Pole Dance Your Way to Stronger, Healthier Bones

We all know that adequate calcium intake is important in the preservation of bones; however, preventing osteoporosis cannot always be achieved by diet alone.  As we get older (and unfortunately we're all in this together), our bones become thinner and weaker. In some cases, a decrease in bone density can lead to osteoporosis. It has been proven that physical activity, in particular weight bearing exercise (pole dancing), is a great way of increasing bone density. 

Picture your bones acting as a bank and instead of money they store calcium. When muscles require calcium to function properly they make a visit to the "bone bank" and make a drawing!  Generally before the age of 30 the rate of calcium deposits is higher than the calcium drawn out. However, after the age of 30, women in particular experience a greater loss of calcium which starts to weaken the bones. 

So what can be done to counteract this process? Our bones need to experience a level of stress for the body to change its bone forming system. By "stress" we mean some kind of weight or resistance. Applying stress to bones encourages the body to adapt and lay more bone in that particular area resulting in increased bone density and resistance to osteoporosis. 

The good news is - you don’t have to use weights or go to the gym!  Exercises involving the use of your own body weight are just as effective and in many cases see greater results. Pole Dancing is an excellent example of working with one's own body weight. For example when performing a spin on the pole, muscles are forced to contract placing load on the bones. When was the last time you picked up a dumbbell equivalent to your own body weight?  Just as our muscles increase in strength from exercise so too can our bones.

As we age, we tend to exercise less which can contribute to osteoporosis. It's never too late to start, no matter what age you are, the importance of strength training is essential in maintaining the integrity of our bones.

Phoebe David
Advanced PoleFit Instructor
Phoebe is currently in her 2nd year of studying Applied Science in Sport & Exercise at UWS