Strong Women =
Strong Bones
Why should your bones be strong? Why should you care?
The Low-Impact Myth
WRONG
Because none of these activities are load bearing activities. None of these activities would be categorized as strength training. While they are excellent sources of cardio or flexibility, they are not weight bearing activities. Strength training requires you to progressively overload the body with an external force ie. weights. Only weight bearing exercises are considered strength training.
Scientific Reality
As we age, our bones become weaker. Bone density, an often-overlooked element of women’s health, plays a critical role in our overall well-being and quality of life as we age.
Your Bones by Decade
Understanding the biological rate of bone mineral density (BMD) loss empowers us to fight back with targeted heavy resistance.
Age 30
The Silent Decline
Beginning around age 30, bone mass naturally starts to decline. The loss is slow and steady at first, often going unnoticed.
Age 40s
Accelerating Loss
By the time we are in our 40s, the rate of bone loss begins to accelerate, especially in the years leading up to menopause. Women may begin to show signs of osteopenia even without symptoms.
Age 50
The Menopause Shift
Around 50, we begin to enter menopause and our estrogen levels drop dramatically. Because estrogen is a key hormone in maintaining bone mass, this hormonal shift leads to a rapid decrease in bone density, increasing the risk for osteoporosis.
Age 60s+
Fighting Back
In our 60s and beyond, without intervention, the risk of osteoporosis rises sharply. By this time, many women may experience fractures or learn of low bone mass only after an injury. Implementing resistance and weight-bearing exercises to stimulate bone formation, women can reverse bone loss.
So Why Barbell Training?
Women who lift weights, especially heavy weights such as the compound barbell movements (squats, deadlifts, presses), tend to maintain or even improve their bone density.
Barbells let us train real strength by focusing on normal human movements (Sitting/Standing, Pushing/Pulling, Picking things up, Reaching overhead, Carrying something) rather than isolating individual muscles or joints. They are adaptable to any fitness level, making them one of the most effective tools for lifelong strength and mobility.
Scalable
Barbells range from 5lb training rods to standard 45lb bars, meaning every load is micro-adjustable to suit your exact current capability.
Comprehensive
A single barbell exercise uses almost every muscle in your body simultaneously, stimulating full-body structural adaptation.
Specific
We place the load directly along your skeletal structure, maximizing compressive force exactly where bone remodeling is needed most.
Simple, Efficient & Safe
Basic human movement patterns under controlled conditions. No complicated machinery, no unpredictable jerking movements.
Mobility & Flexibility
Reaching a full depth squat or an overhead press dynamically trains your joints to be mobile and flexible by allowing us to work through full range of motion.
Balance
Lifting standing up teaches your brain and stabilizers to work together. If you trip in real life, your strong muscles catch you before you fall.
Muscle & Bone Building
You cannot build strong bones without also building strong muscle. Barbells stimulate muscle protein synthesis alongside osteoblast activity.
“We train for real life by using barbells to build balance, mobility, and resilience. Strength training helps counteract muscle loss, osteoporosis, and even chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. It’s not about lifting the heaviest weights—it’s about lifting your best life.”
Our Approach at Fivex3 Training
We focus on natural, everyday movement patterns with just four key barbell lifts:
The Squat
The foundational lower-body lift. Mimics sitting and standing under load.
The Press
An overhead barbell push that builds shoulder, arm, and upper spine strength.
The Deadlift
Picking a load up from the floor. Strengthens the entire posterior chain.
Bench Press
A lying push that develops upper-body pressing strength.
The LIFTMOR Study
The Protocol
30 minutes, twice a week. 5 sets of 5 reps at 85% 1-Rep Max.
The four core exercises of the LIFTMOR study were the Barbell Back Squat, Overhead Press, Barbell Deadlift and Jumping Chin Ups (with drop landings).
Bone Density Gains
Women participating in the high-intensity program experienced a ~4% increase in lumbar spine and a ~2% increase in femoral neck Bone Mineral Density.
Participants in the low-intensity control group experienced expected decreases in bone density.
Improved Physical Function
The high-intensity group showed significant improvements in functional performance, including increases in muscle strength, walking speed, and functional mobility.
Safety
The high-intensity training, which included deadlifts and overhead presses, did not cause any vertebral fractures or adverse cardiovascular events in the carefully screened participant group.
The Fivex3 LIFTMOR Connection
Here at Fivex3 Training, we also focus on 3 of the 4 Core LIFTMOR Exercises:
Barbell Back Squats
Works the major muscles of the legs and hips, applying weight directly down the spine.
Barbell Deadlifts
A foundational hip-hinge movement that strengthens the lower back, glutes, and legs.
Barbell Overhead Presses
Builds strength and bone density in the shoulders, arms, and upper spine.
We do NOT focus on the jumping chin up. Instead, we rely on building upper body strength using dumbbell rows, lat pulldowns with a cable machine as well as seated rows or band rows.
So if you’re over 50 and have low bone mass, don’t assume that weaker bones are simply part of getting older. Research, including the LIFTMOR study, has shown that high-intensity resistance training can safely improve bone density, strength, balance, and physical function when performed with proper instruction.
It's Never Too Late to Get Stronger
Learning the correct technique is essential. A qualified professional can teach you how to lift safely, progress at the right pace, and build confidence under load. Once those skills are in place, strength training becomes much more than exercise—it’s an investment in your independence, resilience, and long-term health.
The evidence is clear: it’s never too late to get stronger, and stronger muscles help support stronger bones. Fivex3 Training can help you get stronger, build stronger bones and help you age better.
Contact us for more information about our training program and get stronger today!