Males achieve peak bone density by the age of 25.
This means you have your teenage years and early twenties to get your bone mass to its highest potential. After 25 it starts to go down each year and accelerates after 50. This is when you can have all sorts of bone problems like brittle bones and fractures.
Do the work now, and your future self will thank you.
The good news is the work required has been detailed in the eBook under muscle development and nutrition. But a brief summary is here.
Do this:
Dynamic Exercise – Bone Stressors: Team sports like basketball, soccer, footy. Running, skipping rope, box jumps. These movements create ground shock and stress the bones. The bones strengthen in response to this stress.
Resistance training: Lift heavy things, tendons pull on the bones, and this signals them to increase bone density to handle it.
Mix it up
Your body is capable of many different movements. The best way to increase your bone density is to introduce different exercises and skills each year.
Continue to play the sports you love but try something new each year. Try boxing, muay thai, wrestling, BJJ, archery, swimming, sprinting etc.
Each different sport or skill you learn demands a new challenge on your body, this new challenge increases your bone density.
Nutrition
Read the eBook for a full run down on your nutritional needs. For a quick summary:
- Get enough Vitamin D (through sunlight and food). Allows the body to absorb calcium from the intestines.
- Get enough calcium from your food.
- Eat good quality proteins, vegetables, salads and dairy.
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol.
- Don’t be too skinny and don’t be obese.
Do these basic things and your 50 year old self will thank you. Your old arse can chop wood and lift weights without being scared of fracturing a hip!