If you are a woman and have been in the fitness journey for quite a while, or if you are just wishing to reshape your body or build strength, then most probably you’ve seen in the internet “workout for women” or that women should not train the same as men. Or even you’ve seen or heard that women can get muscular like men if they do the same exercises. But is it actually the case?
The simple and short answer is NO. Though men and women have different fitness goals, hormone levels, body structures, and slightly different responses to workouts, it does not mean their training routine should be different. In this article, we’ll explore it by looking at some intriguing facts about men and women.
Fitness Goals
Men often exercise to build a stronger, more muscular physique, while many women aim to achieve a lean and toned body. At least gaining some muscle mass should be the goal of everyone, irrespective of sex.
Hormonal Differences
Men have more testosterone which help in gaining muscle mass easily and developing all the manly characteristics. On the other hand, women have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone which is responsible for making fat cells.
Structural Differences
As mentioned above, for higher testosterone levels, men have 10-15% higher muscle mass than women, and women have more fat mass than their male counterparts. Men usually have 50-60% higher strength than women, but gaining strength is easier for women. We’ll see it soon.
Also, women tend to have less lean mass in upper bodies which means they need to do push and pull ups more to develop a sexy, stronger upper body.
Women Burn More Fat in Exercise
Though women have slightly higher fat than men, it doesn’t lead to any problem as they burn more fat in physical training, compared to their male counterparts who tend to burn more carbohydrates. Can you guess what that means? Women can enjoy foods with fat more than men when maintaining a diet for the same level of fitness!
Recovery After Workout is Better in Women
Women generally have a higher proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers compared to men. These fibers are more resistant to fatigue and can recover more quickly after exercise. Better nutrients delivery to muscles throughout the body in females could also be the reason. This leads to less muscle soreness in women than men after high intensity workouts. They need less rest.
In a study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance in 2010, it was discovered that trained men required 48 hours to recover and return to their initial strength level after one set of bench press to failure. On the other hand, trained women only needed 4 hours to achieve the same recovery and strength level.
Does Lifting Weights Make Women Bulky
Well, let’s finish the article with mentioning the truth about this myth. Unfortunately, many women think if they do strength training often, or with higher weights, or if they do the same exercises as men do, they’ll end up building a bulky, muscular body.
This thought is silly, as women have 100 times less testosterone than men, and testosterone is the hormone which makes the masculine body. Besides this, muscle is metabolically active tissue. More muscle means more tone and faster metabolism. Bulking happens when you build muscle and don’t lose body fat. So male and female both need intense weight training exercises for all of our muscles. Both should put less emphasis on cardio and prioritize weightlifting, or at least bodyweight and body resistance training. Less emphasis doesn’t mean less time, 50-60% time in cardiovascular and remaining in strength training is a best combination in general.
Summary
If you search online for exercises targeting specific body parts like glutes, arms, chest, and shoulders, you’ll often find them labeled as “for women” or “for men.” However, these distinctions are more about search habits than actual exercise effectiveness.
In reality, there are no exercises exclusively for men or women. Our bodies may differ in appearance, but the basic structure and function of our bones, muscles, and nerves are the same. A deadlift isn’t inherently male, nor is a leg curl inherently female. Both exercises work muscles effectively, regardless of gender. Regardless of our physical differences and the messages we often see in the media, the best way to lose fat is pretty much the same for everyone, no matter their gender. So, choose exercises based on your goals, not your gender, because muscles respond to training, not labels.
The main principles of training and dieting are similar for both men and women, with minor differences to consider. Regardless of gender, effective fat loss and muscle retention require regular heavy weightlifting and a calorie deficit.
Here’s a summary of the key points:
1. Prioritize weightlifting to preserve/build muscle during fat loss.
2. Adjust workout volume to focus on areas important to you, like more glute work for women.
3. Women can handle higher training volumes and frequencies with less rest between sets compared to men.
4. Women may benefit from a higher fat diet during fat loss (e.g., 30+% of calories from fats).
