Tips for Muscle Building for Women
Female Physiology and Philosophy
Effective muscle building for women is similar in method to general muscle building with some special attention given to a woman’s unique body makeup and physiology. Lower levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone lead to muscle mass being harder to gain and maintain. Higher estrogen levels found in the female system lend to the body having a tendency to hold on to fat deposits which may hinder muscle building progress. In addition, women who are trying to build muscle may have to contend with outdated philosophy from the general fitness population regarding the approach to take when attempting to increase muscle mass. When constructing a plan aimed at muscle building for women, some basic considerations will lead to an effective regimen.
Diet Considerations
For any individual trying to gain lean muscle mass, the nutritional components of their diet and overall caloric consumption should be monitored. Women sometimes even more so. Many women working to build muscle are also striving to decrease their body fat percentage, and this fact may lead to under consumption of nutrients and calories needed to build muscle. Not consuming adequate calories is a mistake often made by women striving to increase muscle mass, and even if weight loss is one goal of a fitness plan, caloric intake should remain high enough to prevent the body from using muscle tissue as an energy source. Protein intake is a consideration as well, and women can increase their muscle building potential by monitoring their daily protein intake and supplementing as needed.
Weight Load
Weight lifting exercise is the most effective way to build lean muscle. Many fitness trends tend to shy away from women lifting heavy weights to a point of failure. Emphasis is placed on lifting lighter weights at high repetition, but research shows that this is not necessarily the most effective approach to take. In fact, women may need to continually challenge their muscle groups more often than their male counterparts because they lack high levels of testosterone that promote muscle growth. Low testosterone level is the primary reason why women retain their feminine physique despite heavy weight bearing exercise.
Cardio Exercise
Cardio exercise has important health benefits, but too much can negate efforts made to increase muscle mass. All cardio exercise builds muscle and is especially effective for building complimentary muscle groups to maintain a balanced physique, but if energy needed for tissue construction is not factored into a fitness regimen containing cardio, muscle building for women may suffer. Increasing carbohydrate intake 30 - 90 minutes prior to a workout can help ensure that there are adequate energy supplies to be used. Sometimes designating a day specific to cardio and another specific to weight lifting leads to a balanced and effective muscle building plan.
Sources
American Council on Exercise: How Women Build Muscle - https://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=76
Women’s Heart Foundation: Strength Training for Women - https://www.womensheart.org/content/Exercise/strength_training.asp