In their review "The Adaptations to Strength Training," Foland and Williams write that women typically have about 60 percent to 80 percent of the muscle mass of men. This lower percentage of muscle mass means gains in absolute strength are larger in men as a result of resistance training. However, relative to the amount of muscle mass, men and women experience similar gains in strength. Therefore, resistance training adaptations are similar for both men and women.
Differences in Body Type
Before puberty, there is no marked difference in muscle mass between males and females, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, or NSCA. Once puberty kicks in, men develop increased levels of testosterone, resulting in broader frames and increased muscle mass. Women, however, experience higher levels of estrogen, which results in more body fat, less muscle and bone mass, and lighter total weight than men. Further, women tend to have wider hips. All of these factors equate to slightly less absolute strength and muscle mass for women than men.
Differences in Performance
Similar to physiological differences, women produce about two-thirds the power and strength outputs as men. However, the NSCA reports that women often produce higher relative lower body strength and power outputs, due to having wider hips, and the fact that women store most of their weight in their lower bodies. According to the book, "Physiology of Sports and Exercise," the women's world weightlifting record is just above 250 kg, while the men's is almost 450 kg.
Training Effects
The NSCA asserts that despite their differences in body type, men and women respond quite similarly to resistance training. The book "Physiology of Sport and Exercise" outlines a study that reported a 29 percent increase in the bench press for women and a 17 percent increase in men. In the same study, a 30 percent strength increase was reported in women for the leg press, while just a 26 percent increase was found in men. Many other studies confirm these results, which illustrate that women are highly capable of improving strength and power in the gym.
Designing Strength Programs
One factor that must be considered when designing strength training programs for men or women is the difference in upper and lower body strength. Women tend to be stronger in the lower body, while men have stronger upper bodies. Therefore, the NSCA reports that it is wise to emphasize developing upper body strength in women, especially for activities that require a high degree of upper body impact, such as tennis. Further, the NSCA says that women are about six times as likely to experience knee injuries as men, especially tears of the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. Therefore, exercise programs for women should focus on strengthening the muscles around the knee.
Conclusions
Following puberty, males and females differ in body type and hormone levels, which results in differences in absolute strength gains. Men typically have about 20 percent to 40 percent more muscle mass than women. However, women have been shown to experience similar, if not greater, relative strength gains. When designing strength programs for women, special attention should be given to developing upper body strength and preventing injuries of the knee.
References
- "Sports Medicine: The Adaptations to Strength Training"; Jonathon P. Folland and Alun G. Williams; 2007
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle (Eds.); 2008
- "Physiology of Sport and Exercise"; Jack H. Wilmore and David L. Costill (eds.); 2004
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