There are several types of exercise, each with a specific target for improving your physical health:
- Range-of-motion exercises, which move each joint through its full range of motion daily
- Strengthening exercises, which build muscle strength and improve joint stability
- Endurance exercises, which bring heart rate up and improve cardiovascular fitness
Two subcategories of strengthening exercise are weightbearing exercise and resistance exercise. Weightlifting is an example of resistance exercise. Right now, let's focus on understanding weightbearing exercise.
What Is Weightbearing Exercise?
Weightbearing exercise is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. Weightbearing exercise is any activity you do while on your feet and legs that works your muscles and bones against gravity. During weightbearing exercise, bone adapts to the impact of weight and the pull of muscle by building more bone cells. Consequently, bone becomes stronger and more dense. The risk of fracture, osteopenia, and osteoporosis decreases.
Weightbearing exercise includes:
- walking
- jogging
- hiking
- dancing
- step aerobics
- soccer
- baseball
- basketball
- tennis, racquetball
- bowling
- golf
- stair climbing
Exercises that are non-weightbearing (although good cardio) include:
- swimming
- bicycling
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