The Effect of 16 Weeks of Hip Adduction and Abduction Resistance Exercise

The investigators will carry out a 16-week exercise training study (n=24) consisting of 3 groups (n=8 per group) of healthy, non-resistance trained adult men and women (age 25-55 years). Our aim is to determine if hip adduction and abduction resistance exercise is more effective than squat and deadlift exercise with respect to changes in the whole bone strength and density of the proximal femur and spine. Group A will do only hip adduction and abduction exercises. Group B will do only squat and deadlift exercise Group C will do a combination of hip adduction and abduction and squat and deadlift exercise Subjects will be imaged with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) of the proximal femur and spine, pre-training and post-training, to determine changes in spinal bone density and proximal femoral bone density and strength. Serum assays of bone formation (osteocalcin) and bone resorption (serum CTX type I) will be performed four times during the study at 4 week intervals.