Weekend Challenge: Femur And Bicep Builder

This weekend’s exercise targets the thighs, glutes, and arms. It’s more important than ever to strengthen these muscles that help increase density in crucial bones such as the femur, as recent research shows that fracture incidence is alarmingly on the rise.

The Femur And Bicep Builder is a simple yet effective move that can be done anywhere – all you need is a wall, as you’ll soon see.

But first, let’s take a look at why this exercise is an excellent addition to your bone-building exercises.

Why:

The Femur And Biceps Builder targets the following muscles and muscle groups.

Quadriceps (Thighs)

Crucial for knee joint alignment (and much more), the quadriceps are the strong muscles that make up the top of your thigh. Because they attach at various points on the pelvis, these muscles also stabilize, strengthen, and align the hip bones. The quads are considered one of the strongest muscle groups in the body.

The four muscles that make up the quadriceps are in layers, with the major one on top (rectus femoris) and the other three beneath. The lower layers run along the femur, so working them stimulates bone growth in this fracture-prone area.

The Femur And Biceps Builder uses resistance exercise to target the quads. Resistance exercises work muscles that support the skeleton.

Glutes (Buttocks)

The “glutes” is a shortened term for the muscles of the buttocks: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. In this day and age, unfortunately, sitting down for long periods is a common practice, whether at desks, in vehicles, or on furniture. This causes the glutes to atrophy, which affects your gait, balance, and bone strength significantly.

Additionally, if the glutes are weak, the pelvis and lower back can fall out of alignment.

Biceps (Upper Arms)

You use your biceps whenever you bend your elbow. They connect the shoulder, elbow, and top of the forearm, so strengthening them stabilizes these important joints. And of course, building bone in these areas is important for preventing fracture.

Supple, strong biceps can help in the event of a fall. Not only will they help you catch your fall, but regular exercise strengthens the bones and joints so your fall is much less likely to result in a fracture.

Additionally, the “back against the wall” position helps align your vertebrae. You’ll see what I mean when I explain how to perform the Femur And Biceps Builder.

How:

You’ll need two weights, one in each hand. If you don’t have weights, you can certainly use cans of food or water bottles.

1. Stand with your back flat against a wall, a weight in each hand.
2. Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle. The tops of your legs should be almost level with the floor, and your arms should be hanging down.
3. With palms facing out, slowly lift the weights, bending the elbows all the way before lowering the weights back down.
4. Repeat eight to ten times, or however many you’re comfortable with.

I like to follow this exercise with the Femur Strengthener Plus. The more exercises that target this area the better, especially in light of recent research that’s revealed just how burdensome osteoporotic fractures can be.

Study Shows Fractures Top Cancer, Stroke, And Breast Cancer As The Number One Cause Of Hospitalization For Women 55 And Over

A research team performed a study on all women age 55 and over who were admitted to a hospital. They compared the data for hospital visits for osteoporotic fractures (OF), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and breast cancer. The results were sobering.

The study reveals that:

“From 2000 to 2011, there were 4.9 million hospitalizations for OF, 2.9 million for MI, 3.0 million for stroke, and 0.7 million for breast cancer …Osteoporotic fractures accounted for more than 40% of the hospitalizations in these 4 outcomes … the hospitalization burden of OFs and population facility-related hospital cost is greater than that of MI, stroke, or breast cancer.” ¹

While this is surely a cause for concern, it also serves as inspiration for regular, targeted exercise. When you work out regularly for your bones with the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, you’re being proactive about diminishing your risk of fracture, and you won’t have to live with the fear of breaking a bone.

And with the specialized moves in Densercise™, you’re building your bones as well as enjoying all the benefits of regular workouts (increased energy, improved mood, better cardiovascular health, and much more).

I’d love to hear how this weekend’s exercise goes for everyone! So please leave a comment sharing your experience with the Saver community.

Have a great weekend!

References:

¹ Singer, Andrea, M.D. “Burden of Illness for Osteoporotic Fractures Compared With Other Serious Diseases Among Postmenopausal Women in the United States.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings. January 2015. Volume 90, issue 1, pages 53-62. Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.09.011. Web. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2814%2900866-0/abstract