are exercise methods different for men and women are you exercising right
Nowadays, more and more citizens are engaging in outdoor sports and going to the gym for workouts. The ways of exercising are becoming more diverse and professional. Generally speaking, men usually aim to become fitness enthusiasts with 8-pack abs, so they focus more on muscle building and reducing beer bellies. Women, on the other hand, desire an attractive S-shaped figure, so they focus on body shaping, weight loss, and postpartum recovery. Since the goals of exercising differ, the methods of exercising naturally vary as well.
Most women aim to lose fat in areas like the abdomen, hips, thighs, and upper arms. Running is one way to achieve this, but muscle exercises are also necessary. These should involve multiple sets, repetitions, and light weights to achieve the desired effects of fat burning, body shaping, and skin tightening.
Typically, men have less body fat than women. According to body composition, women have 20%-40% fat tissue and 23% muscle tissue. Moreover, if a woman's body fat level falls below 20%, it poses certain health risks. Therefore, women's exercise routines should focus on frequent, small amounts of exercise, and they should engage in weight training more than men.
In Western countries, women often engage in extensive weight training, but there is a deeply rooted misconception among women in our country. They usually believe that extensive weight training will make their muscles bulky and make them look like men.
In weight training, women can decide the intensity and level based on their own abilities. Of course, women will experience some muscle changes after weight training, but not significant ones. If it were that easy to build prominent muscles, those who consume protein powder and muscle gain supplements and sweat profusely in the gym would have achieved it long ago. Therefore, women can rest assured and train confidently.
If female runners are worried about developing thick legs from running, I recommend the forefoot running technique..
This means landing on the forefoot first while running. It doesn't necessarily have to be the forefoot; landing on the larger part of the foot is also acceptable. Since female runners usually don't run long distances, this technique is recommended. However, because this technique puts pressure on the knees, it's advisable to slow down and limit the duration to about an hour. Conversely, the forefoot running technique is more suitable for men.
After running, avoid squatting or sitting down immediately, as this can cause fat to accumulate in the hips. It's recommended to gradually slow down to a walk, walk for 2-3 minutes, and then do some stretching. When drinking water after running, take small sips instead of large gulps to avoid choking.
Additionally, women should combine aerobic and anaerobic exercises during workouts. This includes doing aerobic exercises like high knees and shuttle runs, as well as anaerobic exercises like squats and sit-ups.
Anaerobic exercise refers to high-intensity, rapid movements performed in a state of 'oxygen deficit,' such as sprinting, weightlifting, throwing, high jumping, tug-of-war, and strength training. There are many forms of aerobic exercise, including brisk walking, jogging, aerobics, swimming, cycling, and various treadmill, stationary bike, and step machine workouts.
It's best to start with aerobic exercises before moving on to anaerobic ones. For example, start with light jogging or cycling to reduce heart rate, aiming to sweat slightly. This will increase body temperature and heart rate, putting the body in an active state before doing anaerobic exercises.
Women are generally more prone to injuries during exercise due to their weaker physical condition compared to men. Therefore, warm-up exercises before and stretching exercises after workouts are crucial. During training, muscles are tense, and stretching can reduce lactic acid secretion, alleviate pain, and make muscles more coordinated and aesthetically pleasing, preventing the formation of large muscle masses.
Men need to pay attention to the load based on their physical strength when exercising. Men often seek quick results and engage in excessive exercise, aiming to achieve a good level in a short time. This can lead to high-intensity workouts that not only fail to achieve fitness goals but also reduce the blood and oxygen supply to the heart, lungs, and brain in a short time, potentially causing shock or even sudden death, which is counterproductive.
Dear runners, exercise methods differ between men and women. Are you training correctly? After reading this introduction, you can adjust your training plan accordingly.