I'm 48 and new to fitness. I have a 57 year old female friend who said something that doesn't sound quite right to me.

She walks 4 miles a day. She puts 4 lb weights on her wrists and a backpack with weights on her back. Here is how she explained why she does this:

"You know how when you get older, your bones get weaker? Well, if you're fat, they don't get weaker, because they have to suppport all that fat. But if you walk and have a backpack and wrist weights, they will be stronger."

This sounds really odd to me. Shouldn't she just run a few miles and also do some weight resistance training separately? Is she right? If she's not, can anyone explain why not?

Thanks!

I can tell you this, if the "If they're fat, they're bones don't get any weaker because they have to carry around the fat" were true, then there would be many more skinny older people breaking bones than heavier ones.

Weight bearing physical activity is supposed to help bone health, but I don't think that simulates "fat" weight by strapping weights to yourself. Cardio and weight training should be sufficient.

It's quite the opposite. Heavier people tend to have more bone related trouble at older ages.

With that said, I wouldn't recommend carrying any weight around your body while walking or running. It puts a lot more pressure on certain parts of your body since the weight is focus on those areas - ie wrists or lower back.

With that said, if you want strength training, just stick with the old fashion weight. And while walking, just don't carry anything. I can bet you money that your friend is going to have severe problems on her joints in a short time from now. Just wait and see.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but I can hear my friend responding, "Well, doesn't weight training damage your joints just as much as walking with weights?"

walking is a medium impact exercise. so the more weight your carrying the more chance you have of having knee problems.
Plus the weight on your wrist does nothing. your swinging your arms, not doing individual reps.

let her get on with it if she wants to but she is being very silly.

As you said, go for a jog, then lift some weights.

and as for lifting weights harming your joints... rubbish. If done properly there are zero negatives for sensible resistance training. (but not when your walking at the same time)

Ask your friend exactly what muscles and joints she thinks shes improving by wearing the wrist weights. And tell her that shes actually just putting more pulling force on her shoulders. Which is very bad!

If you're doing them wrong, yeah, they can damage your bones and many other things. However, if you're doing light strength training, then it can help greatly. They did a study a while back, don't remember the name, of elderly people at nursing homes and found that with light strength training, they grew more active and stronger than when they weren't doing anythign else. And these are just like 5 pounds dumbbells I'm talking about.

Carrying weight around just puts extra strain on all other body parts, and it doesn't help out any or at very minimal.

if done incorrectly, yeah, weight training will damage all sorts of muscle tissue, ligaments, joints, wear down the cartilage.

That's why you start slow and do it correctly. The body WILL adapt to these stresses and make stronger ligaments, joints, and muscles. Its harder to get started at 57...but your friend is in the wrong.

Load bearing exercises are what help maintain bone density and 8lbs of extra weight isn't enough.

Squats are probably one of the best exercises for maintaining bone density. Just gotta work your way up from body weight squats to real barbell squats.