The Exercise Secret for Strong Bones After 50—And It's Not Just Walking

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to combat bone loss after 50, but the type of movement you choose matters significantly. According to a 2025 review in Scientific Reports, specific exercise formats can help maintain or even increase bone density in older adults—particularly strength training, weight-bearing cardio, and high-impact movements. The good news: you don't need extreme intensity; consistent, progressive challenge is what your bones respond to best.

Why Do Bones Get Weaker After 50?

As you age, your body breaks down bone faster than it builds new bone, causing bones to gradually lose density and become weaker over time. After menopause, this process accelerates dramatically because estrogen levels drop—and estrogen is crucial for protecting bone health. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, over 50% of women over 50 have either osteopenia (low bone density) or osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones that increase fracture risk).

"Strong bones aren't just about preventing fractures—they're essential for staying mobile, independent, and confident in daily life," explains Tina Tang, a certified personal trainer in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is why exercise becomes so critical during this life stage.

What Type of Exercise Builds Bone Density?

Research shows that three specific exercise formats are most effective for bone health. A 2025 review in the Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research found that strength training performed three times per week significantly improved bone density. Another study in the journal Bone found additional benefits from high-velocity resistance training, which involves a quick contraction and slow release—like dropping down quickly in a squat and returning to standing much slower.

"When you lift weights, your muscles pull on your bones. That mechanical stress sends signals to bone-building cells (called osteoblasts) to strengthen the bone," says Tang. "The body adapts to what it's asked to do—when muscles get stronger, bones are prompted to follow".

The most effective strength-training exercises focus on foundational movement patterns that load your skeleton well, particularly through the hips, spine, and upper body—the areas most relevant to bone health and fracture prevention. These include:

• Lower Body Movements: Squats, lunges, and deadlifts that load the hips and legs, which are common fracture sites as you age
• Upper Body Pressing: Chest presses, overhead presses, and push-ups that strengthen bones in the shoulders and arms
• Pulling Movements: Bent-over rows and lat pulldowns that engage the back and spine
• Core Stability: Planks that strengthen the core and support spinal bone health

Weight-bearing cardio is equally important. Weight-bearing simply means exercise done standing, with gravity forcing your bones to support your weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, this type of movement may help slow bone loss and perhaps even build bone by putting good stress on bones and prompting extra deposits of calcium.

"As with strength training, progression matters more than intensity," Tang notes. "Bones respond best to consistent, gradually increasing challenge, not occasional all-out effort". Effective weight-bearing cardio options include walking, running, hiking, stair-climbing, and dancing.

Can High-Impact Exercise Strengthen Bones Faster?

If you're physically ready, high-impact movements—where both feet leave the ground—can accelerate bone strengthening. "Activities that involve landing and pushing off the ground work against gravity and stimulate bone adaptation, particularly in the hips and legs," explains Tang. "The goal isn't extreme impact, but appropriate, progressive loading that the body can safely adapt to".

Research shows that as few as 20 jumps per day can have a positive effect on bone density. However, if you have osteopenia, osteoporosis, severe knee pain, arthritis, or pelvic floor prolapse, check with your doctor before starting impact exercises, as they may not be advisable or could be painful.

Beginner-friendly high-impact options include:

• Pogo Jumps: Small, quick jumps with both feet that focus on controlled takeoffs and landings, ideal for introducing impact safely
• Jump Rope: A progression from pogo jumps that adds coordination and sustained impact
• Side-to-Side Jumps: Leap off your left foot as far as you can to the right, then switch feet and jump back
• Squat Jumps: Perform a regular squat, then add a jump at the top for explosive power
• Lateral Hops: Jump side to side over an imaginary line while keeping your feet together

The key takeaway: bone health after 50 isn't about choosing one type of exercise. Instead, combining strength training, weight-bearing cardio, and—when appropriate—high-impact movements creates the most comprehensive approach to maintaining independence, mobility, and confidence as you age.