Recently I published an article on my website titled:
“Strength training can alter the trajectory of ageing”.
After receiving feedback from some of those who regularly visit my website and social media channels, there were some suggestions to provide a summarised or bottom-line version of some of my articles for those that are looking for something that gets straight to the point. So here it is. The short version of the abovementioned article.
The research paper that everyone should read
The year was 1990 and researchers Maria Fiatarone and colleagues published their findings in The Journal of the American Medical Association after undertaking a study to determine the feasibility and the physiological consequences of high-resistance strength training in the frail elderly. These participants were very frail, had an average age over 90, suffered many co-morbidities and were basically not in very good condition. Their muscles were very atrophied, functional capacity was very poor and their physical movements were very slow.
After 8 weeks of progressive resistance training that only utilised one exercise that focused exclusively on the quadricep (thigh) muscles, the results were totally unexpected. Gains in muscle strength were impressive averaging over 170%, with some subjects making extraordinary gains of almost 400%. There was an accompanying increase is muscle size of over 10% as assessed by CT scans. Functional mobility accompanied the improvements in strength and muscle hypertrophy (growth). The time taken to complete the walking test improved substantially from 44 seconds to 29 seconds representing a 48% improvement. Two subjects no longer needed canes to walk at the end of the study and one of three subjects who could not initially rise from a chair without the use of their arms became able to do so. These physiological and functional changes were truly incredible.
What is clear is that the preservation of fat-free mass (muscle) as one ages is a critical factor and directly affects muscle strength in the older person.
Exercise and resistance training specifically, is able to provide the neuromuscular system the appropriate physiological stimulus to reverse and modify a portion of the muscle weakness often and simply put down to old age.
Re-read that sentence because this is huge! So off you go and start lifting.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
In “Cycling and bone health” we learnt that road cycling is not good for your bones with research showing that bone mineral density (BMD) is compromised over the long-term. This is not good news for those that want to get their training, exercise or racing fix solely from road cycling. One of the questions that I often get asked is, are there any differences between professional road cyclists and the rest of us and do any differences exist between all other cycling disciplines (track vs. road for example) in relation to skeletal health?
Interestingly, elite professional road cyclists have been shown to suffer the same detrimental changes to certain bones of the skeletal system (6). In 1996 the European Spine Journal published a study by Sabo and colleagues (1) that measured BMD of the lumbar spine in internationally top-ranked high-performance athletes of different disciplines – weight lifters, boxers, and endurance-cyclists. The measurements were carried out by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the results compared with the measurements of 21 age-matched male controls. The BMD of the high-performance weight lifters and boxers were significantly greater (range +17% to +24%) than that in the control group. In stark contrast, the BMD of the lumbar spine in all endurance cyclists was significantly lower than that in the controls (range -8% to -10%).
In a study conducted by Lombardi and co-workers (2012) the effects of bone and energy metabolism parameters in professional cyclists during the 2011 Giro d’Italia 3-week stage race were investigated. In this cycling race, bone metabolism was pushed towards resorption. This is the process by which osteoclasts break down bone and release the minerals, resulting in a transfer of calcium from bone fluid to the blood. What is fascinating about these findings is that it supports the evidence of a strict involvement of bone in the regulation of the energy metabolism (2).
Unlike the reduction in BMD seen in road cyclists, mountain bikers or track cyclists are not afflicted with the same issues. To the contrary, both these cycling disciplines demonstrate no evidence of any detrimental osteogenic changes to skeletal health. Mountain bikers were found in a 2002 paper published in Bone journal to have significantly higher BMD than road cyclists (3). McVeigh and colleagues in 2014 had their findings published in the European Journal of Sports Science. What they found was that Mountain biking – owing to the rougher terrain involved – probably imposes a greater osteogenic stimulus compared to road cycling due to the higher amounts of bone strain largely attributable to greater ground surface-induced loads. The greater resorptive activity seen in road cycling suggests inadequate loading to support bone maintenance with bone loading, muscle size and strength of Mountain biking being superior to Road cycling (4).
Track sprint cycling
Wilks and others (2009) compared bone measures of sprint- and distance-trained cyclists competing at World Masters Track Championships, along with sedentary controls in their study published in the journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Greater lower leg bone strength was found in the sprinters and to a lesser degree the endurance riders compared with sedentary controls (5).
In conclusion, then, based on a review of the evidence that is available there is now a pressing need for road cyclists at any level or age to supplement their training with some weight-bearing exercise so that bone health is maintained. However, whilst there are many different weight-bearing exercise options available to fulfil these needs I think that the scientific evidence is strongest for the inclusion of adjunctive gym-based, weight training as it seems to provide the most effective stimulus to improve skeletal health. Moreover, there is good evidence to suggest that endurance cycling performance can be improved with the inclusion of this type of exercise too. I will discuss the interesting research supporting this, in particular for the older cyclist, in a future article.
Click “Cycling and bone health” (part 1) to read the first installment of this 2-part discussion of bone health in cyclists.
References
1. SaboD, et al. Bone quality in the lumbar spine in high-performance athletes. European Spine Journal, 1996; 5 (4): 258–263.
2. LombardiG, Lanteri P, Graziani R, Colombini A, Banfi G, et al. (2012) Bone and Energy Metabolism Parameters in Professional Cyclists during the Giro d’Italia 3-Weeks Stage Race. PLoS ONE 7(7): e42077.
3. WarnerSE, et al. Bone mineral density of competitive male mountain and road cyclists. Bone, Jan 2002; 30 (1): 281-286.
4. JoanneA. Mcveigh, Rebecca Meiring, Alessandra Cimato, Lisa K. Micklesfield & Tanja Oosthuyse (2014): Radial bone size and strength indices in male road cyclists, mountain bikers and controls, European Journal of Sport Science, DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2014.933881.
5. WilksDC, et al. Forearm and tibial bone measures of distance- and sprint-trained master cyclists. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Mar 2009; 41 (3): 566-573.
For local Townsville residents interested in FitGreyStrong’s Exercise Physiology services or exercise programs designed to improve muscular strength, physical function (how you move around during the day) and quality of life or programs to enhance cycling or athletic performance, contact FitGreyStrong@outlook.com or phone 0499 846 955 for a confidential discussion.
For other Australian residents or oversees readers interested in our services, please see here.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong or FGS website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FGS. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
I’m going to get straight to the point. Cyclists need to lift weights, period. I don’t want to, in this article, go into the performance-based data that supports this position. What I want to do is explore the growing body of scientific evidence that demonstrates that road cycling is bad for your bones. If road cycling is all you do, then I am sorry to say you are running a big risk to the long-term health of your skeletal system.
You see, there have been several studies that have measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of road cyclists and the findings are very concerning. Concerning enough indeed, that the researchers and scientists investigating this issue have recommended that coaches and health professionals involved with cyclists need to do more to promote the use of alternative exercise such as weight training, plyometrics, or other high impact activity as a complement to cycling training to help minimize bone loss in this population.
For example, Nichols and Rauh (2011) published a study in the J Strength Cond Res. titled “Longitudinal changes in bone mineral density in male master cyclists and nonathletes” and the findings should make all serious road cyclists re-assess their current training programs. The study followed changes in BMD over a 7-year period in 19 competitive male master cyclists and 18 nonathletes. All bone sites measured showed a consistent pattern of lower BMD in cyclists versus nonathletes but those that reported participation in weight training or impact type exercise lost significantly less BMD at the spine and femoral neck (hip) than those not undertaking such additional activities.
Worryingly, a significantly greater proportion of cyclists than nonathletes could be described as suffering osteopenia or osteoporosis during the study period with a much greater likelihood of osteoporosis being developed over the course of the study in cyclists. Competitive cycling and the training involved is not without risk, with falls a fairly common occurrence.
There is therefore an inherent increased risk for bone fracture caused from such falls, but if BMD status is poor to start with the risk of fracture or more serious complications is further compounded and increased. As such, there should be much greater attention given to promoting the benefits of weight training or other high impact activities in an effort to counter such skeletal changes in road cyclists.
Mountain biking
In my next article (see Cycling and skeletal health – part 2) I will explore whether there are any differences between professional road cyclists and the rest of us in relation to skeletal health plus whether any differences exist between road, track and mountain bikers.
Until then, enjoy your cycling, stay safe and go and do some lifting.
Wilks DC, et al. Forearm and tibial bone measures of distance- and sprint-trained master cyclists. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Mar 2009; 41 (3): 566-573.
Campion F, et al. Bone status in professional cyclists. International Journal of Sports Medicine, Jul 2010; 31 (7): 511-515.
For local Townsville residents interested in FitGreyStrong’s Exercise Physiology services or exercise programs designed to improve muscular strength, physical function (how you move around during the day) and quality of life or programs to enhance cycling or athletic performance, contact FitGreyStrong@outlook.com or phone 0499 846 955 for a confidential discussion.
For other Australian residents or oversees readers interested in our services, please see here.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong or FGS website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
FitGreyStrong specialises in the research, design and implementation of exercise-based programs that are specifically aimed to alter the trajectory of accelerated ageing caused by the sedentary lifestyles and poor nutritional practices of many older people.
As many of you would appreciate, deterioration in mental and physical function across the lifespan is an inevitable consequence of the human condition. On a global scale there will be more than 2 billion people aged over 60 yr by 2050; a doubling in little under 40 years. Such a radical change in demographics will pose significant health care challenges across the globe and have profound social, economic and political impacts on many aspects of life. Whilst sarcopenia and changes in musculoskeletal morphology have been shown to be predictive of, and correlated to, morbidity and premature death, it is the accompanying dynapenia where there is disproportionately greater loss of strength relative to muscle mass that is significantly more sensitive in predicting predisposition to disability, poor health outcomes and risk of mortality. However, reductions in skeletal muscle mass, strength and physical function in older adults, and the considerable negative effects that these changes have on quality of life and the ability to effectively carry out activities of daily living are all amenable. With the right dose and type of exercise all these things can be dramatically improved.
The live webinar titled “Why the strengthification of Generation X and Baby Boomers is the greatest health challenge of the 21st century” is scheduled to take place Tuesday 5th June 6.30-7.30 pm AEST (GMT+10:00). If you are interested in attending please register at fitgreystrong@outlook.com
The URL of the live webinar recording can be found here
or ⇓⇓
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
