I get a lot of clients who want to increase their bone density.
I’m sure part of that is because I literally wrote a book called How To Build Stronger Bones Without Getting Hurt.
Makes sense.
I also understand something else.
In my industry, there isn’t some universal test you have to pass before you’re allowed to call yourself a personal trainer.
Attorneys have to pass The Bar.
Physicians have to make it through medical school, licensing exams and residency.
Personal trainers?
It’s a little more Wild West.
So when one of my clients talks to their MD or PhD, I completely understand why they may be cautious about handing the reins over to some guy who calls himself a “personal trainer.”
That came head-on this past week.
I had a client whose medical team told them:
“No deadlifts until you build up your bone density.”
And immediately I thought about being straight out of college and trying to get your first job.
“We’re sorry. You don’t have enough experience.”
Okay…
But I need the job to GET the experience.
Same paradox.
Because bones adapt to mechanical stress.
They need exposure to things like loading, impact and different types of force if we want to give them a reason to get stronger.
But we’re also dealing with bones that may currently be more vulnerable to those same forces.
Paradoxical, I know.
You need the experience to get the experience.
So what’s the solution?
Well…
When you say “deadlift,” you might be picturing one exercise.
I know about 1,002 different ways to deadlift.
Some are incredibly challenging.
Some are incredibly stable.
Some require a lot of range of motion.
Some require very little.
Some I’d absolutely never give this particular person.
Others?
They’re exactly where I’d start.
We choose the safest, most stable version that makes sense for the person standing in front of me…
And then we s l o w l y earn our way toward more challenging variations.
Because the answer isn’t:
“Your bones aren’t strong enough to load yet.”
It’s:
“How can we safely give your bones enough load that they have a reason to get stronger?”
Your Bones Don’t Need More Guessing. They Need the Right Challenge.
Here’s the problem with being told, “Get stronger first… then you can strength train.”
You need the training to create the adaptation.
The trick isn’t avoiding every exercise that looks challenging. It’s knowing which version is appropriate for your body today, how much resistance to use, and when you’ve earned the right to progress.
That’s exactly what I do with adults over 50 at my private Austin studio. No bootcamps. No burpees. No proving how tough you are. Just a personalized strength plan designed to help you get stronger without unnecessarily beating yourself up.
Not Ready to Hire a Coach Yet?
Fine. Don’t spend a dime.
But don’t leave here and go back to guessing either. Read these next:
- Too Many Options: Strength Training After 50 Simplified — why more information isn’t always what you need.
- The Best Strength Training Method for Adults Over 50 — why the “best” exercise depends on the person doing it.
- Finding Your Higher Ground: Strength Training After 50 — what to do when aches, injuries or limitations complicate the plan.
You don’t need to prove what your body can survive. You need to find the right starting point—and then earn your way forward.
“The team are very encouraging and keep working to get me stronger.”
Merry Southwell, 5- Star Google Review
Written by Nate Stowe, NASM-CPT, NCSF-CPT, CES, TRX Certified
Nate Stowe is a personal trainer and movement specialist based in Austin, Texas, with over 16 years of experience helping adults over 50 move better, get stronger, and live pain-free. He’s the founder of Stowe Personal Training, creator of the GET STRONGER LIVE LONGER Program, and author of Revitalize at 50+, a best-selling book on strength, longevity, and reclaiming your body after middle age.
Over the past two decades, Nate’s training system has helped hundreds of everyday adults avoid surgery, reduce chronic pain, and get back to doing the things they love—without needing a medical degree or spending hours in the gym.
Don’t worry—he saves the third-person talk for bios, not your training sessions. Sixteen years in, he’s still awkward when writing about himself.
Leave a Reply