When it comes to program design and it's individualization, one often overlooked aspect is the difference in how men and women respond to training volume and intensity. While most strength and conditioning principles apply to both sexes, women generally have a higher tolerance for training volume and recover faster than men at similar relative intensities. This blog will dive into the physiological and neuromuscular differences between men and women and provide practical insights into how coaches can use these differences to optimize and individualize training programs for female athletes. Women and men are built differently on a physiological level, and these differences significantly impact how each sex responds to training stressors like volume and intensity.
Hormonal Factors
A key factor in women's ability to handle higher training volumes lies in hormonal differences, particularly the role of estrogen. Estrogen, which is more abundant in females, provides several benefits related to muscle repair and recovery. It acts as an anti-catabolic hormone, reducing muscle protein breakdown during training. This helps limit muscle damage from higher volumes of exercise, allowing women to recover more quickly between sessions.
Estrogen also plays a significant role in protecting connective tissues and reducing inflammation. Women tend to experience less exercise-induced muscle soreness and joint pain, even when working at higher intensities or volumes. This protective effect contributes to their ability to perform more sets and reps without feeling as fatigued as men, especially during endurance-based activities.
Another important aspect of estrogen is its ability to enhance fat metabolism. During prolonged exercise or higher-repetition sets, women can rely more on fat oxidation for energy, sparing glycogen stores and preventing early fatigue. This means that, during longer training sessions or higher volume work, women can maintain performance for extended periods.
In addition to estrogen, progesterone also plays a role in modulating recovery, particularly across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Coaches working with female athletes may need to adjust volume and intensity slightly to account for the natural fluctuations in these hormones. However, in general, the higher estrogen levels found in women allow for faster recovery and better handling of increased training volumes.
Muscle Fiber Composition
Another contributing factor is muscle fiber composition. Women tend to have a higher proportion of Type I (slow-twitch) muscle fibers, which are more fatigue-resistant and can handle longer-duration activities at higher volumes. This is in contrast to men, who typically have a higher proportion of Type II (fast-twitch) muscle fibers, which are more suited for short bursts of power and strength but fatigue more quickly. The prevalence of slow-twitch fibers in women allows them to endure longer training sessions and recover faster between sets.
Neuromuscular Efficiency: The Back Squat Test
Neuromuscular efficiency (NME) plays a critical role in determining an athlete's capacity to perform high-volume or high-intensity work. NME refers to how effectively the nervous system can recruit and activate muscle fibers during a movement, especially under maximal loads. Men generally have higher NME, meaning they can activate a higher percentage of their muscle fibers during a 1-rep max (1RM) lift, leading to greater absolute strength.
However, this higher NME in men often results in quicker fatigue when performing higher-rep sets at a lower percentage of their 1RM. Women, with lower NME, cannot activate as many muscle fibers during a maximal lift but can sustain effort over a longer period, especially at submaximal intensities. This is why women often outperform men when doing AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) sets at 85% of their 1RM.
A common test to assess NME and guide volume prescription is the following:
The athlete finds their 1RM back squat at a tempo of 30X1.
After a 10-minute rest, they perform an AMRAP set at 85% of their 1RM using the same tempo.
In this test, women generally achieve more reps than men at the same percentage of their 1RM, highlighting their ability to sustain volume at higher intensities. I've observed numerous advanced and elite-level women complete 10+ reps at 85% of their one-rep max in the back squat, whereas most advanced and elite-level men tend to max out around 4-6 reps at the same percentage. Athletes who achieve fewer reps (1-5) are considered to have high neuromuscular efficiency and may benefit from lower-volume protocols, while those with higher reps (6+) often thrive on higher-volume programs.
Training Adaptations
These physiological and neuromuscular differences mean that women not only handle higher training volumes but also adapt differently over time.
Faster Recovery
Due to estrogen’s role in muscle recovery, women can typically recover faster between training sessions, especially when working at submaximal intensities. This allows them to train with higher frequency and handle more total sets and reps compared to men without becoming overly fatigued.
Volume Tolerance
Women’s ability to tolerate and thrive on higher volumes means that coaches can push their female athletes more in terms of training volume while still allowing for adequate recovery. A typical female athlete can perform more reps or sets at a given percentage of their max compared to a male athlete.
Practical Programming Guidelines for Female Athletes
Given these differences, coaches should adjust training programs for female athletes to optimize their progress. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind:
Increase Training Volume Gradually: Women can handle more sets and reps, especially when working at submaximal intensities. Increase volume slowly over time to find the athlete’s threshold.
Higher Frequency: Women often benefit from training muscle groups more frequently throughout the week since they recover faster between sessions.
Adjust Intensity and Rest Periods: Female athletes may not need as long to recover between sets when training in higher rep ranges or at near maximal intensities. Keep rest periods slightly shorter and focus on volume over pure intensity.
Use AMRAP Sets to Adjust Volume: The back squat test discussed earlier is an excellent way to tailor a woman’s volume prescription. If an athlete performs more than 6 reps at 85% of her 1RM, she likely thrives on higher volumes.
The ability of women to handle more volume and recover quickly also impacts long-term programming. Coaches can incorporate higher volume phases more frequently in a woman’s training cycle without risking burnout or overtraining. Deloads can still be programmed but may not need to be as frequent or as drastic in volume reduction.
Understanding the physiological and neuromuscular differences between men and women allows coaches to create more effective and individualized training programs. At Dark Horse Athlete, we specialize in custom online and in-person coaching tailored to your specific needs. Our 1:1 coaching offers fully customized training and nutrition, weekly check-ins, and video analysis to ensure you're progressing towards your goals. Unlike many programs on the market, we prioritize communication and customization at the highest level, ensuring every athlete gets the attention they deserve.
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