Female vs Male Athletes

We always seem to hear about men being stronger and faster than women, and women having more endurance than men, and so on.  I don't know, watching some of these female athletes in today's sports makes me wonder.  I wonder if the female athlete is developing into a truly formidable competitor that can stand her own against any man.  It would be interesting to compare female athletic ability across generations to see what gains have been made.  But even if gains have been made, it seems that there are some physical differences between men and women that make that type of competition a real uphill battle for a woman.  At least according to this article, men really are generally stronger and faster.  They're built that way, and that's the way that goes.  This particular article doesn't mention anything about endurance, but it does give women credit for being more flexible.  Perhaps as time goes on and more and more women enter the competitive athletic arena, perhaps then there will be increased potential for true competition between the sexes.  I guess time will tell.



http://www.livestrong.com/article/347443-athletic-differences-between-men-women/

How Do Men and Women Differ Athletically?

Last Updated: Feb 08, 2014 | By Lexa W. Lee

Athletic differences between men and women have much to do with innate characteristics determined by genetics and hormones. These include height, weight, muscle mass, body fat and aerobic capacity. As a group, women do not run, jump or swim as fast as men. Women are also more prone to certain types of athletic injuries than men.

Estrogen

Due to higher estrogen levels, women have more body fat than men. The leanest female athletes, such as top marathon runners, have body fat of approximately 8 percent, compared with 4 percent for their male counterparts. In addition, women's bodies are less muscular, but their joints are more flexible, which gives them greater range of motion -- an advantage in sports such as gymnastics. The wider female pelvis also affects the alignment and movement of the extremities. Men have higher levels of testosterone, which gives them a performance advantage in other ways.

Testosterone

Testosterone enables men to develop larger skeletal muscles as well as larger hearts. Men also have a larger proportion of Type 2 muscle fibers, which generate power, strength and speed. Testosterone also increases the production of red blood cells, which absorb oxygen, giving men an even greater aerobic advantage, reports "New York Times" writer Gina Kolata, in an interview with Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, an exercise researcher at McMaster University in Ontario.

Injuries

Women are more prone to injuring joints such as the shoulders and knees. Weaker shoulder muscles and looser supporting tissues mean the joint is less stable than in men, reports writer Michael Lasalandra, in an interview with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center sports medicine physician Bridget Quinn. Also, the injury rate to the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, a major knee ligament, is significantly higher in female than in male athletes. By proper training and strengthening of supporting muscles, women can prevent such injuries.

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