Bone Mass | How 10 Jumps A Day Will Keep Your Bones Strong!

Are you wondering how jumping 10 times a day increases your bone mass more than running?

I knew that as we age, we lose bone density. For many years, and out of ignorance, I believed that regular physical activity like walking and eating a lot of calcium (milk, cheese) would help keep my bones healthy and strong. But guess what? The truth is that it isn’t enough.

I recently discovered that low-repetition, high-impact jumping repetitions were more effective for bone-building than running, swimming, cycling, walking, or jogging.

I remember being shocked by the story of a fit bicycle athlete that ended up having poor bone density issues because he didn’t jump enough in his lifetime! But how is this possible, I thought? Athletes are strong and in shape. They can’t have serious bone health problems.

In this article, I will explore why jump training is recommended for maintaining bone mass growth. This is fascinating! Read on!

Medical disclosure: The Fit Yourself Barre content is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a physician. You should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Why does jumping 10 to 20 times per day increase your bone mass more than running?

Whenever you jump, you send strong vibration signals that generate a series of physiological stimuli. One of them communicates to the brain that more bone mass needs to be built to absorb the shock of gravity’s weight on your skeleton structure. However, bone cells become desensitized when mechanical stimulation is long and constant. That is why repeated bone stress has less effect on your bones when you run than 10-20 high-impact jumps.

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What are bones and what do they do?

First, bones are living organs of the skeletal system that provide support for our entire body’s weight. They also build our shape and protect other organs:

• The skull protects the brain and shapes the face
• The spinal column protects the spinal cord
• The ribs that form a cage envelop the heart and lungs
• The pelvis protects the reproductive organs in women, the bladder and intestines

Second, the bones’ framework is made up of a protein called collagen, calcified osseous tissue, and cartilage, a connective tissue. What makes bones hard and strong is the mineral called calcium phosphate. Bones also store calcium and release some in the bloodstream when it’s necessary.

Therefore, eating enough vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and Calcium is essential for your bones’ ongoing health. Vitamin D helps absorb and fix the calcium in your bones.

Third, bones are composed of 2 kinds of bone tissues; compact bone (the hard and dense part) and cancellous bone (the sponge-like type inside the compact bone). The latter is where bone marrow is found.

The blood cells and platelets are made in this soft bone. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues while white blood cells help fight infections. Platelets help stop blood from clotting when you cut yourself for instance.

Finally, bones make hormones that communicate with the brain and other organs. As an example, bones release a hormone that helps us deal with sudden danger.

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What is bone mass?

Bone mass or bone mineral density is the amount of calcium present in a given volume of bone tissue. People suffering from osteoporosis have low bone density which can increase the risk of bone fracture.

While bone growth stops after a certain age, bone strength needs to be constantly built and cared for. Their solidity is never acquainted and though vitamin D and calcium consumption are crucial, it is not enough to prevent bone loss. Physical training is as important.

Bones are live tissues that are continually building and renewing themselves.

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When do bones stop growing?

Bones stop growing in length between 17 and 25 yo. That’s the phase when we build our bone capacity. We continue to build bone mass up to 30yo. After 30 yo, we lose more bone than we build it.

The good news is that proof shows that physical activity helps build and maintain bone density at any age. Have you been more inactive most of your life? You can still be able to regain bone strength!

Studies show that bone mass increases when doing regular resistance training like lifting weights, 2 or 3 times a week for as little as 10 minutes. The force of muscles pushing against bones stimulates this bone formation. The weight-bearing exercises also appear to help retain the calcium in the bones carrying the load.

So both strength training and body mineralization are necessary for bone-building and strength. But not only. You may want to consider adding jump training to your workout regimen.

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Why jump to maintain healthy bone mass? It’s a question of vibrations!

Jumps provoke a series of physiological reactions, such as creating micro-tears in the bones due to the high-intensity impact. As a response to these stimuli, bones rebuild more mass and thicken. Existing studies conclude how SIGNIFICANT and site-specific jumping exercise is in improving bone density, especially in the hips.

The brain-bone relationship

Moreover, since then, science found that it is the brain that controls the formation of bones.

“The new findings show that bone formation, far from being a straightforward mechanical process dependent on body weight, is delicately orchestrated by the brain, which sends and receives signals through the body’s neural and hormone systems.

It is now clear that the neural network which controls appetite and energy also alters bone density.”

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For how long should I jump to strengthen my bones?

Regarding bone-building, one study found that jumping 10 to 20 times a day with 30 seconds of rest in between each jump greatly improves hip bone mineral density in premenopausal women. So it isn’t a question of “how long” but more a question of “how many”.

Another study concluded that only “10 maximum vertical jumps/day, 3 days/wk enhanced BMD at the femoral neck in young women who had almost reached the age of peak bone mass. For practical applications, low-repetition high-impact jumps are suggested to be one of the ideal training methods for enhancing and maintaining peak bone mass in young adult women.”

But what about older women/men? Is jump training good for them too?

Yes! A very recent 2019 review, that had 289 older adults (58 to 79yo) do jumping training, also showed how it increased their bone mass and strength.

Consult with your doctor prior to starting any jumping exercises when you suffer from osteoporosis, arthritis or any bone-related conditions.

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Wrap up

It is so unfortunate that as we get older, we don’t jump as we used to when we were kids!

There is evidence now that the frequency, amount, and intensity of pressure when exercising all contribute to bone growth however none of the three have been determined to be more important than the other.

That’s why it is worthwhile to consider adding 10-20 jumps (30 seconds rest or more) to your workout training and diversifying the different forms of exercise. Make sure you land on your heels when jumping.

In fact, our contact with the ground, and playing with gravity are going to play an important role in maintaining peak potential bone mass, throughout our entire life.

Remember that it is the repeated bone stress that numbs the brain-bone connection’s response. So while jumping 40 times non-stop will get you a good cardio boost, it will have little impact on strengthening your bones.

Please leave your comments/questions and share your experience below! I would love to hear from you!

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