Does the Fly Exercise Machine Build Bone Density?

Strong bones give you a solid foundation to work from and are more resistant to injury. As you age, your bones can gradually weaken and, in some cases such as osteoporosis, can become brittle. Be proactive to prevent any unnecessary loss of bone by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly. The fly exercise machine is a great place to start building bone density.

  1. Strengthening Bone

    • The muscles used during weight-bearing exercises, such as on the fly exercise machine, create forces that act on the bones they attach to. In response to this force, the bones begin to remodel and reinforce themselves to increase density and resist fracture. The process of bone adaptation begins in the first few workouts, but it takes at least six months of regular exercise to see actual increases in bone density.

    Bones Strengthened With the Fly Machine

    • Building bone density is site specific, meaning that only bone worked directly will experience improvements. The fly exercise machine targets your pectoralis major, coracobrachialis and the short head of the biceps. These muscles have attachment points on the sternum, humerus, radius, scapula and several ribs. These are the only bones that will experience an increase in bone density from the fly exercise machine.

    How to Exercise to Build Bone

    • Exercise in general is great for your body, but in order to build bone, follow certain recommendations. The Colorado Center for Bone Research notes that performing two or three sets of six to eight repetitions two times per week with an exercise machine has proven to be beneficial for bone maintenance and even bone growth in people of different ages. Use 60 to 80 percent of your one-repetition max on the fly exercise machine or resistance that is heavy enough that you're only able to complete six to eight repetitions.

    Bone-Benefitting Workout Tips

    • While the fly exercise machine can help increase the bone density in your arms, rib cage and shoulders, there are several more bones in your body that should also be strengthened. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends using exercises that involve many muscle groups at once and directing the forces through your spine and hips, the sites most common to osteoporosis. Progressively overload your muscles and bones, gradually increasing the resistance used to continue to overload and challenge your musculoskeletal system.