Women and Strength
Training
Purpose
 Examine gender differences and issues
concerning women and resistance
training.
 Educate female athletes about balance
of training components
Misconceptions
 Certain misconceptions about women
and resistance training have limited the
benefits for women due to the creation of
inadequate training programs.
Common Myths
 Women can’t get strong
 Strength training causes women to become
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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 don’t lose weight, there’s no point in
exercising
Gender Differences
 Does resistance training produce the
same effects in women as it does
men?????
 Body Composition
 Muscle Hypertrophy
 Hormonal Response
 Strength and Power
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
Muscle Hypertrophy
 DEFINITION: An increase in muscle mass and
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cross sectional area.
Average male has greater muscle cross
sectional area and more muscle fibers.
The average women’s 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.
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.
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.
Serum Testosterone
Concentrations (pre, mid, post)
Workout
30
25
20
nmol/L
Men
Women
15
10
5
0
Pre
Mid
0
5
15
30
60
Strength and Power
 Avg. woman’s maximal mean total body
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strength is 60% of the avg. man’s
Avg. Upper body strength is 25-55% of man’s
Lower body strength is 70-75% of man’s
Muscle’s 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.
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.
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 (<60% 1RM).
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
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
Other Factors
 Nutrition
 Cardiovascular Exercise
 Sport Specific Needs
Top 10 Reasons to Strength
Train
 Muscle is more compact than fat, so you’ll get
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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.
Top 10 Reasons to Strength
Train
 Studies indicate that it reverses age related
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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 you’ll play better
You feel stronger, which boosts confidence.