differences between male and female workouts

Author: Yaroslav Yudin - trainer and dietitian.
2016-11-20

Good day. There are countless articles written about the training of men and women, and the internet is full of headlines about workouts that deliver 100% results in a month or even two weeks. However, upon closer examination, things often look quite different.

Men

Let’s start with men. As you may have observed, in every gym, you can spot unprepared individuals (beginners), seasoned (experienced) athletes, and professionals. You can see how beginners come to the gym and start training using some unexplained system, or a trainer advises them to split their workouts, training muscle groups separately. BUT!!!

For beginners, this training scheme doesn’t work. Someone heard somewhere that if you focus on the basics, you’ll grow like yeast! Beginners shouldn't train using a split system, and especially should not perform complex compound exercises with free weights! In beginners, the motor units are dispersed, while in trained individuals, they are grouped into Motor Units characterized by coordination.

During the preparatory phase, beginners should focus on machines, avoiding the use of free weights for at least 2 months. Beginners progress quickly by forming those motor units. The best option is to work all muscle groups in one session three times a week. Each muscle group should be trained in one exercise for 4 sets. For each training day, the exercises for the same muscle group should vary, with around 15 repetitions each. Both compound and isolation exercises are recommended! I’ll immediately address a question many may have: compound exercises can certainly be performed on machines, as exemplified by the Smith machine. After completing the preparatory period, you can transition to working with free weights.

Women

Things are a bit more complex with women, but still straightforward! Training women requires considering a multitude of factors, such as anatomical and physiological differences. Women generally have greater flexibility, and differences in stress, largely attributed to the ticking biological clock (loss of external attractiveness), also come into play. Women's performance and physical capabilities depend on the ovarian-menstrual cycle!

There are 5 phases of the ovarian-menstrual cycle:

1. Menstrual (1-3 days, can last up to 7 days)
2. Post-menstrual (4-12 days)
3. Ovulatory (13-14 days)
4. Post-ovulatory (15-25 days)
5. Pre-menstrual (26-28 days)

The average duration is from 21 to 36 days, primarily 28 days. Based on which phase of the cycle a woman is in, the training plan should be structured regarding the intensity of the workout for optimal effect. I’ll say this: the most favorable cycles for training effects are the 2nd and 4th!

One of the most significant issues is that women do not push themselves to 100%. Compared to men, if a man says he can’t perform an exercise anymore, he’s likely still capable of doing 2-3 more repetitions. However, if a woman claims to be done, she can probably do at least 10 more repetitions. The average number of repetitions ranges from 10 to 20, and the effect is significantly greater! And just a little lesson: if a woman gains weight during the 5th (pre-menstrual) phase, there’s no need to panic; it’s a result of fluid retention and this effect is temporary—it will normalize after this phase!

As you can see, numerous factors are at play in the training process; this is just a small part. Yet, as practice shows, very few know and use this information proficiently. The most crucial factor in achieving success is having a knowledgeable trainer! We all believe we’re perfect, that we perform exercises correctly, eat right, and recover well, but an outsider can see that this isn’t the case! Remember, every trainer, even the best one, has a trainer too!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them personally in my VK profile; I will be happy to answer! If you need help, want to start but don’t know where to begin, or have reached a plateau and can’t seem to break through, I am ready to assist you!!!

Remember, each of us is unique; the most important part is to discover this gift within yourself in time!!! In the next article, we will detail the types of female body shapes and the specifics of the training process!