15/08/2026
𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 🏃♀🔥
I've noticed so many health articles lately are spotlighting celebrities dropping everything - cardio, HIIT, Pilates - in favour of only strength training.
While I completely agree with prioritising muscle mass as we age, ditching variety leaves a huge piece of the puzzle out.
Research on bone health highlights that our bones thrive on diversity. While lifting is brilliant for structural support, high-impact loading plays a crucial, distinct role.
I know high-impact training can spark debate around safety. But when carried out safely and progressively, the science shows it's a powerful way to boost bone density and prevent fragility in vulnerable areas like the hip and spine. Particularly when started 'peri' menopause.
As the research notes: "Strengthening exercises, jumping exercises, and weight-bearing aerobic exercises that exert a high magnitude loading on the bone and produce strong muscle contractions are shown to improve or maintain the lumbar spine and femur bone density."
Your bones are "site-specific" - they need the unique ground reaction forces from impact (like the movements in my HIIT classes) to trigger true adaptation (i won't bore you with the science 🤪)
You don’t have to choose between strong and active. A rounded approach combining both is the real gold standard for longevity.
What’s your take? Are you finding that balance, or feeling the pressure to stick to just one?
Source: PMID 36895528
