Should Women train differently from men?
The body of a woman differs a lot from that of man, given that fat is stored in their bodies in a different way. Female bodies are more predisposed to maintaining higher levels of body fat naturally. Thus, most females have a tough time in keeping fat off their bodies. However, around the world, most women end up training in the same way as most men do. That should not be the case. Here are some of the top reasons why women need to train in a different way from that of men.
Deficiency of testosterone
It is a fact that many women visiting the gym end up performing the same types of workouts as their male counterparts. This is often due to the fact that they are taught by male trainers, or their husbands and boyfriends, to do so. Thus, women – like men – can often be found to lift heavier weights and performing fewer reps like them. But they end up nowhere, and achieve weird results. While men – due to the high testosterone levels in their body, are able to boost their muscle mass, the same is not applicable for women.
The testosterone levels of woman are nowhere close to that of men. Thus, they lack similar potential for muscle growth, although they can witness some boost in muscle size if they continue to train in that manner. The objective of a woman’s workout should be focused on making her toned and firm, rather than bulky and muscled. Thus, women’s workout programs should indeed be different from that of men.
Feminine look and feel
Few women actually prefer a muscled look a la Arnold Schwarzenegger, but regular weight training in imitation of men can make women get at least some muscles. This would be a far cry from the sensuous, toned appearance that females dream of. When women start weight training to get toned and firm but not for body building, they have to do a few things in order to get the kind of results that they want, without adding that extra mass.
It is noteworthy that it is not the specific workouts that men do that lead to mass building, but how they perform the exercises. Women’s exercise programs need to include somewhat lighter weight, even if they perform the same workouts. Rather than performing the 8-10 repetitions that are performed by most men, women need to perform 15 – 20 repetitions, so that they are able to get toned without experiencing the side effects – such as bulking up.
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Women need to include circuit training programs in their exercise programs, which make use of resistance training with aerobics. Such types of programs are ideal for females, and are designed to offer fantastic fat burning exercise. Simultaneously, these can help tone the muscles up but not making any addition to muscle size.
Such routines need to be performed 4 to 6 days every week. As compared to men’s workout routines aimed at muscle building, similar recovery time is not needed. After women get adjusted to where they want to be, performing these routines every week for just 2 or 3 times can be enough to maintain the results.
If women want to boost muscle tone without any addition in muscle size, want to lose fat and like to lift their butt and flatten their tummy, it is important to train like a woman, and not like a man.
Variation in hormone levels
While the basic principles of exercise and movements are the same for both sexes, some things need to be varied in nature. The hormonal levels of men and women tend to vary. Female bodies are more appropriate for endurance activities, which is the reason why women are better at cardio workouts. Men and women are differently motivated. While the muscles of women are the same as that of men and are as strong as the latter, and they show the same response to stress, the magnitude of response happens to vary in nature.
If you are a woman, it is a good idea to get trained by a female trainer, so that you are able to work out according to your body and its specific needs, achieving that toned feminine look that you dream of.
