Fitness related information has an issue with accuracy. The reason is due to limited knowledge of anatomy and the lack of exercise science based analysis. Personal trainers and fitness experts are at times guilty of spreading myths. Akshay Chopra the founder of Body Mechanics and Mango Herbs. Chopra is a former fighter pilot for the Indian Air Force, who also competes in bodybuilding. Going into personal training he expanded his business in India. Gaining considerable knowledge, Chopra shares it through lectures and videos. What needs to be understood is that those who are knowledgeable or experts can be wrong. Women are often underestimated in terms of athletic prowess and physical capability. Akshay Chopra makes a similar error to a lesser degree. He insisted that women are not capable of building big muscles. Lifting weight will not automatically make women large. However, women can build muscle mass and there are a number of women bodybuilders. A woman would have to be on a specific athletic training program and diet to compete in bodybuilding. This takes a number of years. Chopra does not mention this. “Should Women Lifting Heavy Weights ? Women Can’t Build Big Muscles” appeared on Chopa’s fitness information website W R Stupid. Most of the site has basic advice and one of the texts are medically fact checked. The website asserts ” India’s top health, fitness, and lifestyle website.” Then claims “Let’s correct human stupidities in a more sensible and rational way.” If this were true such an article would not have been published. It has mysteriously been removed. Akshay Chopa is correct that women should lift heavy, but assumes women cannot build a good portion of muscle mass.
Akshay Chopa wrote ” understand women cannot build muscular bulk.” If this were the case muscular hypertrophy would not be seen in women. That would mean a woman could lift and not see a difference in their body. Lifting causes weight loss in women and can build muscle. The degree depends on a number of factors. Genetics are a factor related to how much muscle a person can gain. Myostatin regulates just how large muscles can get. The endogenous regulator also determines the number of muscle fibers and their type classification. The myostatin protein is encoded by the MSTN gene. The MSTN gene is part of the transforming growth factor superfamily. This classification of genes are tasked with regulating the growth of various tissues in the human body. Myostatin is located in the muscles. Have low levels of myostatin enables a person to have larger muscles. Women with low amounts of myostatin can have bigger muscles.
W R Stupid – Many of the general fitness advice websites lack the expertise of exercise physiologists and sports medicine professionals.
A woman with a muscular somatotype prior to training has much greater potential. Sex hormones are a significant factor. Androgens give men a physical advantage of more muscle and strength. However, women can have varying hormone levels. At times certain women can have a greater response to exercise. Greater human growth hormone response in women can contribute to muscular gain. Endocrine response is only one factor related to muscular hypertrophy. Athletic training regimen is another element. A woman would have to be lifting weights as part of a consistent program. Certain number of hours would have to be devoted to exercise. Then followed by days of rest. Lifting has to be done to cause enough microtrauma. During rest, the muscle fibers reinforce themselves and become stronger. Over time, progressive overload will induce muscular hypertrophy. Starting off with smaller weights and moving up to bigger ones is part of the process. Women should not be criticized for lifting smaller weights. All lifters began with smaller weights. Starting off with the largest amount of weight could cause injury.
Men have more muscle to begin with. However, women can benefit from making more muscular gains relative to starting point.
Women lifting small pink weights should not be disparaged as Chopra expresses. Lifting lighter weights at higher repetitions would help develop muscular endurance. Chopra does not mention this benefit. Diet and nutrition are essential in creating a muscular physique. A certain amount of food must be consumed. What has to be excluded from caloric intake is saturated fat and sugar. Meals must be consume at a certain time. Sustenance provides energy for exercise and also maintains muscle mass. Athletic training regimen, diet, genetics, and consistency are all major factors. Endocrine physiology is not the only one.
Women are not going to get too big. This concern does not take into account body size comparisons. Akshay Chopa realizes there is a difference in exercise patterns among the sexes. The reason is related to women are concerned about looking large. The emphasis on slimness could put women at risk of body dysmorphia. At extremes women could develop anorexia nervosa. Understand that women can be various sizes and being bigger should not be seen as negative. Building muscle will not make women wildly exaggerated . The only concern should be gaining an excessive amount of weight. Muscle does not accumulate the same way as adipose tissue. Obesity and being overweight can have serious health consequences.
Compared to a male bodybuilder a female bodybuilders is not extreme. Female bodybuilders can look exaggerated when next to thinner or smaller men. Unlike gain in fat, muscle has an anthropometric limit .
Akshay Chopa then explains ” The moment you ask them to lift heavy weights, instantly they start thinking of women bodybuilders and their extreme muscular physique.” A female bodybuilder’s body is not extreme; it just has significant amounts of muscle. The degree of muscularity varies depending on amount of exercise, genetics, and caloric intake. The reason women do not engage is weightlifting to the same extent relates to body image concerns. Saying a muscular woman is “too big” stigmatizes female athleticism. Chopa then contradicts himself saying ” they will for sure build muscles, but not muscle mass as men do.” An athletically trained male will be more muscular. Thinner men and average ones would not have the muscles of a female bodybuilder. Women can build some muscular bulk.
Akshay Chopa is correct in the position that women should lift heavy. The personal training expert did not mention the number of health benefits. The only health result he mentions is burning fat and managing body composition. Lifting weights can also protect bones. As people age muscle mass reduces. Women could be susceptible to higher rates of osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Weightlifting builds women’s musculoskeletal mass. Building as much as possible early on can be a disease prevention method. Weight gain, high cholesterol , and heart disease are health related concerns related to inactivity. Combine with poor diet health condition can decline. This is why physical activity should be part of a daily routine. As a fitness professional Akshay Chopa should explain this is a simple format. The issue here is the name of the website and mission statement sounds more condescending. The general public may not have a grasp of health science and basic exercise physiology. Most knowledge about health science for the general public either comes from primary or secondary education. Information can either come from a doctor or other medical professionals. It should be no surprise that most would struggle to understand exercise and its applications to human health. Akshay Chopa should take the approach of learning more about women’s health and its applications to fitness. Otherwise his advice is just another like any other general exercise guide website.
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