WEIGHT TRAINING FOR WOMEN

Edited by Dr. Dino Power

They call it even weaker sex, but you would not think. Even the muscular prowess has always been synonymous with masculinity, there are no longer any doubt: with the same lean mass there is no difference of power between the sexes. With the spread of the fitness club a growing number of women, not only professional athletes, you train by lifting dumbbells and barbells or making use of comfortable cars with counterweights, and other tools that use resistance. Even with this type of training many women have found that muscle strength is not a male prerogative and that lifting weights can keep fit and improve aesthetics.

Equal, or almost

Recent studies have revealed surprising differences and equality of muscular characteristics between the sexes. Strength is the maximum muscle tension that can express against a resistance. If it is determined by reference to the size of the muscle, it is observed that there is no difference between the sexes. This means that for the same muscle man and woman have the ability to express the same force, lifting the same weights. But the woman has usually a less developed muscle mass and a greater amount of fat compared to man. Only this seems less strong. This condition is not caused by eating habits or other environmental factors. An adult woman has an average height of less than 10.7 cm in relation to man. The body weight of women is 11.13 pounds lighter. On average it has about 4.7 pounds of fat mass and 18/20 kilos less lean mass (especially muscle). In the US population under the age of 30, men have on average a body fat percentage of 20%, versus 25% of women. After 30 years in men is 25%, in women approximately 31% of body weight. The increased presence of adipose tissue in women appears to be related to the ability to play. In fact, women who practice sports is observed that during periods of excessive thinness is no irregularity or even the disappearance of the menstrual cycle, which is reversible. Several research teams have found that the fat tissue converts male hormones ( androgens) in female hormones ( estrogen ). The woman, by nature, always has a higher percentage of fat man. So, at equal body weight it has a smaller amount of muscle mass and for this reason alone the performance of force are lower than the man. If we put in comparison a man and a woman of the same weight muscle, we would find that there is no difference that many would expect. To respect its nature so the woman should take care of the muscles, but without trying to reduce adipose tissue above certain limits. Only in the absence of adipose tissue muscles it appears in evidence, endangering femininity. Otherwise, the right balance between lean and fat mass, with muscles developed and toned, you can get the best cosmetic result.Among the muscular capacity, a significant difference between the sexes is recorded instead in high-speed movements. The man is no longer strong, but definitely faster than the woman. This is the only significant inequality that might justify a differentiation of training between the sexes. The woman has a lower percentage of fast muscle fibers (the white ones) and therefore a higher number ofslow fibers (red).

Slow movements and so many reps method

If you exclude some aesthetic needs of women with men, especially for the need to shape the buttocks and hips, there would be no reason to differentiate the training methods between the sexes. A difference justified could relate the speed of execution of the exercises and the number of repetitions, suggested by the higher percentage of slow twitch fibers in muscles of women. The anatomical and physiological characteristics of the muscles of women suggest that we may have the best results from weight training by doing slow and controlled movements, with a number of repetitions over medium-high (minimum twelve, maximum winds), to stimulate more fibers lens. It would be improper to propose a fast execution of toning exercises in order to lose weight, because the speed of the contraction does not sit well with the natural characteristic of the muscle of the woman and, among other things, does not favor in any way the slimming, contrary to what many believe. Obviously this does not apply to athletes who need to increase the power and speed of contraction to enhance sports performance. As regards the modifications of the body composition, the effects of training at the gym are not identical in man and woman. From a study it is clear that both have only a slight change in body weight when subjected to a weight training ten weeks with two sessions per week, but there is a change in body composition different between the sexes: they both get a increased muscle mass and decreased fat mass, but man is greater muscle building while the woman is greater fat loss. Ultimately, the weight training is more effective for weight loss in women as in men.

Women, attention back

Typically feminine aspects were the subject of investigations from which it emerged that weight training does not negatively affect the menstrual cycle and even the possibility of reproduction. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are more common in sedentary women. One aspect that instead requires a lot of attention in the planning of training is a particular tendency for women to assume the attitude of hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine, which consists of an accentuation of the normal physiological curve of the lower back. The lumbar muscles are often prone to a shortening which should be contrasted with stretching exercises, while avoiding an unnecessary enhancement. Since women often perform many exercises for the glutes, attention must be paid to prevent movements of momentum are also interested in the lumbar muscles, which in most cases are already enough hypertonic. Same caution is necessary even in the flexion of the trunk for the abs that, if performed in the wrong position, causing arching of the back, or when lifting heavy loads on their heads or shoulders (as squats, thrusts towards' high barbell or dumbbells, etc.), during which you should always maintain a correct posture of the spine.

With weights your muscles grow slightly

Men and women react to stimuli similar training, but there are some differences.From research it shows that, for example, for equal work load there are no differences in the levels of lactic acid. Even muscle energy reserves of ATP and CP, which represent the "fuel" for the contraction, are similar to parity of lean mass. It's just the difference in body size between men and women which determines the difference in performance. But what it is particularly the case when a woman undergoes a weight training? Muscle strength increases just like humans, so the potential for improvement is not different between the sexes. The only weakness of the fairer sex are the upper limbs. In the muscles of the arms it has not been registered the same ability to improve the strength of men, following a same weight training. This regard to the strength; Instead the effects on muscle development (hypertrophy) are different. In the male, after a program of weight training, increases in circumference are significant, however, are scarce and irrelevant in women. From scientific observations, in no case it was registered an enlarged muscles with masculinizing effect, because normally these aspects are regulated by the hormone testosterone in women who have very low levels compared to humans. When the woman has a body fat percentage in the standard, it has no reason to fear a masculinizing effect of weight training for excessive muscle development, except in cases where there is already an excess of muscle mass. Regardless of the muscle development, it is the reduction of adipose tissue that hurts the female figure, changing the characteristic forms. This is unfortunately a tendency in vogue, if anything, affected by prolonged dieting.

Ref : http://www.benessere.com/fitness_e_sport/arg00/allenamento_pesi_donna.htm