Pilates, yoga, zumba may be great but this orthopaedic says you must lift external weights; know why | Fitness News - The Indian Express

Some kind of physical activity is always better than doing nothing at all. But is yoga, Pilates, or zumba enough to ensure your bones remain strong as you age? According to Dr Manan Vora, an orthopaedic, not really.

“When I say lift weights, I literally mean go to the gym and lift weights. I am not talking about yoga, Pilates, or zumba and whatever else is going on. I am not against any other type of physical activity. It’s great that you are doing it instead of nothing, but the only way to ensure your bone density doesn’t decline at the rate it is intended to if you didn’t do anything is to add resistance and by lifting external weights,” Dr Vora told Humans of Bombay.

Agreeing with his analysis, consultant neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad further stressed the importance of lifting weights. “This is also referred to as resistance training or strength training. There are two major benefits associated with lifting weights – increase in lean muscle mass and bone strength,” Dr Kumar told indianexpress.com.

Notably, as you age, the muscles tend to experience atrophy (or breakdown) and the bones tend to get weak and brittle. Performing any type of resistance training helps you to build muscle and improve bone density.

According to Dr Kumar, strength training can reduce the extent of sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass), dynapenia (loss of muscle strength), and osteoporosis (decrease in bone mineral density), which is more common with aging. “Another major benefit of weight lifting is better metabolic health. Good muscle mass increases insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of prediabetes and diabetes. Strength training is also associated with better lipid profile, lower risk of obesity, overweight, and hypertension,” said Dr Kumar.

All of these lead to a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases too, said Dr Kumar.

“Older people engaging in regular weight lifting have a lower risk of falls and fractures. In conclusion, weight lifting should be an essential part of the exercise regimen for everyone, in addition to aerobic exercises such as walking, running, or cycling,” said Dr Kumar.

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Lifting weights for at least 3 days a week can help you build stronger muscles, improve joint health, and prevent injuries.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

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