Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training: Gender Differences?
Does gender make a difference?
Systematic review shows need to include more female athletes in studies.
Some sports require maximal strength and endurance, but simultaneous training for improved endurance and maximal strength (aka concurrent training) can create suboptimal results in both categories. Researchers from two institutions in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, found that gender-based differences from concurrent training can occur; lower-body strength adaptations were blunted among men, but not women. Investigators reviewed data from 59 studies on other parameters like strength, power, muscle hypertrophy and maximal oxygen consumption. No gender differences were found in upper-body strength changes or VO2max. Muscle hypertrophy data was inconclusive.
Study authors recommend more studies on females and highly strength-trained and endurance-trained athletes.
The review of studies is published in Sports Medicine.
References
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
