does pilates count as weight training for bone mass building? I do aerobics 60 min. Daily and replaced weights w pilates 2x weekly. Lots of lunges,lap swimming, hike, exercise on a large ball and bike instead of drive when possible. I am too tired to do weights.see you in june. Thank you! Batya
The key criteria that must be met to build bone is that muscular fatigue must be reached in less than 15 repetitions of a certain movement. When weight levels heavy enough to cause muscular fatigue in 15 repetitions or fewer are lifted, enough strain is placed on our bones to begin the process of laying down additional bone material resulting in increased bone density. So, you need to ask yourself the question – how is my Pilates being done? Do I reach fatigue by the 15th repetition of some of the movements or not? If you do not reach fatigue then this motion does NOT do the best you can do to increase bone density. Of course, your Pilates instructor can alter the resistance and or exercises to make fatigue by the 15th repetition possible.
I would suggest having your Pilates instructor add 2 simple exercises to your Pilates routine that would help your bone density. Please engage in these exercises only after careful consideration of joint health and take any orthopedic limitations into consideration. One would be a standing overhead press with free weight dumbbells – this is particularly valuable for improving spinal vertebrae bone density. The other activity would be either squats or lunges with free weight dumbbells in your hands. Be sure to lift at least 2 days – preferably 3 days per week and try to do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.