The Common Myths about the Genders in the Gym.

One of the biggest marketing ploys in the fitness industry is specialized exercises for men and women. Market research has shown that men and women view their bodies and exercise routines differently and fitness marketers have used this research to perpetuate myths that help them sell products and services. One very common myth that women are told is that if they do strength training, they will bulk up and look too masculine. Men on the other hand have come to believe that focusing on strength training of the arms is all they need in order to have healthy bodies.

The truth is that a properly balanced strength training routine is just as beneficial for men as for women. Women do not have the hormones that men have that would give them a bulked up look. Instead weight training helps women maintain a healthy metabolism while toning and shaping their bodies. Men who follow balanced strength training routines will build healthy muscle. It is important to not focus just on a few key muscles because this will leave other muscles weak. This can lead to injury from too much weight suddenly being put on muscles that are not prepared for it or for the trained muscles to take over the tasks that the untrained muscles usually perform. A very common mistake that people make when core training is to focus only on the abs and to do nothing for the back. This forces the abs to overcompensate for the back muscles which can lead to back injuries.

While the myths around weight lifting scare women away from strength training, misperceptions about cardio can keep men from getting the optimal exercise they need. Many people view cardio as a means to solely lose bulk and since many men want to turn bulk into muscle, they shy away from cardio. There are also many forms of cardio, like aerobics classes, that are viewed as too feminine for men to participate in. Fat does not turn into muscle. If a man only does weight training, he will have a six pack but it will be covered up by all of the fat he has not burned because he refuses to do cardio.

There are many muscular men who run or do aerobics regularly and maintain their muscular physique while there are many females who lift weights regularly who have very feminine shapes. In fact, many Olympic level female weight lifters are extremely lean in appearance and are never mistaken for having the body of a top weight lifter.

Overall, your sex should not dictate what type of exercises you participate in. The human body loses weight best when exercise consists of both cardio and strength and that calories consumed are not more than calories burned.