When people hear “exercise for bone density,” they usually think:
Lift weights.
And yes.
We do plenty of that.
But strength isn’t the whole story.
Bones also respond to forces that happen FAST.
That’s one reason you’ll sometimes see my clients doing things like:
Pogos.
Small jumps.
Quick step-ups.
Medicine ball work.
Or other movements that look surprisingly athletic for someone in their 60s or 70s.
Of course…
Not everybody starts there.
For one person, jumping might be completely appropriate.
For someone else, simply learning to land or rapidly push through the floor might be plenty.
Same goal.
Different starting point.
Because I’m not particularly interested in making someone LOOK athletic.
I’m interested in safely giving their body the kinds of signals it needs to remain athletic.
Stronger Bones Require More Than Just “Lifting Weights”
Here’s where a lot of people over 50 get this wrong:
They hear that strength training is good for bone density… so they assume any weight training program will do.
Not necessarily.
Your bones don’t just respond to force. They also respond to how quickly that force is produced—which is why appropriately programmed jumping, landing, quick step-ups, medicine ball work and other forms of power training may eventually belong in the plan.
The important word there is appropriately.
A 62-year-old who has trained for years should not necessarily start in the same place as a 72-year-old who hasn’t jumped since the Reagan administration.
Same destination. Different starting point.
That’s exactly how I coach adults over 50 at my private Austin studio: figure out what your body can safely do today, then systematically earn the next step.
You don’t need to prove how athletic you are today. You need a plan that helps you remain athletic ten and twenty years from now.
Want Me to Figure Out What YOUR Body Is Ready For?
If you’re over 50 and want to get stronger, improve your fitness and train for the long haul—without being thrown into somebody else’s cookie-cutter workout—that’s what my coaching is built for.
See My Personal Training Program for Adults 50+
Not Ready for Coaching Yet?
Fine. Don’t buy anything.
But don’t leave without getting smarter about how you train. Start with these:
- Bone Density and Strength Training After 50 in Austin — Why getting stronger matters when the goal is stronger bones.
- Can You Deadlift With Low Bone Density After 50? — How I think about loading heavy enough to matter without turning training into a circus act.
- Strength Training and Longevity After 50 — Why strength isn’t just about muscles. It’s about staying capable.
- Strength Training Over 50 Without Getting Hurt — Because a program that makes you stronger isn’t very useful if it also puts you on the injured list.
Train smart. Train consistently. Train persistently. That’s a pretty hard formula to beat.
“Nate helped me build strenght to support my loosey- goosey joints thus eliminating pain…Nate is phenomenal.”
Noelle Van Eynde, 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.
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