Ab exercises have always been challenging for me. I don't like crunches, especially when the instructor tells me to raise my head and shoulders off the ground. But I'm learning through exercises at the chiropractor's that a good way to strengthen your abs is to focus on the transverse abdominal muscle that wraps around your waist. You can tighten the ab muscles while standing, sitting, walking, or during any activity.  To get the feel for this, you can put your hands around your waist and push the sides of your waist out toward your hands.  This helps to engage your abs to stabilize your core.

Although ab exercises don't directly build bone like jumping and other weight bearing exercise,  strong abs are key to good posture and can protect your back from injury. 

A good exercise for strengthening the transverse abdominal muscle is to lie on your back, bring your knees up, with lower legs parallel to the floor, and slowly straighten each leg, one at a time.  

Here's an example of  leg lifts with a stability ball.  As with any exercise, consult with your health care practitioner or personal trainer for advice. Technique, form and recommendations vary.

When it comes to building stronger bones, not all sports are the same. 
Here are some of the best sports for boosting your bone density this summer while getting Vitamin D from the sun as well!  

• Volleyball
• Basketball
• Rowing
• Tennis
• Pickleball
• Badminton
• Hiking with a backpack
• Running (if you eat well; shorter runs are better than long distances)
• Aerobic dancing
• Jumping rope
• Soccer

Some articles about sports and bone density are listed at the Resources tab.
Sports that will not help bone density but are great for enjoyment and cross training include:
swimming and bicycling. 

When my doctor first presented Fosamax as an option to treat osteopenia/osteoporosis, it sounded like a drug to avoid. Nearly 20 years later, there is plenty of evidence that Fosamax and other bisphosphonates can lead to weaker bones, can damage the esophagus, and can lead to jaw necrosis. Even the injected form of the drug can cause major side effects, and then if it is a once-a-year shot, how do you get it out of your system?
Here is a link to another blog post that simply lists the published side effects of osteoporosis drugs. 

In this interview Naperville Community Television visited Dr. Cammisa's office, the home of the BStrong4LIfe program, where I'm currently working on my bone strength.  The discussion about bone density begins at about 6 minutes 11 seconds into the interview.

Here's another video demonstration of rowing, but this one uses a rowing machine that you can find in a gym like XSport.

A friend reminded me this week about indoor rowing as a low-impact alternative to running. I had forgotten about rowing!  It is a great whole-body workout, as I experienced a couple of years ago at a different gym.  Of course, I wanted to know what effect rowing might have on bone density. Even though rowing does not involve impact, as running and jumping do, studies have shown that it can lead to significant increases in bone density in the lower lumbar spine.  That's great news!  Building up the spine seems to be one of the most difficult challenges, as few exercises target it safely.  Don't have a rowing machine? Here's how to make your own.  Or if you happen to have a kayak or row boat, all the better.  Happy rowing!

Yesterday I started making progress again on all of the exercises with the biodensity machine, which is the mainstay of the BStrong4Life program that I've been participating in since December 2013.  In the leg press I'm able to press more than 15 times my body weight and in the other exercises, between 2 and 4 times my body weight.  With about 6 months to go until my next bone density scan, I'm encouraged to keep up the weekly exercises along with other strength training, cardio and stretching.