Getting into shape is something that all of us aspire to. All of us want to have ripped abs, great definition, a low bodyweight and good general fitness – and even those of us who can already boast all these things usually want more. This is even something that is true across genders, and you will find that both men and women strive after the perfect body.
However while everyone wants to be in great shape, this is not something that everyone should go about in the same way. There are distinct differences in fact between the ways that a woman should go about building muscle and burning fat and the ways that a man should do so, so here we will look at what those things are.
Differences in Goals
First of all, the aims of men and women are likely to be different when it comes to training. While most guys would like to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club, and wouldn’t mind looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger, women as a rule want to be much slimmer and less bulky. Women in general are more interested then in toning and weight loss rather than muscle building, though they should still use both.
Differences in Biology
The next thing that will make all the difference is biology. Simply put women couldn’t get themselves to look like Arnold anyway, even with the best will in the world (unless some serious drugs/unusual genetics were involved). This is because women for starters can’t build as much muscle, which is due to hormonal differences. While men produce a lot of testosterone which triggers muscle growth and fat loss, women produce much less, and produce more oestrogen which counteracts the effects of testosterone.
At the same time the way men and women lose fat is also different. As mentioned already, testosterone causes weightloss, so the fact that women don’t produce as much means they are generally going to be carrying more weight – and this in turn is thought to be an evolutionary response intended to help keep an extra layer of insulation on board to warm up a baby.
Other differences can make it more difficult for women to train when compared to men – for instance the fact that a woman’s breasts can actually get in the way and be quite painful in the gym, and the fact that women tend to lose a lot of blood during a certain time of the month which results in low amounts of iron and thus low energy levels.
Training for Women
If you are a woman then, there are going to be some differences in the way you train compared to males you know. For instance you should make sure that you use a sports bra to hold your breasts in place and keep them supported. Likewise you might want to supplement with iron in order to increase your energy levels.
Be sure to eat lots of protein and to train with weights, but make your main focus CV and stretching (women are naturally more flexible than men) in order to cut down hard to shift fat and encourage general health and fitness.
About the author: Pauly Singh is a good fitness trainer and believes in elliptical reviews to get the best elliptical machines. He likes to share his thoughts on his blogs to help buyers.
I believe Yoga is really good for men and women, and even kids. It is a practice that anyone can do and it works for all. It should be done in the right way and there are lot of videos available for it.