This is such a great way to encourage people to get some weight lifting in. Everywhere now it seems fitness experts are pushing us to LIFT HEAVY etc and at 61 , after decades of doing lots of different types of exercise, I find it so intimidating and I end up doing nothing. ☹️ posts like these are such a relief - they’re direct but gentle, thorough and fact filled but not pushy. Thank you!!
This is such a clear and refreshing way to frame it. Stripping it back to what actually drives results, consistency and progressive load makes bone health feel achievable instead of overwhelming. Adherence really is the intervention. Love this👍🏽
Framing bone health around just three lifts makes it feel doable long term, and the adherence data you shared explains why so many people stall. Thank you for the great piece!
Excellent information, great presentation! Thank you so much. Especially understanding that twice weekly, high loads, is best. At 70 I’m doing twice weekly and thought I should move to 3 x weekly. Looking forward to your next post with the recommended routine!
This is the basis of the ONERO (TM) program, which is supervised by a PT. I’ve been doing this program for 3.5 years. It has changed my life and slowed down my bone loss. For anyone considering this, get a trainer and make sure you have proper form and progression. Even at 3+ years, I still hear a correction from time to time. Plus, community helps compliance.
My issue is that my thigh muscles have become enormous. I am so reluctant to increase the weights. Currently lifting with 35 lbs, 3 sets, 15-16 reps per set.
61 here. 5’ 6” 140lbs. Very active and mainly cross fit lifetime leisure: hiking, snowshoeing, long distance walking, pool swimming and resistance water exercise with water dumbells for upper body. Sometimes I also run in the water (hip deep) and to get resistance for lower body.
At home, I do squats and arm weights with dumbbells a few nights per week.
How can I do deadlifts with dumbbells? Do I need to get a bar?
I’d be interested in your view on something. I recently listened to spine biomechanist Stuart McGill discussing how people with very flexible or hypermobile spines (often long-term yoga, ballet or gymnastics practitioners) may struggle with heavy spinal loading because their ligaments provide less passive stability and they tend to move through the spine rather than brace it.
I’m hyper mobile and have done a lot of ballet and yoga throughout my life and seem to fall into that category. Each time I’ve tried to introduce deadlifts — even with light weights — my lower back becomes painful afterwards.
My question is whether there is a way to modify the deadlift (or the hinge pattern more generally) so that someone with a very mobile spine can still obtain the bone-density benefits of loading, without aggravating the back. For example, are there particular regressions, stance changes, ranges of motion, or alternative lifts that can provide similar skeletal loading while keeping the spine more protected?
I’d be very interested in your perspective on this.
Thank you for this. It looks very encouraging, and I like the idea of a simple program that can be followed consistently, instead of a complicated one. But without illustrations or videos, I can't really follow it. Will there be a more visual presentation of your routine to follow?
There is a follow up article to this one on my page. It is for paid subscribers but you can claim a free read if you'd be interested, I attached videos of exercises for you to view.
Thanks for this! I just tried this routine and have a couple questions: should you do all five sets of the first exercise before moving onto the second and third? Or can it be done in a circuit, and if so, does there need to be a rest between each stage of the circuit? Just asking because fifteen sets with 2-3 minutes of rest between adds a lot of time.
My other question is I read a bit more about LIFTMOR and saw there was a jumping component...im not sure if this was a later modification (I see a lot of people have designed routines based on this) or if it was in Beck's original study, and if so, is there a reason you excluded it (if you did).
This is an awesome summary and explainer! I really appreciate it! Looking forward to learning more from you!
I would definitely try to have 90 seconds’ rest between sets, to allow full muscular recovery, allowing you to maintain good form throughout.
The study split them up, but if you would want to complete it in a circuit, I don’t see why not. But you would have a three-minute break in between.
Yeah, I deliberately left out the jumping element. I wanted to focus on lifting in this article - I have a whole jumping plan already made a couple of posts back from this one.
Unfortunately, no site is up at the moment, Christine. At present, I’m directing people to search for the exercises on YouTube to follow the instructions there.
This is such a great way to encourage people to get some weight lifting in. Everywhere now it seems fitness experts are pushing us to LIFT HEAVY etc and at 61 , after decades of doing lots of different types of exercise, I find it so intimidating and I end up doing nothing. ☹️ posts like these are such a relief - they’re direct but gentle, thorough and fact filled but not pushy. Thank you!!
Thanks Liz!
Three main exercises with weights is doable and achievable. Clearly postural stances and stability is the key. Very clearly and precisely explained
Thank you so much
This is such a clear and refreshing way to frame it. Stripping it back to what actually drives results, consistency and progressive load makes bone health feel achievable instead of overwhelming. Adherence really is the intervention. Love this👍🏽
Comments like these really motivate me to keep going! Thank you
Framing bone health around just three lifts makes it feel doable long term, and the adherence data you shared explains why so many people stall. Thank you for the great piece!
Thank you Mark
I need pictures, or a video.
They'll be coming tomorrow Glenn.
Excellent information, great presentation! Thank you so much. Especially understanding that twice weekly, high loads, is best. At 70 I’m doing twice weekly and thought I should move to 3 x weekly. Looking forward to your next post with the recommended routine!
This is the basis of the ONERO (TM) program, which is supervised by a PT. I’ve been doing this program for 3.5 years. It has changed my life and slowed down my bone loss. For anyone considering this, get a trainer and make sure you have proper form and progression. Even at 3+ years, I still hear a correction from time to time. Plus, community helps compliance.
My issue is that my thigh muscles have become enormous. I am so reluctant to increase the weights. Currently lifting with 35 lbs, 3 sets, 15-16 reps per set.
61 here. 5’ 6” 140lbs. Very active and mainly cross fit lifetime leisure: hiking, snowshoeing, long distance walking, pool swimming and resistance water exercise with water dumbells for upper body. Sometimes I also run in the water (hip deep) and to get resistance for lower body.
At home, I do squats and arm weights with dumbbells a few nights per week.
How can I do deadlifts with dumbbells? Do I need to get a bar?
You can do deadlifts with dumbbells, holding them down at your sides, but it sounds like they may not be challenging enough for you!
And what exercise are you doing that for Mary, if you don’t mind me asking?
Goblet squats, straight leg deadlifts.
3 sets 14-16 reps, 2x/week, as well as bicep curls, rows, tricep pullback, planks, pushups, jumping, side to side hops.
I’d be interested in your view on something. I recently listened to spine biomechanist Stuart McGill discussing how people with very flexible or hypermobile spines (often long-term yoga, ballet or gymnastics practitioners) may struggle with heavy spinal loading because their ligaments provide less passive stability and they tend to move through the spine rather than brace it.
I’m hyper mobile and have done a lot of ballet and yoga throughout my life and seem to fall into that category. Each time I’ve tried to introduce deadlifts — even with light weights — my lower back becomes painful afterwards.
My question is whether there is a way to modify the deadlift (or the hinge pattern more generally) so that someone with a very mobile spine can still obtain the bone-density benefits of loading, without aggravating the back. For example, are there particular regressions, stance changes, ranges of motion, or alternative lifts that can provide similar skeletal loading while keeping the spine more protected?
I’d be very interested in your perspective on this.
I have written an article about modifying these lifting patterns for different pains. You could check these out.
There may be a whole article coming soon related to hip hinging, so keep an eye out!
Thank you for this. It looks very encouraging, and I like the idea of a simple program that can be followed consistently, instead of a complicated one. But without illustrations or videos, I can't really follow it. Will there be a more visual presentation of your routine to follow?
There is a follow up article to this one on my page. It is for paid subscribers but you can claim a free read if you'd be interested, I attached videos of exercises for you to view.
All I glimpsed was this lady squatting and thought “ oh lord,what is this fresh hell?!”
Waiting for the exercises……
They’ll be coming on Thursday Catherine!
Need more info on hopping. Heel drops. Etc
I have done a separate newsletter on plyometrics and impact, it’d be good for you to check them out.
where to find?
Great read Jordan, thank you for sharing, I throughly enjoyed reading this!
Thank you, Ros!
Thanks for this! I just tried this routine and have a couple questions: should you do all five sets of the first exercise before moving onto the second and third? Or can it be done in a circuit, and if so, does there need to be a rest between each stage of the circuit? Just asking because fifteen sets with 2-3 minutes of rest between adds a lot of time.
My other question is I read a bit more about LIFTMOR and saw there was a jumping component...im not sure if this was a later modification (I see a lot of people have designed routines based on this) or if it was in Beck's original study, and if so, is there a reason you excluded it (if you did).
This is an awesome summary and explainer! I really appreciate it! Looking forward to learning more from you!
I would definitely try to have 90 seconds’ rest between sets, to allow full muscular recovery, allowing you to maintain good form throughout.
The study split them up, but if you would want to complete it in a circuit, I don’t see why not. But you would have a three-minute break in between.
Yeah, I deliberately left out the jumping element. I wanted to focus on lifting in this article - I have a whole jumping plan already made a couple of posts back from this one.
Glad you’ve found this useful!
Thank you! This is helpful!
With osteoarthritis in the knees the fist two categories would be painful. Any suggestions?
Start off with regressions as easy as you need them to be. Even with osteoarthritis, you can still improve and build up your capacity.
Is there a site to see these exercises in motion? It would be helpful for me.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, no site is up at the moment, Christine. At present, I’m directing people to search for the exercises on YouTube to follow the instructions there.