What type of training is best for girls and women?

Hormones

Women produce significantly less testosterone than men, a hormone responsible for increasing muscle mass . Even when actively training, representatives of the fair sex will not be able to quickly build muscle and should not be afraid of excessive muscle hypertrophy. By doing basic exercises, using dumbbells and gradually increasing the weight of the apparatus, women will tighten their muscles, create relief and achieve an ideal figure, while remaining feminine: the appearance of pumped-up muscles does not threaten them.

The general testosterone norm for men ranges from 345 to 950 ng/dl, in women the levels are several times lower - from 15 to 70 ng/dl.

The level of women's capabilities in strength training is lower than men's. Due to the reduced amount of norepinephrine, women are unable to train to the point of muscle failure when performing an exercise . They always finish the set a few reps early.

The formation of adipose tissue and its distribution throughout the female body is influenced by estrogens, synthesized in sufficient quantities in the body. The effect of training is achieved only in case of hormonal balance. Both insufficient and excessive amounts of female sex hormones lead to excess weight, regardless of physical activity.

FEATURES OF WOMEN'S TRAINING

Language / Language: ENG RUS

The dynamics of world records in Olympic weightlifting, as well as the increase in the number of girls training in this sport and in functional fitness, indicate that this area is actively developing and gaining popularity. Read about the importance of taking into account the characteristics of the female body systems in this article.

When I started weightlifting, women's weightlifting competitions were already on the program of the Olympic Games, although then, at the beginning of 2000, it was still perceived as exotic and few people imagined that this sport would be successful and popular among women.

Today, girls who skillfully perform the snatch and clean and jerk look not only adequately, but also quite attractive, giving some guys a head start in results.

It is pleasant to note the fact that today weightlifting, as an independent sport and as a component of functional fitness, is an absolute trend among girls who love training with iron.

Considering this trend, I would like to remind both coaches and athletes of the main features of the functioning of the female body, which must be taken into account when constructing training programs.

The main differences between men and women are the difference in body size, the ratio of strength and length of the limbs, the specifics of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as the presence of the ovarian-menstrual cycle, which affects the functional state and performance of women.

The duration of the menstrual cycle is on average 21-35 days and it consists of 5 phases:

menstrual (duration 3-5 days);
postmenstrual (7-9 days);
ovulatory (2-3 days);
postovulatory (7-9 days);
premenstrual (3-5 days)

Women's performance depends on these phases. This fact must be taken into account when planning the loads of beginners and professional athletes. During the ovulatory phase, women's performance is at its lowest, so during this period it is necessary to reduce stress, especially on the abdominal and leg muscles. It is also not recommended to learn new complex coordination elements of the technique due to the reduced concentration of the nervous system. At the same time, in order to optimize the training process program, it is permissible to perform exercises in lighter conditions or to practice individual phases of movements with a small load, for example, snatch lifts, high snatch rows, hanging chest cleans.

The best performance is observed after the end of menstruation (5-11 days) and after ovulation (16-25 days of the cycle). Therefore, the second part of the cycle is the best period for developing both strength and flexibility. As for training during menstruation, it is recommended to reduce the volume of strength training.

As for professional athletes, according to many studies, as a result of many years of adaptation, quite often there is no pronounced change in performance indicators. Therefore, the decision to carry out the training load in full or to reduce it must be made individually.

Differences in the strength capabilities of women and men mainly depend on differences in body size, or more precisely on the volume of muscle mass. Total muscle strength in women is approximately 70% of that in men. This difference is most noticeable between 16 and 30 years of age. Moreover, during puberty and after 40 years, this difference is minimal, which indicates the participation of sex hormones in the process of development of muscle strength. Muscle strength grows most rapidly between the ages of 20 and 30, but in women it grows 50% slower than in men.

Women have relatively weak arm and torso muscles, their maximum strength is 40-70% of that of men, and the maximum strength of their legs is only 27% less. The ratio of fast to slow muscle fibers in untrained women and men is the same, although the length of muscle fibers in women is on average shorter than in men.

The body weight composition of women differs from men in terms of fat content: on average 30% in women, 20% in men. The absolute amount of fat in women is approximately 4-8 kg greater than in men. Fat-free body mass (muscles, bones and internal organs) in women is 15-20 kg less than in men. Trained female athletes have lower levels of body fat than untrained women, but even female athletes may only reach the level of untrained men. In adult men, muscle mass makes up 40-45% of body weight, and in women it is approximately 30%. Strength training stimulates muscle growth in women much less than in men. This is due to lower concentrations of sex hormones in women.

The nervous system of women has higher excitability than that of men. Therefore, women are almost daily able to lift 90% or more weights in snatch and jerk exercises, which men are practically not capable of.

At the same time, a woman’s heart is 10-20% smaller in volume than a man’s, and the breathing and heart rate are higher. Therefore, they have a longer recovery period after high-volume training.

A woman's spine is longer and her limbs are shorter than a man's. The condition of a woman’s skeletal and muscular systems is determined by genetic factors, among which the main ones are: the ratio of the length of the torso and limbs and the structure of the pelvis. These features influence their biomechanics. On the one hand, the technical actions of women are less economical; on the other hand, shorter limbs and a low center of gravity introduce features into the mechanics of speed-strength exercises and the ability to maintain balance.

I am pleased to note that the dynamics of world records in Olympic weightlifting, as well as the increase in the number of girls training in this sport and in functional fitness, indicates that this area is actively developing and gaining popularity.

To summarize, I would like to remind everyone that trainers need to take into account the peculiarities of the functioning of the systems of the female body, the differences from training men when building training programs.

From the materials of my future book.

TRAIN TOGETHER – TRAIN RIGHT

Cyclic features

A healthy female body works like a clock, in accordance with a strict cyclical regime. To achieve maximum results from your training, it is important to rely on your menstrual cycle when distributing your training load.

It is advisable to carry out active strength training in the first 2 weeks of the cycle. The follicular phase is the optimal time to increase the load and level of difficulty of exercise. During this period, women are the most resilient, tolerate pain more easily, and fat deposits melt before our eyes due to the rapid burning of carbohydrates.
The highest muscle strength and physical limits are observed during ovulation. Nutrients are used most efficiently these days. The ovulatory phase is suitable for peak sports loads (if pregnancy is not planned).
During the luteal phase, the female body switches to energy storage mode. Fatigue gradually increases, the risk of injury increases, and the intensity of training decreases. Abdominal exercises and pumping leg muscles become ineffective. The emphasis is shifting to cardio training. If you don’t have the strength, you shouldn’t try too hard: you need to train to the best of your ability.
Menstruation is a time when the body cannot cope with excessive stress. You can give yourself a little break. If you do not want to stop sports activities these days, it is better to give preference to gentle fitness, yoga and the pool.

A study by German scientists has proven that reducing the intensity of training during the luteal phase helps women in the follicular phase, after resuming their usual activities, increase endurance by more than 30%.

The principle of load progression

The essence of the progression of loads is that from time to time the workouts gradually become more difficult: the weights gradually increase, the number of repetitions or approaches increases, and the intensity increases.
This helps the body stay in good shape. A common mistake women make is the fear of overworking in the gym, fear of physical activity . Having selected the optimal intensity of sports activities from their point of view, the ladies record it and repeat it from training to training. Lack of changes leads to adaptation of the body, addiction of muscles and lack of progress.

The basic principle of successful training: the load must increase. For results, it is important to move forward.

Workout program for a girl in the gym

It includes:

A set of exercises for every day. A feature of the whole body workout is that the exercises are not repeated on different days;
number of repetitions;
number of approaches.

Correct training:

An example of a training program for a girl in the gym for the whole body, designed for classes three times a week. Days are color coded according to the training plan

Important! The training plan and program must be carefully thought out.

High number of repetitions

Women differ from men in that they are able to do more repetitions in each approach, do not feel tired longer and recover faster.
It's genetically determined. In female muscles, the percentage of myofibrils responsible for contraction and relaxation of muscle fiber is low. If men are good at gaining muscle mass by working with heavy weights with a small number of repetitions, this trick will not work for women. Many approaches and repetitions in women's training will ensure active fat burning and gradual muscle growth. Minimal breaks between approaches will enhance the effect.

The optimal number of repetitions in sets is from 12 to 20.

What should be the weights?

Women are less strong than men, that's a fact.
Therefore, they work with light weights to prevent injury and not strain themselves. To choose the right working weight for an exercise, a woman should focus on how she feels, the desired load and the number of repetitions performed :

For beginners who want to lose weight, you can start by choosing dumbbells weighing up to 2 kg;
Equipment weighing 3-10 kg will help tighten muscles and slightly increase muscle mass, depending on your level of training;
Gradually, the working weights will increase; a trained woman will be able to squat with a weight of 30-50 kg.

You don't need to start training with heavy weights right away. For the initial stage, it is important to hone the technique of correctly performing the exercises, and then gradually increase the weight of the weights.

The best type of training for girls and women

You may consider yourself delicate and fragile, but if you are serious about achieving amazing results, you will have to sweat in the gym. Just sitting on a fitball will not give you the desired figure. Therefore, it’s time to get acquainted with a real training program that will make you a goddess.

Day 1 - Chest and Calves

Bench press on an incline bench

4–6 working sets of 8–10 reps

Dumbbell bench press on an incline bench

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Bench press

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Standing calf raise

3 sets of 4–6 reps

This exercise can be performed both in a machine and with a barbell.

Seated calf raise

3 sets of 4–6 reps

This exercise can be performed in a machine or with a barbell.

You should only train your calves if your shins are very thin. If they are already wide, then you don’t need to make them even wider, otherwise your legs won’t look aesthetically pleasing.

Day 2 – Back, legs, buttocks, abs

Deadlift

3 sets of 4–6 reps

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Bent-over barbell row

3 sets of 8–10 reps

One-arm dumbbell row

3 sets of 8–10 reps

3–6 abs supersets

Each superset consists of 3 exercises that must be performed one after another.

“Prayer” (crunches in a block machine)

1 set of 10–12 reps

Leg raises

1 set to failure

"Bike"

1 set to failure

Day 3 - Shoulders and Calves

Standing barbell press, or “military press”

3 sets of 4–6 reps

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Dumbbell lateral raises

3 sets of 8–10 reps

This exercise can be performed either standing or sitting.

Standing calf raise

3 sets of 4–6 reps

Seated calf raise

3 sets of 4–6 reps

Day 4 - Arms and Abs

Barbell curl

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Close grip bench press

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Dumbbell biceps curl

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Seated overhead dumbbell press

3 sets of 8–10 reps

3–6 abs supersets

“Prayer” (crunches in a block machine)

1 set of 10–12 reps

Leg raises

1 set to failure

"Bike"

1 set to failure

Day 5 – Legs and buttocks

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders

3 sets of 4–6 reps

Leg press in the simulator

3 sets of 8–10 reps

This exercise can be performed with narrow or wide stance.

Romanian deadlift (stiff-legged deadlift)

3 sets of 8–10 reps

Raising the pelvis with raised shoulders

3 sets of 8–10 reps

The listed exercises will help you build muscle mass, burn excess fat and increase strength. Be sure to take a break between training days to give your body time to recover.

Muscle distribution

The overall ratio of muscle to body weight is not the same in men and women.
The average ratio of muscle mass to total weight in women is about 36%. For men, the numbers are higher - from 40 to 50%. The distribution of muscle mass throughout the body also varies. In women, more muscles are concentrated in the lower body. The emphasis in the exercises is on the legs and buttocks, which are pumped faster than the muscles of the back, chest and arms. The upper muscles are much more difficult to train; during training they require more time and attention.

A scientific experiment showed that if you compare a woman and a man of approximately the same level of fitness, the muscles of the woman’s upper body will be 40% weaker, the muscles of the lower body will be only 20%.

Working with the lower abdominal muscles is especially difficult for the weaker sex. In the lower abdomen, a woman has few nerve endings, which reduces sensitivity to menstrual pain, but the reaction of this area to stress is also reduced.

Recommendations from a fitness trainer[edit | edit code]

Some girls refuse strength training because they are afraid of excessive hypertrophy.
However, this is a misconception, since the result on the right is only possible with the use of anabolic steroids. Many women, having chosen a training plan, do not achieve visible results because the individual characteristics of the female body are not taken into account. In particular, girls secrete much less testosterone, so they physically cannot achieve the hypertrophy characteristic of the male body. On the other hand, women actively produce sex hormones such as estrogens and progestogens. It is these hormones that ensure female-type fat deposition.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. In this regard, the female body behaves differently than the male body. It is much easier for girls to gain weight by consuming large amounts of flour products, cereals and sweets, because simple carbohydrates are easily converted into body fat. But you can’t completely give up carbohydrates, since they are necessary for muscle growth and strengthening, and preference should be given to foods with a low glycemic index. In sports nutrition, it is preferable to use protein instead of gainer.

The situation is similar with fats. Proper weight loss[1] for women differs from that for men. For women, fats are even more important than for men, since they play a large role in the production of estrogen and estradiol. If a man can safely reduce his fat fiber to 3-5% during drying, then for women the limit is 10-15% of subcutaneous fat. A decrease in fat in the female body below these limits leads to a sharp hormonal imbalance and a noticeable deterioration in appearance.

The menstrual cycle also leaves its mark on the training program for girls. Within two weeks after ovulation, a woman’s body goes into strict energy saving mode. This means that the intensity of the exercises can be reduced, and exercises on the legs and abs can be completely eliminated, since they will be almost useless. But in the first half month after the end of the menstrual cycle, on the contrary, load the muscles to the maximum. The effectiveness of the training will be high.

It should be noted that virtually all participants in fitness and bodybuilding competitions, in addition to regular training, use sports nutrition and sports pharmacology (fat burners, growth hormone and other anabolic drugs). Although few admit to the latter.

How to choose a training program for a girl[edit | edit code]

Ratio of muscle fibers in men and women
Distribute the intensity of exercise within each month depending on the menstrual cycle. This will allow you to work out more effectively in the gym. So, when creating a workout for beginners - girls, girls and young women - you should consider the following points:

More repetitions.
The standard number of repetitions for weight gain for men is 6 – 10. However, women have significantly more type I muscle fibers, so it is recommended to do from 8 to 15 repetitions for muscle growth.
In women, the lower body grows better.
That is, the buttocks and thighs are much more amenable to mass training than the upper body.
In addition, a girl with a more developed bottom than top looks much more beautiful than the other way around. Conclusion:
40% - 50% of exercises should be on the legs and buttocks. Approximately 20% on the back. And 10% each on the chest, arms and shoulders. For example, you train 3 times a week and do 24 exercises in 3 workouts. That means 10 exercises for the legs and buttocks. 5 On your back. And 3 exercises for the chest, shoulders and arms.
Don't forget that the chest and back muscles need the same target load as the buttocks, biceps or abs. Therefore, choose exercises for the upper body too.
It is advisable that the training duration for girls should not be less than 1 hour, because only this will give the desired effect of burning fat.
At the initial stages of training, girls should train for the whole body and only with experience switch to split programs.

Nutrition

Along with physical activity, proper nutrition plays an important role in building a beautiful body.
If your main goal is to lose weight, it is important to carefully monitor your caloric intake.

In order for the body to cope with intense physical activity, vitamins and minerals must be supplied in sufficient quantities with food.

You can't completely give up fat . The right fats have a positive effect on the hormonal and cardiovascular systems of women. Women who consume more fat burn more calories during workouts, bench press more weight, and are more toned.

There should be few carbohydrates in the diet . It is better to fall a little short of the daily norm than to exceed it. It is important to minimize the consumption of fast carbohydrates: sweets, baked goods. It is fast carbohydrates that most easily turn into fat, which is difficult to fight.

The building material for muscles is protein . There should be a sufficient amount of it in food, especially for lovers of strength training.

A balanced, varied diet is the key to a good figure.

Metabolism

Metabolism in the female body is slower than in the male body; energy consumption per kilogram of weight to maintain the normal course of vital processes is lower in women.
Genetically, women are predisposed to accumulate fat for the normal functioning of the body and the health of the reproductive system.

The normal percentage of body fat in a woman is between 16 and 25%. For a man, only 3% is enough.

Men burn fat even at rest, and their post-workout fat burning lasts longer.

At rest, the female body practically does not burn fat, feeding on glucose obtained from carbohydrates. Only hard training helps transform excess fat reserves into energy.

Physiological features of women's sports training

PHYSIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF WOMEN'S SPORTS TRAINING

The great role of women in production, sports and public life. The development of the future generation depends on strengthening their health. This makes it necessary to provide a comprehensive scientific substantiation of physical education and sports training for women.

Morphofunctional features of the female body

The structural features and functions of the female body determine its differences in mental and physical performance. In the general biological aspect, women, compared to men, are characterized by better adaptability to changes in the external environment (temperature changes, hunger, blood loss, a number of diseases), lower infant mortality and longer life expectancy.

Features of the activity of the central nervous system and the development of sensory systems

Women's bodies are characterized by specific features of brain activity. The dominant role of the left hemisphere is manifested to a lesser extent in them than in men. This is due to a fairly pronounced representation of the speech function not only in the left, but also in the right hemisphere. Women are distinguished by a high ability to process speech information, mastery of their native and foreign languages, simultaneous translation, as well as a verbal-analytical decision strategy and a high degree of speech regulation of movements. In the process of teaching them physical exercises, emphasis should be placed on storytelling techniques. At the same time, the speed of processing information in women is lower, and men are faced with new tasks, especially under time pressure. At the same time, a higher level of motivation, as well as high rates of learning among women, determine their achievement of significant success. Women are characterized by higher emotional excitability, emotional instability and anxiety compared to men. They are very sensitive to encouragement and comments, which must be taken into account by coaches and teachers.

The high sensitivity of skin receptors, motor and vestibular sensory systems, and subtle differentiation of muscle sense contribute to the development of good coordination of movements, their smoothness and clarity.

Women have keen vision, a high ability to distinguish colors and good depth vision. Their field of vision is wider than that of men. Visual signals reach the cerebral cortex faster and cause a greater response. All this determines the perfection of oculomotor reactions and confident orientation of movements in space. Color vision disorders in women are much less common (0.5% of cases) than in men (8% of cases).

The auditory system is more sensitive to high frequencies in the sound range. Women's ear for music is 6 times better than men's, which makes it easier for them to move to music.

Features of the motor system and the development of physical qualities

Women's body length is less than men's on average by 10 cm, and their weight is 10 kg. Women's limbs are shorter, their torso is longer, the transverse dimensions of the pelvis are larger, and their shoulders are narrower. These structural features of the body determine a lower overall position of the center of mass, which contributes to better balance, for example, rowing, exercises on a balance beam, etc. At the same time, a large pelvic width reduces the efficiency of movements during locomotion. In women, high arches are more common and flat feet are less common, which contributes to the beauty and efficiency of movements. Left-handedness is 3 times less common than in men. Right-sided asymmetry predominates.

Absolute muscle strength in women is less than in men, since they have thinner muscle fibers and less muscle mass (approximately 30 - 35% of body weight). The ratio of slow and fast fibers in muscles does not depend on gender. The relative strength in women, due to their lower body weight, almost reaches men's levels, and for the thigh muscles even exceeds them. The maximum voluntary strength of the weaker muscles of the arm, shoulder girdle and torso in women is 40–70% of that in men, and the stronger muscles of the legs are 70–80%. Maximum strength indicators are achieved at 15–16 years of age.

Relative strength may increase little or even decrease as body weight increases. Speed-strength capabilities are most improved at 10–14 years of age. During this period, jumping ability increases especially noticeably.

Women are characterized by less development of the quality of speed compared to men. The time of a simple motor reaction of the hand to light stimulation among highly qualified athletes is on average 140 ms. Speed indicators reach their maximum in women at 13 years of age. The maximum speed and frequency of movements in adult women is 10–15% lower than in men.

Women have good endurance for long-term cyclic aerobic work. In other words, they have high overall endurance. It reaches its maximum in women aged 18–22 years. Speed endurance – by 14–15 years. Static endurance – by 15–20 years. The reaction of the female body to prolonged and powerful static loads is less favorable. They cause significant changes in the body, in particular in the cardiovascular system. The extensor muscles of the trunk have the greatest static endurance in women.

From an early age, girls are characterized by good flexibility in the joints, due to the high mobility of the spine and high elasticity of the ligamentous apparatus. The dexterity of movements is also well expressed.

Energy expenditure, aerobic and anaerobic capacity

Women have a lower basal metabolic rate than men (by about 7%). The economy of basal metabolism determines the higher expression of women under certain unfavorable conditions (for example, during fasting).

Operating energy consumption depends on the nature of the load. If the biomechanical conditions of movement are similar (working on a bicycle ergometer or on a treadmill), energy expenditure per 1 kg of body weight in women is the same as in men. However, under conditions of natural locomotion, they exceed the indicators of men: when walking - by 6 - 7%, when running - by 10%. At the same time, women’s overall working energy expenditure is significantly higher. This is due to the less economical technique of performing sports exercises (women have shorter and more frequent steps, more body sway). The daily energy consumption of qualified athletes is about 3200 – 4000 kcal.

Women are characterized by more advanced thermoregulation. Their sweat glands are more evenly distributed on the surface of the body, their skin is richer in capillaries and more efficiently transfers heat during work.

Women's ability to perform work using anaerobic energy sources (anaerobic capacity) is 20% lower than men's, since their body contains less total adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), creatine phosphate (CrP) and carbohydrates. Moreover, women have less both the power of anaerobic processes (measured using the Margaria ergometric test) and their capacity (in terms of maximum lactic acid concentration and maximum oxygen debt). The maximum oxygen debt is also comparatively lower.

The aerobic capacity of women, assessed by maximum oxygen consumption (MOC), is on average 25–30% less than that of men. In highly qualified athletes, MOC on average reaches 3.5 – 4.5 l × min-1 (60 – 70 ml × kg-1 × min-1). Limited anaerobic capabilities lead, with an increase in work power, to a more rapid transition of the female body to anaerobic energy production, which indicates a lower threshold of anaerobic metabolism (TANO). A feature of women working under aerobic conditions is their higher ability to utilize fats compared to men. The fat reserves in the female body are greater (on average, about 30% of body weight), and the absolute amount of fat is also greater. However, the transition to fat utilization means less economical consumption of oxygen and limits the performance of work associated with oxygen deficiency.

Specifics of vegetative functions

Women's breathing is characterized by smaller volumes and lung capacity, and higher frequency indicators. The vital capacity of the lungs (VC) in women is approximately 1000 ml less than in men. The tidal volume both at rest and during work is smaller, and the respiratory rate is higher. This determines the lower efficiency of respiratory function in women. The minute volume of respiration (MVR) in women at rest is about 3 - 5 l × min-1 or more, accounting for approximately 80% of the MVR in men. In this case, an increase in MOP is achieved by a less favorable ratio of the frequency and depth of breathing and is accompanied by more pronounced fatigue of the respiratory muscles. Men are also superior to women in terms of maximum pulmonary ventilation MLV_.

In the process of individual development, girls undergo a transition from abdominal to thoracic breathing. Indicators of vital capacity, MOD and MLV, absolute and relative values of BMD reach maximum values at 15 years, and after 35 years they decrease.

In the blood system of women, a reduced number of red blood cells and hemoglobin was noted, with the same number of leukocytes and platelets in both sexes. The volume of circulating blood is also smaller. Women contain 4.5 – 5 × 1012 /l red blood cells and 120 – 140 g/l hemoglobin. A lower (10–15%) concentration of hemoglobin in the blood causes a lower oxygen capacity of the blood. Every 100 ml of arterial blood binds an average of 16.8 ml of oxygen in women. Insufficient oxygen supply to muscles can lead during work, especially in the zone of submaximal power, to pronounced acidification of the blood, while the blood pH decreases from 7.38 to 7.11. Such loads are difficult for the female body to bear, especially during puberty.

The female heart is inferior in volume and weight to the male one. The absolute heart volume of women who do not engage in sports is on average 580 cm3, for athletes it is 640–793 cm3. Smaller volumes of the heart and its ventricles correspond to a smaller IOC value. This is compensated by a higher heart rate and higher blood flow speed. The minute blood volume in women is about 4 l × min-1 at rest. A working increase in IOC (up to 25 l × min-1) is achieved in a less effective way - by increasing heart rate, which is higher in female athletes than in athletes by 2 - 40 beats × min-1. At rest, the heart rate in women is about 72 – 78 beats × min-1. Moderate bradycardia develops during endurance training.

The functional state and performance of women is strongly influenced by smoking, alcohol and drugs. Women become accustomed to alcohol much faster than men. The consequences of bad habits are catastrophic not only for the condition of the woman herself, but also for the health of her children.

Changes in body functions during training

Regular physical exercise causes significant changes in all body functions.

Changes in the functional capabilities of the female body during sports training

Proper use of physical activity leads to an increase in the functional capabilities of the body of women, who, in many important indicators of functional state, aerobic and anaerobic capabilities, and physical qualities, begin to significantly surpass their peers who do not engage in sports. Athletes involved in cyclic sports, especially during endurance training, are characterized by higher rates of aerobic capacity of the body (VO2 max of the order of 70 - 80 ml × kg-1 × min-1, for skiers - up to 86.4 ml × kg-1 × min-1) than for female athletes whose training is dominated by speed-strength and speed orientation (MOC – 35 – 45 ml × kg-1 × min-1).

During strength training, working muscle hypertrophy is less pronounced in female athletes than in male athletes, which is associated with a smaller amount of male sex hormones (androgens) in the female body. The greatest static endurance (regional and global) is shown by speed skaters, and local endurance by skiers and basketball players, especially in the muscles of the forearm and wrist flexors. During training sessions, special care should be taken when developing strength endurance in women, paying special attention to increasing the strength and strength endurance of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, which are of great importance for reproductive function.

With a speed-oriented training session, women achieve significant changes in the quality of speed, although in absolute terms they lag behind men. The reaction to a moving object in female athletes is less accurate than in athletes.

For female athletes, the individual minute is shorter, i.e. they measure a smaller interval when asked to measure a minute. In women, the change in individual minute is more pronounced throughout the day and under stress.

Flexibility develops relatively easier than in men. It especially increases during stressful situations, before a start, and decreases when tired. Women are also distinguished by high dexterity.

Over the course of many years of training, women, unlike men, are able to very sharply improve athletic results, but at the level of high-achievement sports they maintain them for much less time.

The influence of heavy loads on the body of female athletes

Regular use of large volumes of training loads and insufficient adherence to the principle of gradual increase in their volume and intensity can lead, especially in young athletes, to unfavorable changes, primarily to disturbances of the ovarian-menstrual cycles (OMC). Large loads cause an increase in the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone by the pituitary gland and, accordingly, the release of androgens by the adrenal glands. This, in turn, inhibits the gonadotropic function of the pituitary gland and, as a result, disrupts the functions of the ovaries. Female stayers are characterized by lower body weight, a decrease in the percentage of adipose tissue, and suppression of the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-reproductive system.

Intense workouts with high volume loads. If started before puberty, it may delay the onset of the first menstruation. In approximately 1/3 of women who train for endurance, a delay in the onset of the first menstruation is recorded, and after their onset, the development of insufficiency (oligomenorrhea) or their secondary cessation (amenorrhea). The reason for the development of sports amenorrhea is considered to be a decrease in the body fat content, since when its levels are below 16% of body weight, the production of female sex hormones estrogen is disrupted.

Athletes with amenorrhea have a decrease in bone density, the degree of mineralization of the processes of the lumbar vertebrae, and, as a consequence of osteopenia, frequent bone fractures.

In women involved in marathon running, iron deficiency was noted, resulting from large losses through sweat and insufficient replacement with food. This led to the development of iron deficiency anemia, insufficient oxygen supply to the body and a decrease in athletic performance.

Glycogen in the body

A feature of the female body is the rapid processing of calories into the required amount of glycogen, and the same rapid rate of its consumption.
Excess carbohydrates are transformed into fat on the sides faster than in the stronger sex. At the same time, women's need for glycogen is less than men's. The body usually uses subcutaneous fat as training fuel.

As a result, performing exercises of the same intensity, a woman burns more fat, less carbohydrates and protein than a man..

The main goal of women's training is weight loss and correction of problem areas. A rare representative of the fairer sex strives to build muscles. Adapting the training process to the characteristics of the female body will increase the effectiveness of training and acquire the figure of your dreams without harm to women’s health.