FEMALE MUSCLE

I usually write articles about flexibility, but I also like to include articles on weight training as related to women. Today's article is such an article, and I will return to the flexibility series next Thursday. Since more and more women are discovering the benefits of weight training, I will make an effort to point out the benefits for athletes, as well as non-athletes.
I use to train at a gym called "The Physical Edge". It was located very close to mile square, near Fountain Valley Hospital. I occasionally see the owner Jeff, who trains at Met-Rx. He ran one of the best gyms I've ever trained at. Second to Met-Rx. Fortunately, in both cases for that matter, there were a fair share of women that trained at The Physical Edge. I've trained in gyms where it was all guys. It would be tough for me to return to a situation like that. I remember the wife of one of my training partners telling me that always stuck in my head. She didn't want to train with weights because she didn't want to have muscles like we had! Do you know how hard we had to train to get like that? That was just a weak excuse not to exercise.
If you have noticed, only a few women are able to get as muscular as men. Estrogen (E), the primary hormone in women does not work the same as testosterone (T) does for men. Women do have T in them, but only about one-tenth as much as men. That is why women don't have beards and like to chew tobacco. Hey, I think that is a good thing! In fact, T increase protein synthesis and muscle size, where E has shown more potential toward stamina. If you do see a women with a low voice, aggressive behavior, facial hair, lots of muscle mass, you would have to suspect some kind of steroid usage. Their are a few women that have the ability to get real big, but they are few and far between.
The benefits of weight training for women are numerous. For younger women you will notice that they are similar to younger men. The benefits include:
1) Reduced potential of injuries. If an experienced coach or personal trainer is good, this is of great importance. I will be talking more at length on this as related to the knee and other areas in future articles. Muscle imbalances can be detected and eliminated. Previous injuries that went unattended can also be addressed.
2) Change in body fat as compared to muscle mass. This is where women love to shine. When they become a "hardbody" after a lot of work, it does nothing but boost your self confidence. Hey, same for men. Besides that their relative strength levels, or comparison of what they can lift versus what they weigh improves. From an athletic standpoint that is a big plus.
3) Reduced risk of osteoporosis is something that probably won't effect men, but should be a concern of all females. Weight bearing exercise will thicken your bone structure. If you look at x-ray's of a tennis player, you will easily be able to figure out if the athlete is left handed or right handed. Well why not transfer than bone density gain throughout the body. As women get older they realize the importance of this. I remember suggesting to a girl friend about joining a gym. Before I could say anything she said "What, do I look fat to you?". I think she had some self-esteem issues. Her mom had osteoporosis (dowagers hump). Sometimes it's better that another women make comments like that, rather than a man. I learned.
So if a woman want to train with weights, are there any major differences versus how a man trains? There are slight differences that are based again, on their primary hormone differences versus men:
1) Slightly more reps per set. A man might be doing 5 versus a women's 8 reps.
2) Slightly more sets per exercise. A man may do five sets, versus a woman's 6 sets.
3) Slightly less intensity. You can sort of figure that out from the previous to areas.
Just like everything else, don't stereotype all women. I make some suttle changes in the training routines of male athletes, so why wouldn't I do the same for female athletes. Don't get caught up in stereotyping athletes. Don't make mistakes on a woman's weight training routine that you see being committed on men's training routines. It doesn't make sense!
Any questions, acudave@yahoo.com