Difference Between Men and Women Bodybuilders

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Even for all those who have the least information about bodybuilding, the fact is well-known that given a certain workout regime, the muscle development in a man’s body will be greater as compared to that in a woman’s body. This implies not just for workout regimes, this also holds true for diet plans, abs-building techniques and other respects when it comes to the art of bodybuilding. This article maps the various differences and the areas where these differences occur in bodybuilding for the two sexes. Let’s just begin with a few facts or points where these differ starkly:

  1. As soon as you think about the differences, the first thing you are bound to come up with is how the results differ because of hormones. It has been found that though men have a relatively larger amount of testosterone, women who work out produce a greater deal of growth hormones.
  2. When you consider the whole routine of exercising, women burn more fats DURING the process while men burn more fats AFTER the routine.
  3. The bulking that you observe in men is because of the bulking of muscle fibers, while in case of women, the bulking is due to gaining muscle fibers without really losing fats. This can be thought of like wearing a sweater over another one.
  4. The reason why it is more difficult for women to lose fats from the hips and thighs is the presence of a larger number of alpha receptors as compared to men.
  5. Sure, men are the BIG guys. They are the ones who are faster, stronger and larger. But, women have a greater endurance and recover faster as compared to men.
  6. Now, this one is a huge disappointment for y’all, ladies. Women cannot lose weight as fast as men can, and they cannot respond to lifestyle changes in the way men can. This is the primary reason why you see a lot of females “dieting” while the men carry on with their large popcorn buckets living a happy life. Sigh.

The ABS-olute differences

If you are looking forward to sculpting beautiful blocks on your abdomen, you first need to know a few things depending upon whether you want to look like Aphrodite or Zeus. The process of crafting abs is different for men and women, and this is how:

FOR HIM: The calorie intake of an average man is higher than that of an average woman, and this means that men should actually spend a longer time on cardiovascular training rather than just sticking to heavy ab workouts. Ideally, a man who works out should consume at least 2000 calories in a day, so he won’t lose muscle mass even when he’s starving. Muscle fibers, especially abdominal muscles, need an adequate amount of calories for their maintenance. Yet, men commit the same mistake over and over again by excessively working out on their abs and ignoring cardio exercises which leads to the alleviation of abdominal muscle growth and fatigued stomach muscles might also lead to abdominal muscle deficiency syndrome.

For building abs, men should consume a lot of proteins along with a combination of carbohydrates that have low glycemic index. This is because men recover muscles at a faster rate than women do, and this is also one of the reasons why they can gain more bulk than women can.

FOR HER: Women consume lesser calories as compared to men (around 1200 per day), and therefore it is recommended that they concentrate on full body workouts for crafting abs. Extensive ab workouts might only stress a woman’s body out because of the low calorie intake, while Pilates or Yoga gives them a more balanced and streamlined body structure. This automatically leads to the sculpting of fine abs along with a lean and graceful figure.

It is also recommended for women to consume carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, but apart from that, they should consume diets with clean proteins. Seafood, for example, should be incorporated in a female’s diet because it is not only rich in proteins, but it also supplies the body with Omega 3. Omega 3 fatty acids are also referred to as “clean fats” for the help they provide in development of body muscles.

Muscle Matters

MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: It has been proved in a study that was also published in American Physiology Society, that the muscles of a man grow faster and respond more efficiently to resistance training, but women’s muscles heal faster and resist fatigue more consistently. While men deliver more power, women show a better response in healing processes. And, it is very well-known that the hormone released by men – testosterone – is largely responsible for muscle development being speedier and muscles being bulkier for men as compared to women.

MUSCLE STRUCTURE: In men and women both, the muscle tissues are pretty much similar. But, the muscle fibers vary from person to person depending upon the genetics and their day-to-day activities. Fibers are broadly classified as Type I and Type II fibers, and the Type II fibers are further bifurcated into Type IA and IIA. The Type I fibers are also referred to as slow twitch fibers and Type II are known as fast twitch fibers. The slow twitch fibers are the ones that decide the endurance level and the fast twitch ones are responsible for power deliverance. The muscle fibers in a woman’s body are predominantly Type I, whereas in case of men, they are Type II. This explains how men are more powerful while women are fatigue-resistant.

TRAINING RESPONSES: As mentioned already, men are stronger, bulkier and deliver more power but women heal faster and are fatigue-resistant. Women tend to be involved a great deal in full-body workouts and cardiovascular training, and this helps them in nurturing their slow twitch fibers even more. Men, on the other hand, prefer heavy lifting workouts and fast training sessions which develops more of their fast twitch fibers. Oestrogen, the female hormone, also provides its contribution in making women respond differently as compared to men.

Finally, it doesn’t really matter whether you are an Adonis Golden Ratio man or a woman. If you are passionate about bodybuilding, you simply do it. Not all of you are going to end up looking like Julia Vins or Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you’ll obviously get a better, healthier and stronger body that’ll only build up your confidence.

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