Want to Beat Osteoporosis? Here’s How Resistance Training Can Help.

Updated: January 13, 2025

resistance training osteoporosis

See how a few simple exercises can strengthen your bones, improve your balance, and reduce your risk of fractures.

Good news: You can strengthen your bones, improve your balance, and lower your risk of falls—all from the comfort of home. And it doesn’t take heavy weights or fancy equipment.

This guide includes the top resistance workouts for osteoporosis, with easy-to-follow videos led by expert fitness instructor Justina Bailey. No matter your level—whether you’re just starting out or ready for something more advanced—you’ll find a workout that works for you.

But before we dive in, let’s talk about why resistance training is such a powerful, proven way to protect and strengthen your bones.

Struggling with Osteoporosis? Discover Why Resistance Training Could Be the Answer.

Resistance training isn’t just for building muscle—it makes bones stronger too!1

Here’s the science: when you put stress on your bones through exercises like lifting weights or using resistance bands, it triggers a response in your body. The mechanical stress sends signals to your bone-building cells, called osteoblasts. In response, these cells start producing new, denser bone tissue. Over time, this makes your bones stronger and more resilient. 

And that’s just the start.

Resistance training also improves your muscles, strength, and coordination—all crucial for reducing the risk of falls.2 

In short, resistance training is one of the most effective ways to support bone health and manage osteoporosis, giving you the strength and stability needed to maintain your quality of life.

Ready to give it a try? Here’s some osteoporosis-friendly exercises especially designed to help you keep living the life you love.

Best Exercises For Osteoporosis

Resistance training for osteoporosis works at any fitness level—and with the right guidance, you can safely strengthen your bones right at home. To help you get started, we’ve put together three follow-along workouts led by top fitness instructor  Justina Bailey.

Whether you’re new to exercise or ready for something more challenging, these videos offer routines for every level. Justina will guide you through each move, so you can build stronger, healthier bones with confidence.

Beginner Level

If you’re new to resistance training, this beginner workout is a perfect starting point. Justina guides you through simple, low-impact exercises that build strength without straining your joints. These movements focus on essential areas like your spine, hips, and wrists—places that need the most support. It’s an ideal way to get comfortable with resistance exercises and start building a strong foundation.

Intermediate Level

For those ready to take it up a notch, the intermediate workout adds more resistance and complexity. This routine builds on the basics, increasing the intensity to help you gain strength and endurance. Justina’s intermediate session is designed to keep your bones challenged, pushing them to grow denser and stronger while enhancing balance and coordination.

Advanced Level

This advanced workout is for those who feel confident with resistance exercises and are looking for a higher level of challenge. Justina’s advanced routine includes moves that increase resistance and target specific muscle groups, giving your bones the intense stimulus they need for strengthening.

Each of these osteoporosis exercises can be done right at home with minimal equipment, making it easy to build consistency and stick with the routine.

Remember, you don’t have to go through all levels right away. Start where you’re comfortable, and as your strength improves, feel free to progress to the next video.

Resistance Training is a Start, But Bones Need Nutrients Too!

Resistance training is a great way to support your bone health, but on its own, it’s not enough to increase bone density. While exercises put essential stress on your bones, they still need the right nutrients to actually rebuild and strengthen.

Research shows that bones require a combination of 16 specific nutrients to increase density. Without them, your body lacks the raw materials it needs to make new bone tissue, regardless of how much you exercise.

That’s where AlgaeCal comes in. It’s a plant-based supplement made from an organic algae––Mesophyllum Superpositum––that naturally contains all the essential bone-building nutrients. AlgaeCal is the only supplement in the world that’s clinically supported to increase bone density.  

It’s true. Calcium supplements have been studied since the 1930s, with study after study showing they can slow bone loss. But here’s the problem: slowing bone loss isn’t the same as building bone.

And that’s where AlgaeCal is different. In three separate studies—including a groundbreaking 7-year longitudinal study—AlgaeCal didn’t just slow bone loss. It increased bone density.3

So while resistance training is an important part of your bone health, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. To truly strengthen your bones, you also need the right nutritional support. Support that’s been clinically proven to increase bone density in human clinical trials.

Takeaway

Resistance training is a powerful tool for bone health. It builds strength, improves balance, and helps protect against fractures. But if you’re serious about increasing bone density, exercise alone isn’t enough.

Your bones need more than movement—they need nutrients. Sixteen of them, to be exact. And the only supplement that delivers all 16 in clinically supported doses is AlgaeCal.

So, pair your resistance training with AlgaeCal to give your bones the full support they need. Because with the right workout and the right nutrients, you can take real steps to strengthen your bones and protect your future.

FAQS

How often should you do resistance training?

For best results, aim to do resistance training 2-3 times a week. This gives your bones the steady stress they need to grow stronger without overdoing it.

Can resistance training reverse osteoporosis?

While resistance training can’t reverse osteoporosis, it’s one of the best ways to slow it down and even increase bone density over time. By consistently stressing your bones, you signal your body to build stronger, denser bone tissue.

How does resistance training prevent bone loss?

Resistance training helps prevent bone loss by putting controlled stress on your bones, which signals your body to create new, denser bone tissue. This stress activates bone-building cells, strengthening your bones over time.


Article Sources

  1. Avin K et al (2022). Essential Components of Physical Therapist Management of Patients With Osteoporosis: A Delphi Study
  2. Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, Tiedemann A, Michaleff ZA, Howard K, Clemson L, Hopewell, S, Lamb SE. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Jan 31;1(1)
  3. Kaats GR, Preuss HG, Stohs S, Perricone N. A 7-Year Longitudinal Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of a Vitamin/Mineral Enhanced Plant-Sourced Calcium Supplement. J Am Coll Nutr. 2016;35(2):91-9. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2015.1090357. Epub 2016 Feb 17. Erratum in: J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 May-Jun;35(4):381.

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This article features advice based on cutting-edge research from our industry experts to give you the best possible information to support your bone-building journey.

Lara Pizzorno
MDiv, MA, LMT - Best-selling author of Healthy Bones Healthy You! and Your Bones; Editor of Longevity Medicine Review, and Senior Medical Editor for Integrative Medicine Advisors.,
Dr. Liz Lipski
PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMP, BCHN, LDN - Professor and Director of Academic Development, Nutrition programs in Clinical Nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health.,
Dr. Emma Gasinski
PT, DPT, RYT - Physical therapist and certified yoga teacher with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals,
Dr. Lawrence (Larry) A. May
MD, FACP, Harvard Medical School Graduate, Physician, Author, Public Speaker - Doctor of Internal Medicine at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and author of several articles and books, including the widely utilized and best selling medical textbook Primary Care Medicine,