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. 

Anabolic Steroids in Female Bodybuilding As A Way To Achieve Men's Results

Anabolic Steroids

Performance enhancing drugs have been a part of sports since their origin. Anabolic steroids have been used in numerous strength sports to increase muscular size and strength. Bodybuilding and weightlifting are given an unfair image of  being the biggest consumers of AAS. Statistics show that more steroid use is not coming from professional athletes, rather people who are looking for a fast solution for weight loss. The use and discussion about steroids causes much controversy. There are side effects and health risks that are associated with their consumption. There are a copious amount of myths that are generated surrounding them. Anabolic androgenic steroids also pose a level of  medical and social problems. Women are criticized more harshly for their use of steroids compared to men. Even though men still represent a higher amount of users, when women do it there is ostracism. The social problems are related to sexism particularly with women's body image and appearance. Depending on the dosage, type of drug used, and total amount of time used steroids can cause virilization  in women. Each person can be effected by drugs differently. Some women may not experience any notable changes. Instead of focusing on the health risks, many condemn steroid use in women because they believe it harms destroys  appearance. Most detractors state this on a sexist notion that women exist only to be beautiful and  be objects to men. Despite what people think women will look like whatever they please. Women are subject to multiple myths about their bodies and athletic capabilities. The post from women's bodybuilding has a number of myths. The idea that women cannot gain muscle without chemical assistance is false. The stages of fitness  is not a correct term for the transformation of the human body through weight training. Anabolic androgenic steroids will not make a person superhuman. Women will not  reach male levels of physical fitness capacity simply based on sexual dimorphism, anatomy, and physiology. A female bodybuilder does not need steroids to be successful, rather genetics and training ultimately determine what physique is produced. 

        Anabolic androgenic  steroids  are synthetic derivatives of testosterone. They can either be taken by pill or by hypodermic needle. Anabolic refers to the process of muscular hypertrophy. Androgens are various hormones that are responsible for male characteristics and reproductive function. Steroids have  beneficial medical properties which are used  to prevent muscle loss in patients suffering from cancer or AIDS. Like any other drug it can  be abused. Simply using it does not automatically mean a person is addicted. Basic endocrinology shows that men produce higher levels of testosterone and women produced more estrogen. The reason steroids enhance performance is because testosterone enables a higher level of protein synthesis. This is critical to muscular hypertrophy. There are multiple steroids that can be made from just the manipulation of  testosterone. Some types include anavar, dianabol, winstrol, anadrol, and deca-durabolin. There is little reliable information on how effective these drugs are. Athletes may do either stacking or pyramid. Some users experiment with using different types simultaneously. Stacking is a method of taking various types of AAS. The pyramid method involves adjusting doses at minimal levels,then gradually increasing them in a number of weeks. Drugs do have side effects for both sexes. Long term use has been linked to kidney failure, liver damage, circulatory system conditions, and the risk of blood clots. The sex specific effects can be growth of facial hair, hair loss, deepening of the voice, menstrual irregularities (amenorrhea), and increasing sizeof the clitoris. Breast size reduction has been documented as a side effect, but this could happen without use if a woman is highly active and has low body fat levels. Men are also effected by use with the possible reduction in sperm count, gynecomastia, and damage to the testicles. It is questionable that steroids alter emotions to an extreme. The so called "roid rage " has never been examined seriously. It is also questionable that steroid use causes gastrointestinal issues. These are just the basic symptoms documented by some users and endocrinologists. 

          Women can build muscle without AAS. Weightlifting and resistance training has shown that women's bodies do experience muscular hypertrophy. Endocrinology does play a role. Boys and girls are at an equal physical fitness level until puberty. At that stage the body composition and size is dramatically altered between the sexes. Men weigh more and are on average taller. Boys have two growth spurts with the earliest starting at between the ages 10 to 13. There will also be a final one in  late adolescence. Between these two growth spurts a strength spurt happens due to the growth of  the testes and a dramatic in androgens. This does not happen in women. However, women have the same muscles and it does not differ at the cellular level. The baseline of muscle mass is less in women. While women can experience muscular hypertrophy just not to the same extent as a man. Women have muscles,they are smaller in comparison. The most muscular woman would still weigh less than the largest man. How much size a person can gain depends on somatotype, genetics, training methods, and diet. Age and sex are factors in terms of muscular gain. The factors listed previously vary from person to person regardless of sex. To see muscular growth intensity of exercise and the amount of food consumed must be done to see changes. Such activities do not require AAS to achieve. Competing does not require drugs either. There are natural competitions that are open to athletes who still have muscular physiques. IFBB shows are not drug tested, but that does not mean every single person on stage is using AAS. The misconception is that women with muscle are on steroids is false. The only way to know for definitely is to test for substances. Unless the more obvious signs of virilization are present such accusations are baseless. Myology demonstrates that women's muscles and anatomy are similar to that of men. 

    The biggest difference is in upper body strength. Men have more muscle and power in that region of the body. Women come closer to men in the lower body. Saying men have muscles and women do not would be anatomically inaccurate. Also the size of the skeleton and bones are factors in strength. A person with larger bones can support more muscle on their frame. There is a basic method of use which involves the time in which drugs are used. Some athletes train to their maximum physical potential and then begin to use. Others start off with AAS. Many may prefer the first option to avoid deleterious effects.    Just taking steroids will not produce physiques of quality. 

       The stages of fitness do not exist. There are different levels of muscular development. Physical fitness simply defined is the ability to perform an exercise activity. This means all women can attain a level of fitness. If there is a discussion of fitness competition and bodybuilding there is a difference. All the women no matter what category are of a certain physical fitness capacity. The element of muscular strength and development there is a gap. Female bodybuilders compared to fitness competitors are bigger in muscular development. While the fitness category was created mostly for women who did not want to have higher levels of development, there is a men's physique category that came after. Female bodybuilders starting out will at some point resemble fitness competitors in terms of size. When body transformation happens over a number of years the body will look different from training and diet. This is not "soft development." Building muscle takes time or even decades. Athletic massiveness is just another term for bulky. Bulkiness is not a real entity rather a term used to describe the look of a physique. Based on cytology bulky and toned muscle do not exist. Placed under a microscope one would not be able to distinguish the difference. Advocates always assure women they will not "bulk up  " and they can "tone."   Women can get muscular,but the idea of athletic massiveness is relative. Some fitness competitors may be too big for certain people's taste. 

The added category of physique only complicates terms. Most women may train with a certain level of intensity to get a certain body. To say that the larger women do it only through drugs is a distortion. Fitness models, figure competitors,  and physique athletes could be using various substances which could include fat burners, estrogen blockers, or HGH. The size of the muscles is not an indicator of use or non-use.  Anabolic steroids at may become obsolete with more powerful and efficient drugs emerging in the future. Selective androgen receptor modulators  may replace steroids as an alternative. All the women who compete are fit, it is just the muscular development varies. The idea that women cannot get big without drugs is not correct. The large women that are on stage weigh less than the average man. Exercise physiology has produced these bodies,rather than supplements or drugs. It has never been examined fully,but performance enhancing drugs may not be as effective as one would assume.
          Women's hormonal physiology does have a limitation in terms of muscle mass gain. Estrogen and progesterone increase fat levels. The use of anabolic steroids provides a woman with more muscular growth potential than by simple lifting or exercise. Women gain the strength spurt that boys get during puberty,however the secondary sex characteristics may emerge as part of virilization. This depends on the dose and types of anabolic androgenic steroids used. Results depend on other factors. A mesomorphic body type would experience greater gains compared to an ectomorph. Endomorphs would struggle to keep weight off, but steroids with exercise may do this to a degree. Women through natural means can reach the strength level of at least an average man with no training. Yet,a woman on steroids may not be able to reach the strength level of  trained man. If the male subject uses steroids then it would not be possible. The reason is that men have more testosterone to work with in their bodies produced by the testes.

   

Ovaries do function on a feedback loop, yet the difference is in amount of the hormone produced. Testosterone is present in women's bodies at lower amounts. The pituitary gland controls sex hormone amount. From the pituitary gland follicle producing hormone and luteinzing hormone are given instructions. LH stimulates directs leydig cells to produce testosterone and sperm. LH increases in women trigger ovulation and the development of the corpus luteum. Women could not reach the same total muscle mass levels as a man of similar drug use or training mainly because of physiology. Anatomically women's bodies are structured differently. A wider pelvis means that running speed will be effected. Even if women were to gain enormous amounts of muscle in the legs, this would slow them down. The heart and lungs do not get bigger altering aerobic capacity. Steroid use would not make women's shoulder's broader to a male size. The size and physique difference is related to sexual dimorphism. This refers to the characteristics that males and female exhibit that are not primary sex attributes. Women are smaller than men. This is the product of millions of years of human evolution. The reason males during hominid evolution needed more strength and size  was for the competition for mates. Sex selection may have worked in favor of  males who had more access to resources and hunting skills. These attributes from the sexes were transferred through genes. Steroids are only altering the endocrine and muscular system. They are not changing the genetics of a person. Women achieving men's athletic results en mass would either have to come about through some form  of genetic engineering. The manipulation of the MSTN gene could effect myostatin , which acts as regulator for muscular growth. Myostatin is a protein that inhibits myogenesis. Athletes who have an easier time building muscle have low levels of this protein. Anabolic steroids would not push women to men's physical fitness capacity compared to the future of genetic engineering.
      Taking drugs is not going to produce physiques or performances that are seen in athletic competition. There is no substitute for training or diet. Recovery and rest also is a major part of the process. During those periods the body grows muscle from the microtrauma from the training regimen. Bodybuilders are not only training for size, rather symmetry,shape,and conditioning. A competitor can have large muscles, yet the goal is to produce a physique of aesthetics. There are objections and support for use. The objections are that anabolic steroids provide an unfair advantage to competition. This lacks cogency,because simply taking drugs will not ensure success. The other argument is that their is a level of danger. The health risks are multiple. All drugs are not safe this includes ones from your doctor,in sores, and substances approved of the FDA. Any drug depending on how it is used and harm health. There are several conclusions that can be made from what is known about anabolic steroids. They do not create champion athletes or superhumans. Performance enhancing drugs as they are now only alter organ systems, not genetic structure. Gene doping will certainly become available to athletes more so in the distant future.  CRISPR( clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)   holds many possibilities about altering human athletic performance far beyond training. These concepts may seem like science fiction,but they are gradually becoming a reality. Anabolic steroids will not transform a woman into a man or increase their performance to male levels. Drugs do not negate  sexual dimorphism. Contrary to popular belief  anabolic androgenic steroids may not be as effective as people assume.
   

Live Science- Women in Combat : Physical Differences May Mean An Uphill Battle (2015)

Physical Differences and Combat

There are physical and physiological differences among women, which would make the demands of combat difficult. However, that is not to say that women are incapable of combat positions. Live Science produced an article explaining the challenge of the physical demands of combat women would face in such war scenarios. Written in 2015, there has since been gradual progress in terms of women entering combat positions. There still is more work required to make combat integration work. Other aspects must be considered. The most important factor is not to make a less rigorous version to add more women to positions. So far, this has been avoided with the development of functional fitness based testing . Women must qualify and meet the same standards otherwise it will generate more hostility. Women must also rise to commanding positions in military branches to ensure equal treatment. If women are going to be part of combat, then they must also register for the draft. It is not true equality if men are burdened with defense in times of crisis or attack. The reality is that women have fought in wars for centuries, just not in an official capacity. Current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have seen women fight on frontlines, even when they were banned from doing so. The real change in 2013 is that women were allowed to compete with men for military  occupational specialty jobs. The measure has been added to the long list of wedge issues dividing the American political spectrum. Conservatives have made not secret of there hatred of women in uniform and liberals favor women in combat, yet do not understand the implications of sex differences. A total of 220,000 jobs were open to women and clearly over the next 20 years have a major social as well as cultural impact. Women entering combat will accelerate, doubtless of what detractors oppose. Certain considerations must be taken into account. Depending of the physical fitness level required for a position, women's numbers may not be equal in all areas in the military. If there is a draft, women will require a specialized fitness program. Sex differences cannot be ignored in terms of physical abilities. There are solutions, but all problems may not be so easily negated. 

       Men and women differ in terms of their physical fitness capacity. Two important elements are speed and strength. Men on average have more physical strength than the average woman. Men can carry about 12 kg more skeletal muscle mass on their body. The female body can have 40% less upper body strength and 33 % less lower body strength. Some of this is attributed to weight and height. A taller person will have more room to house muscle on their frame. A larger person with more muscular mass could generate more force. Bigger muscle do not mean more physical strength. The total number of type IIa and type IIb muscle fibers determines how much force muscles can generate. Cross sectional area also is a large determining factor to physical strength. Men's individual cross sections of the muscle fibers may actually be bigger compared to women's. The misconception is to think that women are just physically inferior. There are obviously women stronger than some men and men who are weaker than some women. Yet, it is automatically assumed that all women would just fail doing a task that requires physical prowess.  

The divergence in physical strength changes during puberty. Endocrine changes in sex hormones allow men's body composition to change to where it is more muscle than fat. Bones,muscles, and tendons become significantly stronger. This means the male body could take more physical strain under certain conditions. Weight training and strengthen the female body just like men. The difference is in degree. If men have more natural strength prior to training, they will just be higher on a scale of measurement. Women can see an increase in physical strength through consistent weight training. Depending on what MOS a woman is attempting to apply for, massive amounts of physical strength may not be necessary. The modern military has become more technologically advanced in which physical strength could be negated in a battlefield. A optimal level of health and fitness is necessary for a functional combat force. Prior to the age of tanks, aircraft, and guns physical strength would have been more important. The earliest weapons were clubs, spears, daggers, and swords. Depending on the weight of the weapons, these required a certain amoung of upper body strength to wield. The introduction of fire arms radically changed the nature of warfare. Although it would seem that women who fought in the past would be at a disadvantage, there were adjustments in weapons that helped women who did fight. The naginata was a weapon of choice for women in Japan. One version known as the ko-naginata was smaller and lighter in weight, making it easier for women to use.

The naginata 

English swords 

Matchlock  gun 

Daggers have fallen out of use in the modern world in terms of military combat. These were not mere knives for cutting they were designed to inflict damage on a victim. This was a weapon that did not require huge amounts of physical strength. Despite sex differences in physical fitness capacity women did engage in war throughout history. The Mino warriors of Dahomey fought French invasion in the 19th century. Onna bugeisha would enter battle along samurais. It has been suspected that the Scythians also had women who fought in battle in the ancient world. Warfare has always been a brutal and violent affair. It was worse in the past with limited chances of survival or proper medical treatment from injuries. This does not negate the fact humanity has more destructive power than ever before with nuclear weapons. Warfare has rapidly change over the past century with weapons becoming more lethal. Cyber warfare will be the next phase in future conflicts. The consequences of drones, robotics, and artificial technology make war even more frightening. Large muscles are not going to stop bullets, explosions, or full scale nuclear war. Technology, tactics, and the efforts of soldiers have won wars not their physical prowess. Arguments that women are too weak for the demands of combat are based on sex bias and irrational fears that they are less competent. History has shown it was done before. Some women during the American Civil War disguised themselves as men to fight for both the Union and Confederacy. During World War II  Russian women served as combat pilots and snipers. The soldiers of the past did not have access to as much food and medical care as the ones of the 21st century.

    The problem that still remains is that their are myths about women's physical capabilities. The only solution is to have women train prior to doing basic training. That way the body becomes accustomed to more rigorous physical demands. Women have the same muscles and anatomical structures in terms of the bones, tendons, fascicles, fibrils, and microfibrils. The satellite cells, myoblasts, myotubes, and muscle fibers. The physiological process of commitment, activation, proliferation, and differentiation in muscle tissue also operate the same in both sexes. The biggest factor in building strength and muscle is based on genetics relative to mysostatin function. Growth differentiation factor 8 as it also is known regulates myogenesis. The reason muscle does not continually grow is due to the MTSN gene which provides instructs to mysostatin. Both sexes can have low levels of this protein produced by myocytes. That means they have a greater potential for building muscle on their bodies. Women are not inferior in terms of strength, rather they are at different levels of the physical power scale. The weakest woman would have less strength than the weakest woman. The strongest woman could not reach the same levels as a man on a similar training regimen. A highly fit woman could be as strong as an average man with no training. The military must have a precise way assessing strength. Hand grip can be misleading. Looking at weightlifting records can give more of  realistic measure of physical strength capabilities than hand grip. The 2006 study from the European Journal of Applied Physiology   mentioned used just judo and hand ball players. The results  may have been different if weightlifters were used in the study. Actual hand size could have been a factor, considering men on average have larger hands. There are factors that could effect outcomes in studies. What can be extracted from this information is that women will need to train harder and longer than their male counterparts to reach a certain fitness level. The simple part of this would be increasing women's muscular strength through weight training and focus on building upper body muscles.
      Training may not be able to increase women's total running speed. There are anatomical and physiological reasons for this. The most obvious one is women's wider hips actually reduce running speed. Aerobic capacity is smaller in women due to differences in lung and heat size. Building strength and muscle would be more simple in comparison when attempting to increase running speed. Florence Griffith Joyner was the fastest woman in the world and since 1988 her record remains unbroken. Her record in the 100 meter dash time was 10.49. The requirement to qualify for the men's 100 meter dash is 10.16. Men run faster than women even at this level. However, this is record of an accomplished Olympic athlete and looking at Army Physical Fitness Tests she would be overqualified. Certainly an Olympic female athlete can outrun a man of average fitness level.

The lungs are responsible for getting the air we breathe to our bodies. That oxygen gained from the atmosphere is pivotal to the muscles. The muscles require oxygen to produce adensosine triphosphate. ATP a nucleotide enables muscular contraction. Aerobic power is sometimes referred to as the VO2 max. The average man has aerobic power that is 50% greater compared to a woman. The aerobic power is dependent on three factors. The heart's capacity to pump enough blood to help with oxygen transport is essential. The blood's range of oxygen carrying capacity also play a role. The lungs must also be responsible for oxygenating blood returning from active tissue. Hemoglobin levels are higher in the male body. The hemoglobin protein transports oxygen in the body. It acts in a sense like public transportation for oxygen. Training does not change the size of women's hearts or lungs. This means men can get more oxygen into their muscles faster. Running is critical when charging into battle or leaving for retreat. Further investigation would be needed to figure out how to circumvent particular anatomical differences that could effect combat performance.
     Sex differences do not mean women do not have physical advantages. The one advantage women would have over men is related to endurance. More body fat means that it could be used as energy during high levels of physical exertion. There seems to be a disadvantage in having more power in comparison with endurance. More muscle and free testosterone equates to more energy used. This means men would fatigue faster in relation to women under physical stress.  Current research in exercise physiology may show that women's physical fitness capacities are greater than previously thought. A study from the University of Waterloo made the claim that women had more efficient oxygen uptake calculated at 30% ( women's oxygen processing during exercise ). Although the male body seems to be able to handle more heavy duty strain, with proper training it seems women can adjust to certain physical tasks. The Society of Endocrinology  found that women could handle extreme physical activity  in certain environments ( women and extreme physical activity). Two weeks before the expedition to Antarctica women were given training for the physical rigor. It was a success, which indicates differences may not be a hindrance. Live Science provides the biological aspects to women in combat positions, then poses the question how it would translate into actual warfare. Some assessments can be challenged, others may be more practical.
           The idea of a mixed combat unit may be difficult to imagine. It will happen just like women entering other occupations such as law enforcement, business, politics, firefighting, construction, and the sciences. The numbers of women in a collective may remain low for some to based on biology and sociological factors. Women who are capable just may not be interested in such positions. The science, engineering, technology, and mathematics fields have more men in the workforce. Women are capable of being great scientists, but women are not getting involved by choice. Part of this is due to active discouragement by various communities that believe in strict gender roles. When sexism is not a factor, women's personal choices cause this imbalance. Men are more willing to take high risk jobs compared to women. Being part of a military is a high risk job that men mostly were forced into.

Women  still make up a small percent of the US Military, yet gradually the numbers will increase. 

  

Men and women have the same muscles. The degree of muscular hypertrophy induced by exercise stimuli differs.

   

Some branches of the military women will have more of a presence. The US Air Force and Navy over the next few decades could see an increase in female leadership

That has change mainly because women have been given more opportunities. The US Military has introduced functional fitness tests in various branches. The term used is "gender neutral" because there will only be one standard. Multiple branches have their own standards based on age and sex. Women's requirements were normally lower. Women were even given the option of substituting a different exercise. The flexed arm hang was used for women rather than doing pull-ups. The flexed arm hang does nothing for upper body strength. When it came time for women to do a three pull-up requirement, they struggled. That was no surprise, see as they were being trained the wrong way. Injury rates are not high based on the fact that women have lower bone density and muscle mass, rather it is due to poorly fitting armor. Women were given body armor designed for men's bodies. For the past five years the US Military has been gradually solving the problem by produced better fitting armor. Weight requirements were also negatively impacting women. Women who built muscle mass fell out of the BMI requirements for some branches, when they were not technically unfit ( marines allow women to bulk ). If women are going to be carrying up to 45 kg in loads, they require more musculoskeletal mass. The Marines made the right decisions in looking to change fitness requirements based on questionable measures. There are some areas in which women will have an easier time being integrated. The US Navy and Air Force could be more simple with some minor adjustments. Submarines would have to be adjusted to accommodate female sailors. The Marine Corps and the Navy SEALs will be a more arduous task. Special Forces have a high standard and even more challenging physical fitness examinations. Few women would be present in combat positions in the most vigorous in terms of physical fitness. Women will play larger roles in the US Army. One should not make predictions about the future considering how rapidly the world is changing. Weapons and technology can easily negate all the training a soldier receives. Nuclear weapons, tanks, howitzers, drones, combat planes, and hacking are going to harm soldiers no matter how well trained they are. War is unpredictable and even well trained armies can be defeated. Women being integrated into combat positions will not reduce effectiveness. This will only happen if commanders with sexist and traditional gender role attitudes seek to undermine or prevent women's success. If women meet the same standards, accept that registering for the selective service, and understand they will not get special treatment then integration can be done. The real battle may not even be the physical training, rather gaining the trust and acceptance of their male counterparts.

   

   

Flexing Females #1

The Alabama Anti-Abortion Law

There has been a devastating blow to women's health and reproductive rights in the United States. Alabama has passed one of the strictest anti-abortion laws. The law basically outlaws all abortion except under the circumstance that the mother's life is in danger. The cases that involve rape and incest do not get an exemption. The few abortion clinics in Alabama have vowed to remain open and serving women's health needs despite the law. More states are emboldened to produce more laws that are clearly unconstitutional. So far, there may be a conservative campaign to overturn Roe V. Wade. If  this happens women's health will be in peril. Women may seek to go get abortions from people less qualified in other states or possibly other countries. The level of inadequate healthcare in southern states is a cause for alarm, with more women dying when giving birth in previous decades. This increase may double without the full protection of reproductive rights. The ant-abortion movement has been driven by social conservatives, religious fundamentalists, and men who want to reverse the gains of the feminist movement. The movement is not about protecting life, rather restricting the control women have over their bodies. The next target will be the prohibition of contraception,if such anti-abortion laws are enacted nationwide. The irony is that the governor of Alabama Kay Ivey signed the bill into law in the state. It is a lugubrious reminder that many times women can be agents in their own oppression. Alabama's anti-abortion law will certainly be challenged in the Supreme Court. However, the number of conservative judges could hold the fate of women's health in the balance.