A diet rich in leafy green vegetables, fiber, low in fat, and of course, high in calcium (among the other 72 trace minerals, according to Dr. Joel Wallach) is the first step in prevention. Exercise Ð especially strength training, is the second most important step. A properly prescribed program will increase density in the femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae, where it is needed most. This section will concentrate on the most important areas of the body to strengthen, what types of exercises to perform, and the proper progression to perform them in to enhance muscular and bone development.

Section #1 - hip area. Comprising the largest muscles in the body, the hip area is the foremost section to train. The most important types of machines to condition this area are the leg press, and total hip machine. The leg press is a compound exercise, working the muscles of the hip and thigh. The hip machine is an isolation exercise, concentrating the gluteus maximus. These machines are preferable to free weights to start out with because the learning curve is less, and improvements can be made with less chance of injury.

Section #2 - upper body. Working the upper body major muscles (chest, shoulders, back) comprises section #2, and provides resistance to the bones of the upper vertebrae, long bones of the arms, and ribs. Photo #2 illustrates a weight-assisted machine for working the chest area (dip exercises), and the back (pull up exercises).

The most important element of program design for this group is training progression, as the goal is to strengthen weak and porous bone to its natural density. A beginning program would start with low intensity, and more repetitions. It would look something like this: