Bone Health: You should read this
Your bone health matters more than you think
What do you think about when you’re working out? Maybe it's how your muscles are working, hoping they're growing. Maybe it's your heart pounding, lungs pushing, and sweat dripping—clear signs your body's working hard.
But what about your bones? When was the last time you thought about them?
If you're like most of us, probably never. We focus on building muscle, improving cardio, burning fat. Bone health? It doesn’t come up… until something goes wrong.
The Silent Risk No One Talks About
Most of us don’t experience a fracture early in life. If we do, it’s usually from a fall on the playground or a sports injury. But once we cross the age of 50, the game changes. Fractures become more common—and more dangerous. And they’re not from rugby scrums or ski crashes… they’re from everyday falls.
In fact, by age 50:
~50% of women
and ~20% of men
will experience an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime.
Not Close to 50? Here’s Why You Should Still Care
Bone fractures aren’t just an “old person” problem.
Your peak bone mass—the strongest your skeleton will ever be—is largely built by age 20–30. That means if you’re not lifting, jumping, or applying resistance now, you’re missing the window to build your strongest foundation.
Once you’re past that window, you’re playing defense: trying to maintain and slow the decline. You can absolutely still make gains—but it takes intention.
For any parents reading this: getting your kids to run, jump, climb, and lift in safe, structured ways matters. The stronger their bones get early on, the better protected they are for life.
What Happens Across Your Lifespan
Let’s break it down:
Childhood & Adolescence
Peak bone density develops early—around age 12–14
High-impact movement (jumping, sprinting, climbing) builds the foundation
Adulthood to Menopause
Gradual decline begins, accelerating in women post-menopause due to estrogen loss
Men lose bone too—but typically at a slower rate
Sedentary Periods
Even short-term inactivity (like bed rest or a sedentary job) weakens bones
The fix? Smart, progressive reloading
Training: Your Most Powerful Tool
Mechanical stress is like a wake-up call to your bones. Every lift, jump, and loaded carry signals your skeleton to grow stronger.
Here’s how it works:
Weight-bearing & resistance training: Stimulates bone-building cells (osteoblasts)
High-impact activities: Especially important in youth for maximizing peak density
Heavy lifting (even later in life): Programs like LIFTMOR show postmenopausal women gaining bone density through squats, deadlifts, and overhead press.
Your Bones Are Alive
Bones aren’t static structures. They’re alive. They break down and rebuild constantly.
Every time you jump, squat, carry something heavy, or land from a box jump—your bones respond by adapting and getting stronger. That mechanical stress is like a signal saying: “Hey, we need to fortify this!”
The reverse is also true: without stress and load, bones shrink. Lose strength. Become fragile.
Training Is Bone Insurance
At our gym, we don’t just care about aesthetics or short-term performance. We train for the long haul.
Deadlifting? That’s fracture prevention.
Heavy Squats? That’s functional longevity.
Box jumps? That’s hip integrity at 80.
Key Takeaways
If you’re skimming—read this part:
Train consistently with resistance and impact. Your bones need it.
Eat enough protein and get your vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium.
Move daily. Long stretches of inactivity degrade bone fast.
Scan if needed. Ask your doc about a DEXA scan if you’re unsure where you stand.
Start now. Stay consistent. This is long-term work—but the rewards are massive.
Final Thought
At YCT, we train for more than today.
We train for the day you pick up your grandkids with confidence.
For the moment you step off a curb at 75 and don’t break a hip.
For the life you want to live fully, independently, and actively—for decades.
Let’s build bones that support not just fitness, but freedom.
Stay strong. Stay capable. Stay moving.
—Your team at York County Training