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The games people play
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Here’s why men and women need to train differently
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PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES Affect the performance of men and women in sports
The physical differences between men and women affect their performance in sports. No woman has ever run 100 metres in less than 10 seconds, while top male sprinters do it on a routine basis. On the other hand, women regularly outperform men in cold water sports, setting many English Channel swim records. Understanding how men and women differ is important for effective coaching and for allaying unnecessary fears.
Wide variations aside, the average adult female is shorter and weighs less than the average adult male. The shorter limbs and smaller articular surfaces of women allow less power for striking, kicking and throwing. Women have wider pelvis, shorter legs and preferential fat distribution on the hips rather than the belly. These ensure a lower centre of gravity and, hence, better balance. No wonder female gymnasts are better on the beam.
Males run faster, jump higher and lift heavier weight because they have more muscle per kg of body weight. Their larger hearts, greater lung capacity, and more haemoglobin per 100 ml of blood enable greater capacity for aerobic exercise. Women have lower basal metabolic rates and need fewer calories to sustain the same activity levels as men. Women nearly outperform men in marathons. One theory is that women have greater economy of motion because of their wider pelvis and shorter legs.
Alternative exercises
Their muscles are also more fatigue-resistant. Coaches used to training men should realise that women are not just smaller versions of men. Some exercises may be naturally difficult for women, and coaches must know alternative exercises. Female athletes who over-train can stop menstruating and may develop osteoporosis.
Women have greater subcutaneous fat, which makes their muscle gains harder for the naked eye to discern.
But it is important that coaches be patient and persistent: weight training makes bones denser, and is especially beneficial for women as they are at risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal years.
Some old fears are unfounded: contact sports and jumping do not harm the uterus or ovaries. Weights will not make women overly muscled – unless they use steroids. Dumbbells and barbells cannot override the genetic imprint of the female form.
RAJIV. M
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