Strength training is becoming increasingly popular among women. It makes you fit, healthy, has a defined body and strengthens your self-confidence.
But how quickly do women build muscle compared to men? This article explains how muscles develop optimally in women and what you should consider when training and eating.
Building muscle for women: what should you know?
Muscles in a woman? This training approach was long considered frowned upon. Wrongfully so, because strength training doesn't make ladies look like a male bodybuilder.
As studies from the University of Central Missouri show, men have more muscle than women and can also gain muscle mass faster. A woman would have to train intensively for years to gain such significant amounts of muscle.
One thing is clear: with a comparable amount of training, women can also build muscles . However, things are a little slower. Nature has provided for this.
Even if muscle building training is carried out intensively , there are natural limits to the project due to the lower amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone.
The hormone has been proven to have an anabolic, muscle-building effect. The value in the blood of an average man is between 3.5 - 9.0 µg/l, but in women it is a minimum of 1.5 - 0.55 µg/l.
In order to promote muscle building , some athletes also use a muscle building preparation that provides a lot of testosterone. A phenomenon that could also be observed in the female bodybuilding scene.
As a study from New York shows, small doses of testosterone can be used for therapeutic purposes. But in large quantities it is doping - and that can pose a number of health risks.
These include increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and masculinization.
Estrogen as an advantage for the dream body for women
However, there is a hormonal advantage for women. According to a study by the University of Minnesota, estrogens can also help build muscles . The female sex hormone is said to be particularly active around ovulation.
The researchers concluded that estrogen may be able to optimize the storage of proteins in muscles . When you create your muscle building training plan , you should also keep an eye on your cycle and adjust your workout accordingly.
How quickly do women build muscle and why is it so slow for me? You may have already asked yourself this question if you saw a lady with above-average muscles in the studio. You shouldn't worry.
According to science , building muscle too quickly in women can be due to an imbalance in hormone levels. Some athletes naturally have significantly more testosterone in their blood, while in others the ratio of testosterone to estrogen is not balanced.
There is also the possibility that muscles react to training stimuli more than average.
Muscles in women - pay attention to the small but subtle differences when training
A study from Canada examined the anatomical differences between the sexes, which also have a direct impact on muscle structure and strength. The muscle fibers are distributed evenly in both sexes.
But it depends on the ratio of the fast (type 2) and slow (type 1) muscle fibers. On average, women have fewer muscle fibers than men. The female muscle fibers are also even smaller.
Females between the ages of 31 and 35 can have an average muscle mass of 34 kg. Men of the same age, on the other hand, can weigh 41 kg.
In three quarters of women, type 1 slow muscle fibers are larger than type 2 fibers. Type 2 muscle fibers are mainly built up through strength training. Here the ladies seem to have a slight biological disadvantage.
The researchers believe that the training plan should therefore focus on the demand for type 2 fibers. This means that the result depends on appropriately heavy weights .
In order to sufficiently stimulate the growth of type 2 fibers, as a woman you should do a maximum of 12 repetitions in your hypertrophy training .
In addition, exercises are recommended to train so-called speed strength. According to sports science recommendations, push-ups or stretch jumps from a squat are particularly suitable.
The study also found that due to the lower number of muscle fibers, women's overall physical strength is approximately 40% lower. The weak point should be the upper body.
Here the strength in the area of the torso and arms is only 25 to 55% of the male performance. In comparison, the legs and buttocks have a performance of 70 to 75%. Muscle building training for women should therefore focus on these areas.
Muscle building training plan - What should athletes pay attention to?
According to scientific recommendations from a study by Cornell University New York, training should, if possible, take into account all muscle groups.
Basic exercises such as:
- Squat
- Bench press
- Deadlift
- Pull-ups
- Shoulder press
Ideally, you should have an experienced trainer show you these exercises. The more precise the execution, the more intense the desired effect will probably be.
The training equipment in the gym provides excellent training for these exercises.
How often and for how long should muscle training take place?
You should exercise two to three times a week. The test subjects from the Cornell University study completed their exercises twice a week .
As a rule of thumb, you can remember: A rest period of 48 hours between two training sessions is considered optimal for muscle growth .
You can provide more targeted stimuli for the muscles with four sessions per week. Work twice on your core and arms; the other two training sessions are dedicated to the lower body. This way you could achieve particularly intense stimulation.
Plan your strength training for 45 to a maximum of 60 minutes. A short warm-up program with walking or marching in place or a lap on the exercise bike precedes this. Five minutes should be enough to get your heart rate up.
The rest of the warm-up can then be carried out directly with the initially lighter weights chosen. Even though it is still often recommended, stretching is anything but suitable, according to sports scientists .
Before training it costs energy, afterward it can increase muscle soreness and prolong the regeneration phase . The combination of cardio training and muscle exercises should also be avoided.
It is better to do endurance training on another day. A woman will probably gain muscle quickly if all her energy goes into strength training.
Trained ladies like to do a cardio session after strength training. The intention of being able to build muscle quickly is not so easy to implement for beginners.
After training, the muscles are tired and quickly need energy in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and water. Further energy reserves are then reduced on the cross trainer.
However, athletes know how to avoid this effect and increase the amount of protein and carbohydrates in their post-workout meal.
Muscle building training plan woman
If you're just starting to build muscle , it's best to contact a trainer who will put together a customized plan for you.
The following guidelines are often used in practice:
- 3 sets of each exercise
- 8 to a maximum of 12 sets per exercise
- Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets
- brisk pace: about 5 seconds for each repetition
Your muscles should be fatigued by this workout. The goal is so-called muscle failure.
This means that you do so many repetitions - with correct execution, of course - until you are so strained that you no longer seem to be able to repeat them any further.
You will notice the end of your strength when your muscles tremble or burn.
Trained women need the right nutrition to build muscle
There is a popular saying in sports circles: “ Muscles are made in the kitchen ”. There is actually a lot of truth in this saying.
In addition to a training plan that is aimed specifically at building muscles , proper nutrition creates a solid foundation. The main thing is not to skimp on calories.
Gaining muscle mass is not a diet - it can even be a calorie surplus. However, that doesn't mean getting fed up with pizza, pasta and chocolate - it's all about choosing the right food that optimally provides you with the nutrients you need.
According to a joint study by universities in the USA and New Zealand, these are proteins as muscle building blocks, healthy fats for hormone balance and carbohydrates as solid sources of energy.
But be careful: If you have too much excess calories, you will also gain unwanted fat.
The scientists therefore recommend that the daily excess of calories should be a maximum of 300 to 500 calories. The muscles build up, but no unnecessary fat deposits accumulate.
This means if you want to burn 2,000 calories a day and build muscle, eat 2,300 to 2,500 calories. But keep in mind that with this “ positive calorie balance ” you really should exercise regularly. Otherwise the result could be fat deposits instead of muscles.
This can pose a challenge if you plan to lose weight and gain muscle . In order to lose weight, as a woman you have to have a deficit of 300 to 500 calories.
Scientists from the USA have addressed this question. The result is that it is best to divide your project into two phases.
Either you worry about losing weight first and then start muscle training , or you approach it the other way around. If you want to get rid of a lot of unnecessary kilos, it may make sense to focus on weight loss first.
Proteins
As the study from the USA and New Zealand shows, proteins are the building block if you want to build muscle. They consist of amino acids . Some of these can be produced by the body itself, others must be supplied through food.
But how much protein does the body need per day? The German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives the reference value as 0.8 grams of protein per day and kilogram of body weight.
However, this value is only relevant for people who have little to no physical activity.
The researchers from New Zealand and the USA recommend increasing this value to 1.6 to 2.0 grams per day per kilogram of body weight if you do strength training. The protein content in the diet should be around 20 to 30%.
By the way: A lot of protein doesn't automatically help a lot if women want to build muscle. The study situation speaks a relatively clear language here.
If you consume more than 2.0 grams per day and per kilogram of body weight, the body can no longer utilize the protein. Instead of concentrating proteins in one meal a day, it may be advisable to distribute them evenly .
A study by New York City University found that the body can absorb around 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per meal.
According to scientific studies, these are the best foods that can help women build muscle:
- Poultry meat such as chicken and turkey
- Beef, especially tenderloin
- Salmon
- Eggs
- lowfat quark
- lenses
- Mushrooms
- spinach
- broccoli
Tip: A food is considered high in protein if the protein content is at least 20% of the total calories it contains - this is what Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 stipulates.
Nutritional supplements for muscles - do protein shakes help?
Protein from animal sources such as meat is generally considered to be of higher quality - this is because the structure of meat fibers is similar to human muscle mass .
Moderate meat eaters or vegetarians and vegans are therefore generally well advised to cover their protein needs with protein shakes . In addition to whey or casein protein, there are also plenty of vegan varieties on offer.
There are protein powders made from peas, hemp, rice, pumpkin seeds or soy. In the interests of a healthy and balanced diet, these shakes should not be a meal replacement. As the name suggests, it is a nutritional supplement.
When it comes to proteins, however, there is one small but important detail to consider. Since the body cannot produce essential amino acids itself, they must be supplied through food.
However, since each of these eight essential amino acids fulfills very specific tasks in building muscles , their ratio to one another must be precisely coordinated.
This is difficult to ensure through diet - because who knows exactly which amino acids are in meat, fish, etc.?
One solution could be to take amino4u , a natural-based dietary supplement that has a precisely tailored amino acid profile for healthy muscles. amino4u is available as pellets and in powder form.
The product is designed so that all components are available in the blood just 23 minutes after ingestion. As a study from Great Britain has determined, supplementation with amino acids promotes muscle building, especially in the regeneration phase - especially among ladies.
carbohydrates
55-60% of the diet should consist of carbohydrates - this is the result of a study by the University of Arkansas in the USA (16). Carbohydrates ensure that sufficient energy is delivered to the muscle cells.
They also stimulate the release of insulin. Among other things, this hormone ensures that the amino acids are optimally stored in the muscles - the ideal prerequisite for defined muscles!
In order for women to build muscle quickly , many people rely on a protein-based diet with their typical low-carb or ketogenic diet.
According to the study results, this is anything but ideal, as the reduction in carbohydrates deprives the muscle cells of valuable fuel.
In addition, protein-based food slows down the release of insulin - but this is exactly what needs to be running at full speed in order to build new muscles .
Muscles need carbohydrates. They should be complex, which means they can cause the insulin level to rise slowly but steadily and then fall just as gently.
Therefore, white flour products are not suitable for female athletes' nutrition. Because these cause the blood sugar level to rise rapidly and then fall again at a similar rate.
Good carbohydrates are found in:
- green vegetables like spinach and broccoli
- Fruit like bananas, grapes or mango
- Whole grain products such as pasta and bread as well as brown rice
- Bulgur, millet and pseudograins such as amaranth and quinoa
- oatmeal
- Lentils and beans
- potatoes
- soy products
Fats
How quickly do women build muscle? How many fats can I consume? According to a joint study from Norway and the USA, intake should be moderate.
This means that the fat calories should correspond to the daily calories from the protein intake. Since fat has nine calories per gram and protein only four, there are about half as many fats on the daily menu as proteins.
Only minimal intake of the so-called saturated fatty acids contained in butter or lard should occur. It would be better to consume polyunsaturated fatty acids such as those found in olive oil, safflower oil and chia seeds.
Also important for athletes: a sufficient supply of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They are found in abundance in avocados, linseed oil and fatty sea fish.
Step by step to a defined body - conclusion
How quickly women build muscle depends on many different factors. In addition to targeted training, a suitable diet and sufficient rest, disposition also plays a role.
In any case, building muscle is a goal in which you can repeatedly celebrate stage victories through continuous work.
If the results of a Brazilian-Italian study are extrapolated, you could build muscle and gain around 5 kg of mass after a year of training.
After another year it would be an additional 3 kg - after that it depends on when your personal limit, determined by your genes, is reached.
