Myths about female training

[DaRkAnGel]

What i meant to say(i am guessing since i don't even remember making that post) is that if you are training with the same type of intensity and wanting to train like 6 days per week then it may quickly result in overtraining if you are not careful in planning rest periods, managing volume, and managing what you work. By this i mean that if you are doing a bb split, then by all means 6 days a week would not be overtraining if your routine looked something like:

Mon - Hams/Calves
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Arms
Thrusday - Shoulders
Friday - Chest
Saturday - Quadriceps

Managing the time you spend while working out each time would also affect if you would get burnt out quickly or not.

Sorry if i sounded a bit sexist or something - women can train like men by all means, but they are more likely to overtrain/not get as good results if they don't gear their program towards their own hormonal responses. (We can both agree here that both men and women don't have the same testosterone, allowing men for more frequent, more volume training).

Now if you have been training for a long time(Atherjen), you are definetely going to be a step above most women, but training like atherjen is not a good option for most women.

[midgetcop]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

Sorry if i sounded a bit sexist or something - women can train like men by all means, but they are more likely to overtrain/not get as good results if they don't gear their program towards their own hormonal responses. (We can both agree here that both men and women don't have the same testosterone, allowing men for more frequent, more volume training).

Now if you have been training for a long time(Atherjen), you are definetely going to be a step above most women, but training like atherjen is not a good option for most women.

LOL. I *still* don't know if I agree with you. Hormonal responses? Huh??

Yes, men have more testosterone. They have the ability to "bulk-up" way more than women. I think maybe you're mixing up training with results.

But as far as actual training goes, there really is no difference. I train the EXACT same way as men do. Hell, I watch and copy what the buff guys at the Y do.

[fawn]

Originally Posted by Lady C

After gaining the muscle, it only takes 30 minutes per WEEK to keep it. I don't know how long it takes to lose it. Why would you want to lose it after working so hard to gain it?

well, i dnt want to lose it. i won't be doing exercise for a week, will that be ok? especially for my abs..

[Lady C]

You won't lose it in a week. People take a week off for vacation all the time. I had to take two weeks off because I was recovering from some minor surgery. I didn't lose the muscle. I am real sore though even coming back slow with light weights.

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by midgetcop

LOL. I *still* don't know if I agree with you. Hormonal responses? Huh??

Yes, men have more testosterone. They have the ability to "bulk-up" way more than women. I think maybe you're mixing up training with results.

But as far as actual training goes, there really is no difference. I train the EXACT same way as men do. Hell, I watch and copy what the buff guys at the Y do.

Of course it affects training. There is only so much you can grow per session am i correct? Every session there is a limit to the amount of hypertrophy that you can achieve, and this is less for females than males. If both you and a guy are training the same amount do you really think you will get the same hypertrophy, you won't. You don't have to train with the same volume therefore to get the maximum results. If it suits you to train more than is really needed, then by all means go ahead, but it may very well result in overtraining or in the catabolizing of muscles.

Just for your information, i am all for women training just as heavy as the guys, but there are differences between how the two should train in my opinion.

Also, i am not really sure what part of the term hormonal response you didn't understand? Males get a higher release of GH then women do during exercise, what part is unclear?

[midgetcop]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

Of course it affects training. There is only so much you can grow per session am i correct? Every session there is a limit to the amount of hypertrophy that you can achieve, and this is less for females than males. If both you and a guy are training the same amount do you really think you will get the same hypertrophy, you won't. You don't have to train with the same volume therefore to get the maximum results. If it suits you to train more than is really needed, then by all means go ahead, but it may very well result in overtraining or in the catabolizing of muscles.

Just for your information, i am all for women training just as heavy as the guys, but there are differences between how the two should train in my opinion.

Also, i am not really sure what part of the term hormonal response you didn't understand? Males get a higher release of GH then women do during exercise, what part is unclear?

But still you are talking about results rather than actual training. Do we progress at the same rate as men? No. But that doesn't mean that we don't do the same intensity/volume.

What I'm unclear about is how female hormones prevent us from training the same. You're talking about GH and how more of it is released in males...but how does that affect training? You never did explain.

This is just 1 article...there are many more out there. Just check out the bottom part of the page to find info on women and training:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/...5may/ebben.htm

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by midgetcop

What I'm unclear about is how female hormones prevent us from training the same. You're talking about GH and how more of it is released in males...but how does that affect training? You never did explain.

Please reread my post. Nothing prevents females from training the same. What i said was that it affects training by really limiting how much results you can get per session, thus the same volume is not necesarily beneficial, and using less volume will in fact get the same if not better results.

I also mentioned that cortison may infact be released from the high volume/length of the workout that may in fact actually break down muscle tissue.

[midgetcop]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

What i said was that it affects training by really limiting how much results you can get per session, thus the same volume is not necesarily beneficial, and using less volume will in fact get the same if not better results.

Once again, please explain and/or produce some studies. I'm not trying to be an ass, I just want to know (obviously I also want to avoid overtraining).

[Octagon]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

What i said was that it affects training by really limiting how much results you can get per session, thus the same volume is not necesarily beneficial, and using less volume will in fact get the same if not better results.

I think you're missing her point. Sure, we know that basal test and other hormone levels are different in men and women but it's a fairly big leap to conclude on that basis alone that optimal training regimens difer significantly.

That might very well be the case but it could just as easily not be the case.

Absent data specifically on point, saying something like 'it takes women longer to recover from a resistance workout' is basically just speculation.

Again, I'm not saying that's *not* true. I'm just saying 'sez who' is a pretty reasonable response.

[DaRkAnGel]

I agree that it may not be the case. Unfortunetely, i am pretty sure that no studies have been done proving my point right or wrong. I was just going off of logic. You may be right, but as far as I am concerned, my theory seems pretty logical.

[midgetcop]

Originally Posted by DaRkAnGel

I agree that it may not be the case. Unfortunetely, i am pretty sure that no studies have been done proving my point right or wrong. I was just going off of logic. You may be right, but as far as I am concerned, my theory seems pretty logical.

In most readings I have done on female training, there has been NO mention of different training regimens between men and women. I mean, I'm not trying to doubt any physiological differences between men and women. But there really is nothing out their to back up the notion that women should train differently and/or less.

I think it's results to which you are referring.....I do train on the same level as many other intermediate male bodybuilders, but you won't see muscles busting out through my t-shirts, nor can I bench 200+ lbs.