Should women train differently than men?
This is one of the biggest debates in our industry.
I’m sure you’ve heard the ole’ saying from the book title:
Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.
Suffice it to say that both genders are on two totally different planets.
It doesn’t take Rocket Science to figure out that both genders are also physically very different…especially in the weight room.
So even though both sexes obviously need to work out for fat loss, and to strengthen the entire body…it’s how each gender exercises that makes all the difference.
Before we go any further, let me address the number one issue women have about training with weights…
FEAR of looking like a man.
Let’s settle this here and now:
Men have 10 times more testosterone than women. 10Xs!
Multiple studies back this up showing that a woman would have to work out ten times harder than a man to even come close to building that much muscle.
So should women train differently than men…?
Let’s look at some of the similarities and differences between the two sexes and clear up the confusion once and for all.
Keep in mind that there are will always be exceptions to these rules, but the following list applies using the “law of averages”.
Similarities
- Both men and women need resistance training to lose body fat. More muscle helps both genders burn more body fat. Period. Even while laying around the house, having more muscle helps burn more fat.
- Weight bearing routines help both genders avoid osteoporosis (a common affliction in post-menopausal women). Both genders need to be doing compound lifts over isolation exercises and using heavy weights (i.e. constantly challenging your body’s muscles).
- Both genders need to PROGRESSIVELY lift heavier weights
Differences:
- Men have more muscle so they will burn more fat and burn it faster than women
- Women are much more flexible making it easier for them to engage in activities that require flexibility like Yoga, Pilates, dance routines, etc…
- Men prefer athletic-based workouts and have a “tendency” to avoid anything that makes them have to be “coordinated” or flexible.
- Women’s lungs are smaller (harder to breathe in high altitudes.) They also have smaller hearts and less muscle mass.
- Estrogen protects women from heart attacks. (Explains why more men have coronary heart disease than women)
- Women love the social aspect of exercise. They like to exercise in groups. Men compete against other men; women are not competitive (at least in the weight room!)
- Men work out because they want to look bigger (Bulkier, big guns, etc.* Women work out because they want to look smaller (slender, sleek, toned, sexy)
- Research shows women work out less than men do…(citing that they have no time because of taking care of children or others).
- Females have less muscle mass than males, and are more susceptible to deconditioning. Drop-off in strength is more dramatic for females when strength training stops.
- Women recover faster than men do. Their resting times between sets should be shorter than men’s resting times.
- Because of estrogen, women need to monitor their carbs more closely than men do.
BUT the biggest difference of all between men and women is the hormone: LEPTIN (your #1 fat burning hormone)
First the “good” news:
Women have 2 times more leptin than men.
Now for the “bad” news:
Women are 3 times less likely to be leptin sensitive.
In other words, even though women have more leptin, they don’t respond to its signals easily.
Fortunately, ladies, there is an answer to this.
Flat Belly Tip for the Ladies: Take a food break.
Consume only 2 meals per day for a few days. May sound weird, but this serves as an awesome “shock” to the system, in which your body will call upon fatty acids (fat) for energy.
This will cause your letpin levels become more “sensitive”.
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