TOP 3 STRENGTH TRAINING MYTHS FOR WOMEN
Where are my ladies at?! This one is for you!
As a result of working with hundreds of women, of all ages and experience levels, I’ve heard hundreds of myths that circle this industry.
Today I’m here to debunk three of the most common ones I hear.
✖ Resistance training will make women bulky
The main point to note here is that women produce far less testosterone than men. Physiologically and hormonally our bodies differ.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. It plays a key role in the development of many features, including muscle mass.
Testosterone is measured in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl).
Healthy Testosterone Levels (including both free & bound) for adults 19 years and older:
Male: 250-1,000 ng/dl
Female: 10-60 ng/dl
So now do you see the major difference and why you shouldn’t fear putting on as much muscle as your male counterpart?
Following a resistance training program will allow women to add lean muscle mass, which will help shape their body. This is not the same as getting bulky or putting on a lot of size.
Another consideration is your diet. This is a major part of the equation when it comes to changing your body appearance.
We don’t solely rely on exercise to reach our fat loss goals. We also know that we need to monitor our diet.
The same goes for gaining size. If you are following an individualized training program and eating the proper amount for your body and goals, you don’t have to worry about getting bulky.
Finally, you may have seen some women who are a slightly larger build than you’re striving for, but you have to realize that women with very impressive physiques, such as competitors, follow a very strict regimen that requires a lot of strategic effort to both their training and diet.
Also, sometimes these women are not natural, meaning they use anabolic steroids which are synthetic substances to help them reach past their genetic potential.
✖ Women need different exercises than men
Now although I just made the point that women’s bodies are physiologically different than men’s, this does not necessarily each gender needs to be trained completely differently.
From an anatomy standpoint, women have slightly different builds.
For example, the female pelvis is larger and broader than the male pelvis. This makes sense when we consider reproduction and childbearing.
In context to training, this simply impacts certain factors such as optimal squat stance.
However, there are no specific male or female exercises. There may be more optimal variations for each gender (i.e. generally females perform better with a slightly wider squat stance due to the wider hip structure) but finding optimal variations and stances is also very dependent on the individual.
The point I am trying to make here is that there is not a strict delineation between exercises for men and women.
✖ Higher reps are better for toning
The first thing we need to clarify is that “toning” is an unofficial popularized term that refers to the physical appearance of being lean enough (having a low enough body fat percentage) to allow lean muscle to show through, giving the body a “tight” or “toned” appearance.
Higher reps, typically anywhere 12-20 reps, will increase your muscular endurance but will not stimulate the muscle fibers that are responsible for growth and definition.
This myth most likely surfaced in conjunction with the bulky myth. There is a time and place for higher reps, however, your training program should not revolve mainly around higher reps if your main goal is leaning out and looking “toned”.
The most effective way to stimulate muscle growth and create definition is to activate type II muscle fibers using slightly lower reps and heavier weight.
Challenge your muscles in the 6-12 rep range for the majority of your work and then use higher rep training to increase volume or improve endurance when needed.