Weight training consideratios for females
In this article I would like to discuss some points to consider for females when training with weights / resistance. Some issues like ‘bulking up’, ‘getting manly’, ‘injuries’, ‘excess protein’ are all topics of interest and concern. I will try to tackle a few of these issues and more here...
Bulking up / hypertrophy:
It is unlikely that a hormonally normal female will add a lot of bulky muscle with weight training. The normal physiological change is to add some density and strength but normally not bulky muscle, depending on the training method. It is difficult enough for males to add bulk and we have the added benefit of more anabolic testosterone. However some women can indeed add some bulk if they have a higher level of steroid hormones like DHEA than others. Also if they eat and train to increase hypertrophy (size) via sarcoplasmic methods.
These sarcoplasmic hypertrophy methods are the same for males and females and involve increasing the size of muscle cell via the uptake of fluid (sarcoplasm) and non contractile proteins. Think of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy as pumping up / filling the muscle. The basic principles that add this possibly unwanted showy, bulky muscle involve the following:
-Increased tension time for the muscle – longer slower sets
-Moderate loads – roughly 8-12rep range (or more)
-Moderate force production – roughly up to – 75% of the maximum lift (IRM)
-Increased volume – more work / sets
-Incomplete rest between sets
-Steroids!
-Glycogen and protein
Summed up nicely by Brett Contreras as ‘tension, metabolic stress and muscle fibre damage’.
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