Ladies Against Lifting

Men and women are not created equal. Society has worked hundreds of years to disprove this statement. But sometimes there is no denying this truth. Specifically, in the area of exercise men and women are simply unequal. There are noticeable physical differences among genders. These physical differences cause variations in training styles and exercise practices between genders. If you’ve ever walked into a fitness center you will notice usually of women on cardio machines and men using free weights. Is there a reason for this trend? Also what social pressures contribute to these exercise differences?




Body Composition 

We usually think of men naturally having larger muscles than women. Compared to body weight men have more muscle mass than women. While men have more muscle mass in their upper body and can support lifting more weights women have a stronger lower body and abdomen. In a sense, what women lack in upper body strength they make up for in other muscle composition. So, why do we associate large muscles with men and what does this extra fat mean for women?




Societal Pressures 

In a recent interview with Dr. Silas Pearman, an HES professor at Furman he cited these societal pressures as a main reason for different exercise preferences. Women tend to use cardio machines because they burn more fat and support the thinner ideal woman’s body. Men focus on weight-bearing exercises to increase muscle mass and fulfill society’s view of men as muscular. So how does this pertain to the Re-Rev program?



Currently the ellipiticals are the only machines equipped with Re-Rev. This means that the energy produced by the ellipiticals is mostly from women. The PAC could produce more energy if the ReRev program was moved to more machines that fit the interests of men as well as women. I mean it is only fair if the guys chip in. Let’s not let the ladies do all the work.

Interested in the ReRev Program at the Pac?

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