This document discusses exercise physiology differences between male and female athletes. It notes that while females generally have smaller hearts and lungs than males, limiting aerobic capacity, they have equal ability to improve cardiovascular fitness through training. Females also tend to have less muscle mass than males due to lower testosterone, limiting strength, though training can improve strength proportionately. The document outlines exercises that are beneficial for female athletes and risks of the female athlete triad, involving eating disorders, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis resulting from low body weight and energy availability. It stresses the importance of education on safe nutrition practices to prevent these issues.

1. EXERCISE IN ATHLETIC
WOMEN
Compiled by : MEGHA DEVGAN

2. “PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN
SPORTS ENABLES THEM TO FACE
ADVERSARIES. IT INSTIL
CONFIDENCE IN THEM AND MAKE
THEM HEALTHY AND STRONG”

3. CARDIOVASCULAR DIFFERENCES
• Generally, women have smaller heart, lungs,
blood volume and haemoglobin concentration
(10% lower) than men – this limits aerobic
metabolism.
• Females have the same proportional capacity
as males to improve their cardiovascular
fitness.
• Women have lower VO2max values than male
in general (3l/min vs. 2l/min)
• Female athletes burn more fat when
exercising.

4. STRENGTH DIFFERENCES
• Women tend to have less muscle mass due to lower levels
of testosterone (1/10th of men) – this limits strength and
power.
• Upper body – 40/50% weaker than men.
• Lower body – 30% weaker.
• Females have the same proportional capacity as males to
improve their strength levels through training.
• Relatively - strength differences between males are
females are not too dissimilar when accounting for Lean
body mass relative to strength.
• Male muscle greater capacity for anaerobic metabolism
and producing power
• Female muscle - more resistance to fatigue and recovers
faster (Fulco 1999, Hakkinen 1993, Linnamo 1998)

5. FLEXIBILITY
• Females are more flexible than males
• Greater range of motion in hip and elbow joint (Alter
1996)
• Due to different bone structure, females smaller
tendons, ligaments and muscles allowing greater
potential for flexibility.
• Good for sports like gymnastics, dance, rock
climbing.
• Prevents over reach injuries but can be problems
with joint laxity especially people who are hyper
mobile.

6. EXERCISE AND THE MENSTRUAL
CYCLE
• Awareness of pre-menstrual symptoms
– Personal diary, look for patterns
• Flexibility of training programmes
• Regulation of the menstrual cycle and minimising
symptoms.

7. IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE IN FEMALE
ATHLETES
• Enhances bone remodelling (prevent
osteoporosis)
• Increases joint stability and prevent injury
• Increases functional strength for sports
• Increases lean body mass
• Increases metabolic rate
• Increases self esteem and confidence
• Reduces your dementia risk.

8. CONT….
• Prevents muscle loss.
• Improves digestion.
• Reduces stress, depression and anxiety.
• Enhances mental performance and work
productivity.
• Reduces cancer risk.
• Helps reduce stroke severity.
• Improves your skin.

9. BEST EXERCISES FOR THE
FEMALE ATHLETIC BODY
• INVERTED ROW
Inverted row is a great exercise that works the back,
biceps and even some glutes.
• PUSH UPS
Push-ups work the chest, triceps, shoulders and even the
abs to keep a good push-up position.
• KETTLEBELL SWING
Kettlebell swings are a full body exercise with emphasis
on the back, butt, hamstring and shoulders. Kettlebell
swings burn a crap ton of calories and are great for
conditioning as well as strength.

10. CONT….
• RUN
Sprints are a great way to burn fat, increase
athleticism, condition, build your glutes and
hamstrings
• SQUAT
Squats are one of the best exercises if you
want great athletic legs with muscle.

11. BASICS OF EXERCISE
PHYSIOLOGY
• Exercise is a complex molecular, cellular and systemic physiological stimulus
• With every single bout of exercise, skeletal muscles, heart, brain, vascular tissue,
bone, liver, etc. experience some form of environmental “stress”.
• The type and magnitude of an adaptation or response to exercise thus results from
a sum total of all these contributing factors. Some examples include:
 mechanical, stress/strain
 temperature
 pH
 redox state
 Hormones/growth factors
 calcium

12. THE FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD
Disordered Eating
OsteoporosisAmenorrhoea

13. AMENORRHEA
 Primary: absence of menstruation by the age of 16
 Secondary: absence of 3 or more consecutive cycles after menarche or
less than 6-9 periods annually
 Associated with:
• “Energy drain” – failing to match energy expenditure with
adequate food intake
• High training volumes
• Possible eating disorders
 May lead to osteoporosis and increased cardiac risk if untreated

14. EATING DISORDERS
• ANOREXIA NERVOSA
– State of starvation to
reduce body weight
• BULIMIA
–Pattern of overeating
(binging)
-followed by vomiting
(purging)

15. OSTEOPOROSIS
Major causes:
• Estrogen deficiency due to
amenorrhea
• Inadequate calcium intake due
to eating disorders

16. PREVENTING THE FEMALE ATHLETE
TRIAD
• Pressure to achieve unrealistically low body weight
should be avoided by coaches, parents.
• Out of competition “weigh-ins” should be
discouraged.
• Rules governing sports should be examined, and rules
encouraging excessive leanness should be revised.
• Athletes and coaches should be encouraged to look
for warning signs of eating disorders.

17. CONCLUSION
• All women can participate and gain benefits from sport, just
like men
• Female athletes, like male athletes, come in all shapes and
sizes, and it is possible to find a sport to suit all types
• Education about proper nutrition and safe practices for
women in sport is paramount
THANK YOU !