Women and Strength Training

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Women and Strength Training
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Purpose

• Examine gender differences and issues concerning
  women and resistance training.
• Educate female athletes about balance of training
  components

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Misconceptions

• Certain misconceptions about women and resistance
  training have limited the benefits for women due
  to the creation of inadequate training programs.

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Common Myths

• Women cant get strong
• Strength training causes women to become larger
  and heavier.
• Women should use different training methods than
  men.
• Women should avoid high intensity or high load
  training.
• With the right exercise, you can get rid of
  trouble spots
• If you dont lose weight, theres no point in
  exercising

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Gender Differences

• Does resistance training produce the same effects
  in women as it does men?????
• Body Composition
• Muscle Hypertrophy
• Hormonal Response
• Strength and Power

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Body Composition

• Both genders increased FFM and lowered body fat
  at the same rate in a short term resistance
  training program (8-20 weeks).
• Males generally have higher FFM than females

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Muscle Hypertrophy

• DEFINITION An increase in muscle mass and cross
  sectional area.
• Average male has greater muscle cross sectional
  area and more muscle fibers.
• The average womens muscles do not hypertrophy
  excessively.
• Encouraging and discouraging for women
• After a 10, 12, and 20 week study results showed
  no change or small changes in body circumferences
  in women.

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Muscle Hypertrophy

• Because muscle tissue is denser than adipose
  tissue, an increase in muscle mass accompanied by
  an decrease in adipose tissue equaling the gain
  in muscle mass will result in a slight decrease
  in body circumference.

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Hormonal Response

• Testosterone
• At rest men have 10 to 20 times more serum
  testosterone than women.
• This is why there are gender differences observed
  in BW and composition. It increases PRO
  synthesis, which induces hypertrophy.

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Serum Testosterone Concentrations (pre, mid,
post) Workout
nmol/L
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Strength and Power

• Avg. womans maximal mean total body strength is
  60 of the avg. mans
• Avg. Upper body strength is 25-55 of mans
• Lower body strength is 70-75 of mans
• Muscles rate of force development is slower for
  the avg. woman than for the avg. man.
• Thus training for explosive strength is vital in
  order to enhance RFD and improve power
  performances.

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More gender differences

• Males muscle fibers from greatest area to
  smallest are Type IIA-I-IIB
• Women are I-IIA-IIB
• Explains strength and power output differences
• Women plateau earlier in training but see greater
  initial strength gains.

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What does this tell us?

• Women are at a disadvantage physiologically than
  men when it comes to strength and power.
• In order to reap the benefits of RT a woman has
  to activate her muscle tissue by lifting heavy
  weights (lt60 1RM).

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Benefits of RT

• Decrease body fat percentage
• Increase in strength
• Increase in muscular tone, shape, and definition
• Better muscular control
• Improved bone mass
• Increased resting metabolic rate
• Improved self esteem and confidence

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Outside the Norm

• Larger than average increases in FFM and limb
  circumferences in some women are probably related
  to several factors
• Greater than normal resting testosterone, GH, or
  other hormone concentrations
• Greater hormonal response than normal to RT
• Lower than normal estrogen testosterone ratio
• Genetic disposition to develop large muscle mass

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Other Factors

• Nutrition
• Cardiovascular Exercise
• Sport Specific Needs

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Top 10 Reasons to Strength Train

• Muscle is more compact than fat, so youll get
  leaner
• Strength training fortifies your bones and
  improves flexibility, reducing the risk of
  osteoporosis and injury
• You can reap benefits just from doing a 25 minute
  workout 2X a week
• Research shows that the stronger you get, the
  more energetic and active you become. This change
  helps with weight control too.
• Strength training raises your metabolism by as
  much as 15 percent, so you can eat more.

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Top 10 Reasons to Strength Train

• Studies indicate that it reverses age related
  muscle loss, dec. risk of heart disease and may
  cut the risk of breast, and colon cancer.
• It reduces stress and anxiety
• You fall asleep more quickly, sleep longer and
  more deeply
• It improves balance, so youll play better
• You feel stronger, which boosts confidence.