User:Hsin Fang Wu/sandbox

= Sex Differences in Training = Men have a higher percentage of fast-twitch type II muscle fiber, which gives them strength. On the other hand, women have a higher proportion of type 1 slow-twitch muscle fibers, which contributes to their endurance. Since women have a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fiber, they can do better with higher reps and higher volume without over train the muscle. Research has shown that women can have more significant muscle growth doing reps with a bigger range of motion. On the other hand, men can do more explosive movement because men have a bigger motor cortex in the brain, which controls the movement and help men to generate more force. Women also recover less well when doing explosive exercise and are less likely to build muscle from doing explosive activities, such as sprinting. Women don’t have to rest as long between sets as men because women have a lower arterial blood pressure during exercise, which allows more blood and oxygen to go to the muscle.

Moreover, the body makes less byproduct, lactate, that creates the “burn” feeling in the muscle, resulting in that the muscle tissue can tolerate higher stress for a more extended period in women. Women not only recover faster between sets, and they also recover faster after a workout compares to men. Since women don’t react well to explosive exercise and have higher endurance, women do better with steady-state cardio and complete reps with a slow and control motion. The strength difference between men and women also varies due to the ratio between fat and lean muscle mass in different body parts, and that is the reason why most men have a stronger upper body, while women have a stronger lower body. Men have a higher testosterone level, which power strength, muscle mass, and strength. Women have more estrogen level, which helps them with muscle recovery and supports muscle’s ability to use glucose as fuel. Both men and women’s bodies produce a hormone that spikes their strength and support muscle building. Men’s bodies produce more testosterone that helps with muscle building when they are training, while women’s bodies produce more human growth hormone that aids with tissue and muscle building. Women’s hormone also changes due to the menstrual cycle. During the follicular phase, women have a decrease in progesterone level, which helps prevent muscle damage and aids with recovery. On the other hand, the increase of progesterone levels during the luteal phase can negatively impact the body’s ability to recover from muscle damage. It is suggested that women should increase the intensity of training during the week and the week after the menstrual cycle to maximize the training progress.