Gender Differences in Strength

Men and women respond similarly to strength training.

Women are naturally smaller than men but that doesn't mean they are weaker. In fact, muscle composition is nearly identical in men and women. Adults lose 6 lbs. or more of muscle mass for each 10-year period of adulthood if they do not participate in a program designed to build muscle. All adults, men and women, can benefit from a strength-training program.

Muscle Mass and Gender

Females respond to strength-training exercises just as well as men do. Their muscle tissue responds the same as men's muscle tissue does. When strength training, the muscles develop little tears and repair themselves, which makes the muscles stronger. This is the same for males and females. If both men and women maintain a sensible strength-training program over the course of eight weeks, they could build over 3 lbs. of muscle.

Gender Roles and Strength

Historically, women have been regarded as the weaker sex. Boys are encouraged to be physically strong and athletic and women were encouraged to be more demure. This has changed some over the course of the years but the strength of women is still underestimated by many. Many women resist strength training as they do not want to bulk up and look too masculine. Adding muscle to a woman's frame actually has many health benefits, just as strength training for men has benefits.

Benefits of Strength Training

As adults age, they lose muscle mass. A strength-training program will help adults avoid or alleviate problems as they age, such as osteoporosis, injuries and frailty. Women over the age of 40 are encouraged to add strength training to their exercise routine to stave off some of the problems associated with menopause. Strength training can help relieve back pain and arthritis, ease or eliminate diabetes and obesity and even help alleviate symptoms of depression in both men and women.

Underestimation of Strength

Interestingly enough, in a study conducted by the Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, both men and women were found to underestimate how strong they actually were. Groups of men and women were asked to perform exercises on weight machines and then estimate their performance. While both groups underestimated their results, men were generally closer in their estimation than women, leading researchers to believe that while women are just as capable and strong as men, there is still a disconnect between actual ability and their perceived ability.

References

• Men vs. Women -- Muscle, Strength, Exercise and Results -- Training Women and Men -- What Are the Differences?; Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D.
• Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD): Comparison of Estimated and Actual Strength Performance Among College Men and Women: Interaction of Perception and Performance
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Why Strength Training?