Center For Young Women's Health : Do I Need To Lift Heavy Weights To Build Muscle and Why Do Guys Seem To Get More Muscular Than Girls ? (2010)

 The Center For Young Women's Health is an association between the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult  Medicine  and the Division of Gynecology at Boston Children's Hospital. The organization is about promoting health education and providing resources to girls, women, educators, and parents.  The Center For Young Women's Health was established in 1998 by Dr.  S. Jean Emans,  Dr. Marc Laufer, and Phaedra Thomas. The mission of the website is to provide research information, educational programs, and conferences. Each section provides information related to nutrition, fitness, sexual, and mental health. Topics presented are explained in simple format for the general reading public . Exercise and fitness is important for both girls and women. The problem is that many girls an women are not physically active enough. Some of the reasons women and girls may avoid it is due to culture. Sports, fitness, and physical activity are still viewed as male only activities. The attitude is changing, but dated ideas still persist. Lifting weights can have a many benefits for women. The Center For Young Women's Health has some basic information for women and girls. A user can ask questions and get answers from one of their professionals. The two fascinating questions are about what volume to use lifting weights and why women do not see similar results as men. The answers were not wrong, but deserve more explanation. 

       Lifting weights can build muscle. The question is how much intensity is required to get a specific result. Exercise stimuli has to be active enough to induce muscular hypertrophy. When muscles are not exercised they will atrophy. The answer provided, seems to express an fitness myth. The answer given stated "  You don't need to lift heavy to strength and tone your body." What should be understood is that there is no difference between tone and bulk. These terms have no exercise science basis rather it is a general description of muscular aesthetics  and development. The cells of what appear to be "bulky" or "toned" muscle are the same. Muscle contains myocytes which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Women fear getting "too muscular" however it should be noted building muscle mass can aid in women's health. Bone mass is also increase through weightlifting exercise. Doing this can be good prevention against osteoporosis or sarcopenia. Overtime, naturally people lose muscle  mass with age. 

Lifting To Build Muscle 

When muscle is exercised it will get stronger. Lifting light weights can work, but it will take longer to build a significant amount of muscle. The weight lifted needs to be enough to challenge the muscle. Progressive  overload must be utilized to see results. What the text describes as "toning" exercises are still muscle building exercises. Depending on what sport you play, this may not increase muscular hypertrophy to the highest degree. Endurance athletes are not concerned about building as much musculoskeletal mass. Swimmers are not attempting to build large physiques. Picking up a book bag or cleaning a room is physical activity, but not enough to build muscle. Lifting heavy is better if the intent is to build as much muscle as you can. This should be done gradually to avoid risk of injury. Women should not be afraid to lift heavy. There is no general consensus on how early a person can start. Normally, it has been advised that children do not engage in weightlifting. A general recommendation is that it would be safer to start around age 15. Muscle can be developed with  exercise such as pull-ups. push-ups, and lunges. Girls could benefit from a weightlifting program in their teenage years. The error was that it was at onetime believed that women were too physically weak for lifting heavy. Exercise physiology has proven that false. Women have athletic potential, but they are operating within a different physiological parameter. 

       Women can build muscle. However, when men and women are on similar exercise regimens males attain a higher amount of  muscular hypertrophy. The reason has to do with sexual dimorphism and endocrinology. Men produce higher amounts of  androgens. Testosterone levels increase during puberty causing a higher rate of protein synthesis. Prior to puberty, there is no difference in male and female physical strength level. The physical fitness capacity of boys and girls is similar. Puberty increases strength in boys. Girls do not get a strength spurt between growth spurts. Muscle density increases along with ligament and tendon strength in males from sex hormone production. What this means is women have a lower level of natural strength prior to training. Building muscle could take longer for them. Making different standards for boys and girls in physical education makes no sense prior to puberty. Girls could physically keep up with boys until the age 13. Playing football, soccer, or wrestling can be mixed. Women seeking to build muscle and strength must do certain steps related to exercise and diet. 

Muscular Hypertrophy 

  Exercise such as strength training must be done on a regular basis. Diet and nutrition are very important. Enough food must be consumed to maintain muscle mass. A protein based diet is needed to allow for muscle growth. Rest and recovery are also required to maintain progress. If this is done for a number of months or years women can attain muscle and strength. Men are on average stronger than women, however it is not impossible for a trained woman to surpass an average man. Women's physiology makes it more difficult to compete with the fittest men. Sex is not the only factor in muscular development and physical strength. Height and skeletal frame are the base. Genetics related to the MSTN gene and myostatin dictate just how large muscles can get. Somatotype also can play a role. Those who have mesomorphic bodies can see more development from training than ectomorphic bodies. These factors can work in women's favor as well. Then it should also be considered the amount of type II and type I muscle fibers present in the body before training. Type II are suited for more explosive power compared to the endurance based type I. Considering the lower baseline women make more muscular and strength gains from training. Lifting should be incorporated into women's daily exercise routine. This will provide a means of prevention against chronic illness and  maintain good health. 

COVID-19 Infection Rate Has Increased In The US

When states reopened the infection rate increased. The trend seems to be occurring in the south and mid-west. The reason for this has to do with limited social distancing and refusal to wear masks. There is a political motivation. The pandemic response has become so polarized that the government cannot develop a coherent response. Anti-lockdown protests were done not in response to economic strain, rather instigated by right-wing political organizations. The conservative rejection of science has put public health in a state of crisis. The failure of the Republican and Democratic Party to establish a system of universal basic income to halt the economic consequences has only caused more hardship on the American citizen. There are fears of second wave emerging and if nothing is done it could be more devastating than the first wave of cases. An estimated 100,000 Americans have died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The deaths could have been prevented if enough masks and ventilators were available. The healthcare system of the United States is on the verge of possible collapse and the pandemic exposed its vulnerabilities. If there are too many hospitalizations, the system will be overwhelmed. The Trump administration's refusal to take the pandemic seriously put the public at risk. The media also assisted in downplaying the dangers of COVID-19. Fox News insisted that it was nothing more than nervous panic in the first months of 2020. States may now have to think about closing again seeing as the proper measures were not taken before reopening.  What people must understand is just because the economy is reopening it does not mean the pandemic is over. The basic rules for safety still apply. Stay home if you are sick, wash your hands, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. 

Wear A Mask To Protect Health

Some countries may decide to reopen to save their economies. Doing this puts public health at risk. There needs to be a clear indication that the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. Testing and ventilators must be widely available before all public accommodations are back on a normal schedule. There is risk even when there is partial reopening. Wearing a mask does not only protect yourself it prevents others from being infected. It is known that the elderly and people with respiratory conditions are at risk, but some children can be vulnerable too. There are indications that COVID-19 may possibly induce kawasaki disease in some children. A mask can prevent pathogens from being released to another person. The only way lockdowns will end is when medicines become available and infection rates are reduced. Following social distancing, practicing basic hygiene, and wearing a mask in public will ensure lockdowns will come to an end. Protests against measures are only stopping progress. Long term solutions should include universal healthcare, the construction of more hospitals, and pandemic emergency programs.  

Deaths From COVID-19 Reach 100,000 in The US

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how vulnerable healthcare systems are around the world. The US has seen 100,000 deaths and the number could increase if measures are not taken to stop the spread. Anti-lock down protests have pressured state governments to reopen, when the disease had not been controlled.The elderly and people with preexisting conditions are especially vulnerable. Social distancing, the wearing of masks, and lock downs must continue to ensure preservation of public health. To prevent further economic strain universal basic income must be implemented to prevent the US population becoming financially insecure. The pandemic also is the best argument for the establishment of a universal healthcare system. Private health insurance has failed to protect the US citizen during a global health emergency. A logical solution would be to have medicare for all as an economic and public safety measure for possible pandemics in the future. These death could have been prevented if enough ventilators and masks were produced prior to the World Health Organization declaration of pandemic emergency. Opening up too soon could result in a second wave. Testing still is not widely available. If proper public health measures are not put into place,deaths may rapidly increase.