Stubborn misbeliefs about training for men and women

May 05, 2011

Flex appeal. Who said women shouldn't have muscle?
In the workout world, just as in other areas of life, there are still stubborn misconceptions about what is considered masculine and what is considered feminine. Just compare commercials targeted at men with those targeted at women. Look at the toning shoe commercials being marketed by just about every shoe company these days. Have you ever seen a male model in those commercials? Could it be that the athletic apparel companies know that a lot of men wouldn’t find the idea of sculpting your body with a pair of shoes feasible? 



Most men grew up having strong and muscular role models who attained their goals through hard work. Women on the other hand are encouraged to remain passive while expected to meet commercial beauty standards at all times. This is not compatible with the physical and mental effort required to get the physique many women desire. 



Women want to “tone” while men want to build muscle. Men bench while women work the adductor and abductor machines. Men typically favor upper body exercises while women focus on legs and spend countless hours on various cardio equipment. Even many personal trainers have separate programs for men and women. A long time has passed since the common belief that women are too frail to exercise was abolished. So why do some still believe that women should not exercise vigorously and lift heavy weights? 



Personally I train “like a man”. I do not go to the gym to look pretty. I lift heavy and I target all the main muscle groups. It has given me the results I desire and it continues to yield results. There is a saying that goes: “If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got”, which is great if you are happy with your results.  But if you are not, something needs to change. There is another saying attributed to Albert Einstein: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Don’t get trapped in routines that are not working for you!



How many times have you heard someone say “I have tried everything and it never works”? I say if it is not working now it will probably not work later. Something has to change. Some people seem to have ideas of their bodies being physiologically unique in the way they store fat, as if that is the reason why they cannot get in shape. Some women tend to blame the lack of results on the fact that they are women. The fact is that people, women and men, are not that different when it comes to weight loss. Building muscle is another story, but the principles are still the same for both sexes. The key is knowing what you are doing. 



Let’s be honest about one thing. Neither losing fat nor gaining muscle is easy. It takes knowledge, dedication, effort and discipline. Educate yourself and make plans how to reach your goals. Just don’t let yourself be held back by old myths and misconceptions.

























































0
comments
(+add yours?)












Post a Comment




























      

    










Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)