I have a confession: I hate resistance training. Not because I don’t want to reap its amazing benefits, such as improved bone density, more lean muscle, and better joint health, of course (1). But because frankly, pushing around a bunch of weight for an hour sucks.
I still begrudgingly lift weights two to three times a week alongside my preferred aerobic fitness classes. But even then, I slack from time to time. That was until my mother hit menopause and her doctor flagged her plummeting bone density.
What’s that got to do with me, an otherwise healthy 20-something, you ask? Turns out, the risk of declining bone density in menopause has a genetic component. If your mom dealt with brittle bones after Aunt Flo peaced out, you’re more likely to encounter the same issue (2).
Plus, bone density peaks in your early twenties (3). So unbeknownst to me, mine may already be trending downward. The sooner you start prioritizing your bone health, the better your chances are against diseases like osteoporosis, which impact 1 in 2 women in menopause (4).
But is competing with sweaty dudes for a spot at the weight rack really my only choice to bolster bone density? Maybe not.
Skeletal-strengthening health center, Osteostrong, claims to be a no-sweat, lunk-free way to improve your bone density, posture, and overall longevity with just four machines (and a whole bunch of other cool gadgets). I went to a session once a week for a month to get the low-down on this resistance training alternative.
What Is Osteostrong?
Osteostrong—the self-proclaimed “ultimate biohack”—is a system of four machines that uses a type of exercise called osteogenic loading (5).
The idea behind osteogenic loading is that you can apply brief, intense pressure to your bones to trigger the formation of new cells, slowly building up your bone density without long resistance training sessions. Think of a gymnast hitting the floor after leaping from the bar. (That could be why gymnasts have some of the highest bone density levels (6)).
What does osteogenic loading look like in practice?
Walking into the center, the four machines look similar to those you’d see at the gym. The Core GT machine looks just like a lat pulldown. Lower GT is a leg press. Upper GT mimics a chest press. And postural GT takes after a deadlift machine.
What makes them different from conventional machines is how you use them. Instead of loading on weight and moving the machine, you use your body weight to apply as much pressure as possible.
The components of Osteostrong’s machines don’t move. Instead, an anterior screen shows how much pressure you’re applying and how much force you need to reach the rapid growth trigger, or the point at which you develop new bone cells the fastest.
You’re trying to reach 4.2 times your body weight in applied pressure, which is the amount of stimulus needed to trigger new bone growth (7). However, each machine has a different goal, which takes into account your height and weight. For me, the rapid growth trigger goal was:
Upper GT: 305 pounds
Lower GT: 850 pounds
Core GT: 180 pounds
Postural GT: 300 pounds
While the center is bone-focused, many locations offer other trendy health modalities like red light therapy, hydromassages, EMF therapy, vibrating plates, and a buzzy device called a biocharger that emits a shrill, but allegedly healing, frequency. The Limerick Central Osteostrong center, where I completed my sessions, had all of these and more.
The inside of the Santa Monica Osteostrong facility, where I attended a media event.
The Experience
All Osteostrong members get one session a week with their membership. According to Osteostrong, this timeline is optimal for maximum bone growth and recovery, and coming in too frequently could slow down your progress.
So, once a week, I trekked 30 minutes to my local Osteostrong location where I was greeted by franchise owner Ryan Brown. At my first session, we sat down to discuss my goals for the month-long trial.
Since I’m not dealing with any skeletal issues (to my knowledge) I wanted to focus on building preventive bone density and improving my posture. Every day, I’m hunched over my laptop for hours, researching and writing. By 5 PM, my back is stiff and my shoulders have taken on a forward slouch.
Brown assured me that posture is usually one of the first things to improve during the Osteostrong program, so I was hopeful that my back would go from busted to ballerina.
Then, it was time to try the machines. My first attempt at pushing on the non-mobile machines felt a bit awkward, but it was satisfying to see the applied force spike on the screen. Each session includes one push on the machine, which takes less than a minute. I didn’t even break a sweat.
After a couple of attempts on each machine, I hit the red light therapy room and basked on an EMF mat. Once I got the hang of the routine, I was left to my own devices to enjoy the center at my leisure.
My first attempt on the Upper GT machine at Osteostrong.
My Results
Over the course of the four weeks, I saw some improvement on how much force I applied on three of the machines, but a reduction on Upper GT (which I could probably attribute to straining my neck at a concert I went to the weekend before):
One staff member at Osteostrong told me that these improvements vary from person to person, and injury, illness, or even factors like poor sleep could impact how much more force you can apply week to week. However, slow and steady increases are a good sign that the program is working. The goal is to eventually hit the rapid growth trigger for each machine.
While there’s no way to see if my bone density improved without the likes of a DEXA scan, I started to notice improvements to the twinginess in my back a few days after my second session. (Plus, Osteostrong says that it takes about 6 to 12 months on the program to build up enough bone density to show up on a DEXA scan.)
Around my third session, my partner commented that I was “walking very confidently” around our apartment. Was this a sign that my perma-slouch was finally dissipating? Ultimately, the improvements to my posture were subtle. Although I suspect I could achieve better results with more sessions.
Does Osteostrong Replace Resistance Training?
If you can tolerate weight lifting, resistance training likely is better for your healthspan, cheaper, and more accessible than Osteostrong (8). You also don’t burn many calories pushing on a machine for less than a minute without breaking a sweat, so an Osteostrong session doesn’t replace a workout in that respect, either.
While Osteostrong’s program may benefit bone density, you’re missing out on the longevity gains of building lean muscle mass without resistance training or other forms of exercise. Instead, Osteostrong is more of a supplement to better bone health than a replacement for resistance training.
In other words, I will reluctantly continue to hit the weights.
Who Would Benefit Most from Osteostrong?
As I was using the biocharger, another Osteostrong member mentioned that she joined the center after being diagnosed with osteopenia around menopause after years of teaching yoga and leading an otherwise fitness-focused life. She explained that resistance training wasn’t an option for her at the time, given her condition, and she was looking for a low-impact way to improve her bone density.
Osteostrong is likely beneficial for cases like these where someone can benefit from increasing their bone density but lifting weights is off the table. Research backs up her decision, too. In a clinical trial, Osteostrong improved lumbar spine bone density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (5).
Osteostrong is also a cost-effective way to dip your toes into biohacking, which can be an expensive endeavor. At just a couple hundred dollars a month—pricing varies from franchise to franchise—you get access to tons of trendy modalities like red light therapy, EMF, and more. It works out to be more affordable than buying sessions of each individual biohack or therapy.
The Bottom Line
Osteostrong doesn’t replace a consistent resistance training schedule, as it lacks benefits like building and maintaining lean muscle mass and burning calories. I’ll be sticking with my resistance training routine. However, the center may offer great benefits for someone looking for a low-impact, supplemental way to bolster bone health and recovery or a way to dip their toes into biohacking for a great value.
Rebekah Harding is a Health Writer at The Edge. She is an experienced health and lifestyle writer with both digital and print bylines in Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Yoga Journal, Giddy, and more.
