Gentle Cardio & Strength Workout - No Twisting or Bending

This cardio and strength workout features no twisting or bending, which health care professionals recommend for those with osteoporosis, a bone-weakening condition. Before doing this or any new exercise, please check with your doctor on movements and exercises that are right for you, particularly because osteoporosis affects people differently. 

Generally, health care professionals recommend weight-bearing exercises to increase bone density and build muscle to prevent or lessen the impact of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing aerobic activities involve doing aerobic exercise on your feet, with your bones supporting your weight. In a report on “Exercising with Osteoporosis,” the Mayo Clinic notes that the following types of activities are often recommended for people with osteoporosis:

• Strength training exercises, especially those for the upper back

• Weight-bearing aerobic activities

• Flexibility exercises

• Stability and balance exercises

Movements to avoid are:

• High-impact exercises. Activities such as jumping, running or jogging can lead to fractures in weakened bones. Avoid jerky, rapid movements in general. Choose exercises with slow, controlled movements. If you're generally fit and strong despite having osteoporosis, however, you might be able to engage in somewhat higher-impact exercise than can someone who is frail.

• Bending and twisting. Exercises in which you bend forward at the waist and twist your waist, such as touching your toes or doing sit-ups, can increase your risk of compression fractures in your spine if you have osteoporosis. Other activities that may require you to bend or twist forcefully at the waist are golf, tennis, bowling and some yoga poses.

With all of this information in mind, we’re excited to share a gentle, yet challenging workout with no bending or twisting. The first session is a weight-bearing cardio workout with two sets of five aerobic exercises, each done twice. The second part includes strength exercises using weights of your choice - water bottles, cans, or dumbbells.

Want more gentle weight-bearing workouts? Try our gentle walking workouts.

Stay up-to-date on our latest workouts and news! Sign up for our email list in the footer below.