility, Upper back, Tall, & Twist).

Maintain Mobility

Rib cage circles

Upper Back Strong

Back Pulses

Small Backward Circles

Back Bends with Hands Behind Head

Hands Interlocked Behind Back

Twist & Tall

Spinal Rotation

Sit Tall & Think of Space Between Your Vertebrae

Try to get in the habit of doing these moves as often as possible.

Click here to watch Maggie share some tips on improving posture on NBC CT Live!

This year the fitness world is seeing a lovely blend of holistic approaches to movement. Functional fitness, hybrid exercises, and recovery are all part of the trend. What do those types of movements entail?

Functional Fitness:
These are moves that prepare you for the activities you’ll face in daily life without making you so sore you can’t move the next day. While they can be more isolated, like push-ups or bicep curls, they usually involve the whole body. They don’t always look like a movement you’ll see in daily activity. For example, steps ups alone mimic going upstairs. That is a functional movement. Adding an overhead press adds arm work, increases the cardio challenge, and works more core so it creates a greater functional challenge.

Examples:
Walking Lunges
Push Ups
Squat with Bicep Curls
Step Up with Opposite Arm Overhead Press

Hybrid Moves:
It’s very clear the body needs variety. Doing the same repetitive motions all the time is not functional and can lead to wear and tear. That means throughout the week you want to change up your workout. Try strength one day and stretching the next. Make sure to get in some cardio (both intense, like interval, and […]