A question that gets asked a lot in the training world – should women train differently from men in the gym? Are there any gender differences in response to weight training or difference is more intra gender rather than inter gender? As more and more women have started weight training, we have noticed certain interesting differences between the two sexes. These differences are also now supported by the latest research on strength training.
Lifting weights equals overly muscular women
But before I get to detailing how women differ in their response to weight training and how they should train, let me put a persistent myth to rest (again). No, women will not become bulky and ultra-muscular like the ones seen in body building competitions. That kind of mass requires a genetic predisposition, years of single-minded training and performance enhancement drugs aka steroids. A “regular” woman has as much chance of putting on muscle to look bulky as I have in becoming the next Usain bolt which is zero to none. Most women lack the adequate quantity of the male hormone, testosterone, to build appreciable muscle size. But weight training is very important for women – building stronger bones, improving strength and metabolism. Time to move on from the “Weaker Sex” epithet to the “Stronger Sex” compliment.
And the differences are:
{{/usCountry}}And the differences are:
{{/usCountry}}The following points should help my female readers create better training programs, which would lead to greater gains in their fitness.
•Male trainees might make more absolute strength gains but women gain more strength relative to their body weight. This means that women also get pretty strong in the gym in comparison to their smaller body size. But most of them think that they are not strong and underestimate their strength as well as their ability to gain it. Hence, they end up not improving as rapidly as they should. My usual advice to my lady trainees is do not be afraid to load the bar, you are stronger than you think you are.
•Women handle volume way better than men. Generally speaking, most women have more slow twitch muscle fiber than men. So, they can handle more sets and repetitions in comparison to men. Using a volume-based approach to training in the gym produces great results for women. If the men counterparts are doing 3-4 sets per exercise for 8-12 repetitions, women can easily do 15 repetition sets and improve. Also, they can recover faster between sets. Doing more volume at a faster pace, would make them leaner while increasing strength. A win-win situation.
•This point has some jargon in it so please bear with me. In the training world, 1RM means that for any exercise, the weight you can lift for 1 repetition. 85% of 1 RM is usually 5 repetitions. For example, if your 1RM for squats is 50 kg, then you should be able to do 42.5 kg for 5 repetitions. This equation only applies to the male trainees. The women might be able to do 8 repetitions at 85% of 1RM, though her 1 RM might be lower. Please do not stymie your progress by under estimating how many repetitions you can do in the gym.
Putting it all together
Ideally speaking women trainees should do higher number of sets per exercise while trying to load the bar with as much weight they can lift with good form. Avoid resting for too long between sets. I prefer that their session should rarely exceed 45 minutes while doing a high volume workout. This does not include cardio. Now go out and load the bar.
Kamal Singh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been coaching for 15 years
From HT Brunch, April 4, 2021
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