Weight training for women will make them muscle bound like a man. This is virtually impossible for most women. In fact, more women should be lifting weights more than men. Women, for the most part, have a lessor concentration of testosterone and growth hormone than men. These two anabolic hormones are essential for building lots of muscle. Women have more estrogen than men. Estrogen gives the women their feminine qualities. They tend to carry more natural body fat than men due to higher estrogen and progesterone levels. The woman’s body is designed for child bearing. Their make up is much different than a males in terms of reproductive hormone regulation. In order for a woman to have muscles like a man they would have to have a higher concentration of testosterone and growth hormone than the average woman. It is not impossible for a woman to be muscle bound, but chances are that most women will never attain that much muscle mass. Age is also a factor. The older the woman gets and the closer to menopause they get it becomes much harder to put on large amounts of muscle mass.
Most women need to perform resistance training exercises for the health of their endocrine system, skeletal system, reproductive system, nervous system, muscular system. All of these systems will breakdown during the aging process. By using weights these systems will be working against a resistance and will become stronger, more enduring and have a greater functional capacity.
Daryl Conant, M.Ed