It is only recently that we begin to see studies regarding female performance in sports yet we know that physically and physiologically men tend to be heavier, leaner and less hormonal. Let's dive into what else we know.
Puberty marks the beginning of when we start to see differences between males and females within the same sport.
Testosterone plays a role in developing lean muscles, stronger bones and the ability to recover faster. Men have larger hearts, lungs and a great ability to carry hemoglobin and oxygen hence why women often have a bit of a lag time compared to men when it comes to power and sprint performance.
Estrogen on the other hand, is responsible for widening of the hips (which can interfere with power and sprinting) and producing body fat. However, women have more protein for beta oxidation in their muscle fibers making them better at fatty acid utilization which increases their performance in endurance (long/slow) sports.
Stay tuned, next week when we take a look at phase training or, maximizing your performance during high versus low hormone phases.
