Making choices that help your bones grow strong often feels like a childhood priority. But as you get older, and especially after menopause, looking after bone health becomes important again. Eating foods that support bone health is a strong start, but adding bone-supporting exercise to your routine can also help set you up well.
“Strong bones aren’t just about preventing fractures—they’re essential for staying mobile, independent, and confident in daily life,” says certified personal trainer Tina Tang. Exercise is one of the best ways to support bone health, which is why we asked trainers to share the best exercises for bone health.
“As you get older, your body breaks down bone faster than it builds new bone. This may cause bones to slowly lose density and become weaker over time. Weaker bones are more likely to fracture,” explains certified fitness trainer Denise Chakoian. “After menopause, bone loss speeds up because oestrogen levels drop. Oestrogen helps protect bones, so lower levels make bones thin more quickly.”
Research shows that more than half of women over 50 have either osteopenia (low bone density) or osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones that increase fracture risk).
The good news: a 2025 review found that exercise is an effective strategy for helping combat bone loss after 50, but the type of exercise you choose does matter.
When it comes to the best types of exercise for your bones, the experts we spoke to highlighted three key formats.
Strength-training exercises
“Strength-training is the foundation for maintaining bone density,” says Tang. “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. The body adapts to what it’s asked to do—when muscles get stronger, bones are prompted to follow.”
If you strength train with proper form and consistency, Chakoian says you may be able to maintain or even improve bone density. “It also supports muscle strength, which helps protect bones and reduce injury risk,” she adds.
A 2025 review found that strength (or resistance) training three times per week significantly improved bone density. Another study found additional bone health benefits from high-velocity resistance training, which involves a quick contraction and a slower release. For a squat, for example, that means lowering down quickly and returning to standing more slowly.
Strength-training exercises for strong bones
“It’s most effective to focus on foundational movement patterns that load the skeleton well,” says Tang. “These movements apply force through the hips, spine, and upper body—areas most relevant to bone health and fracture prevention.”
She recommends the following exercises:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Deadlifts
- Chest presses
- Overhead presses
- Push-ups
- Bent-over rows
- Lat pulldowns
- Planks
Weight-bearing exercises
“Weight-bearing cardio is great for bone health,” says Chakoian. Weight-bearing is the term for exercise done while standing, where gravity forces your bones to support your body weight. This type of exercise may help slow bone loss and may even help build bone.
Like strength training, weight-bearing cardio places healthy stress on the bones. That stress can stimulate bone-building activity and support bone strength over time.
The best weight-bearing exercises for strong bones
“As with strength training, progression matters more than intensity,” Tang says. “Bones respond best to consistent, gradually increasing challenge, not occasional all-out effort.”
Experts recommend these forms of weight-bearing cardio:
- Walking
- Running
- Hiking
- Stair climbing
- Dancing
High-impact exercises
If you are physically ready and able to take your strength training or weight-bearing cardio up a notch, impact-based movement can be a helpful option for strengthening bones.
“Activities that involve landing and pushing off the ground—working against gravity—stimulate bone adaptation, particularly in the hips and legs, which are common fracture sites as we age,” explains Tang. “The goal isn’t extreme impact, but appropriate, progressive loading that the body can safely adapt to.”
Impact exercises include movements where both feet leave the ground. They can also include plyometrics, a high-intensity style of training that focuses on explosive power.
These exercises increase load and healthy stress on the bones, which can help strengthen them more efficiently. Some experts also note that even a small daily amount of jumping may have a positive effect on bone density.
The best high-impact-based movements for strong bones
If you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, significant knee pain, arthritis or pelvic floor prolapse, it is best to check with your doctor before adding impact exercises to your routine. These exercises may not be recommended for everyone and may be painful for some people. But if you are cleared to try them, start with one of these:
- Pogo jumps: “These small, quick jumps with both feet are a common beginner option,” says Tang. “They focus on controlled take-offs and landings and can help introduce impact safely.”
- Skipping rope: Once you feel comfortable with pogo jumps, try adding a rope.
- Side-to-side jumps: Push off your left foot and jump as far as you can to the right, then switch feet and jump back.
- Squat jumps: Do a regular squat, then add a jump at the top.
- Lateral hops: Jump side to side over an imaginary line, keeping your feet together.
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