health
Do women need to exercise differently from men
A lot of fitness advice is based on research into people who don’t have periods, give birth or go through menopause. How much of it should be modified – or even thrown out?
TL;DR
- Dr. Stacy Sims proposes that women over 40, particularly those experiencing perimenopause, should adopt different exercise strategies than men, focusing on heavy lifting and polarized cardio (high-intensity intervals or walking).
- Sims argues that mainstream fitness advice, largely based on male physiology, is insufficient for older women, potentially leading to 'skinny fat' and brittle bones.
- Critics, including coaches Laurel Beversdorf and Sarah Court, and fitness coach Elizabeth Davies, suggest Sims' approach is overly prescriptive, potentially harmful, and perpetuates a 'misogynistic playbook' by fragilizing women's bodies.
- The article highlights a significant research gap in exercise science concerning women, with studies showing underrepresentation in research and a focus on male physiology.
- While Sims' work draws attention to this gap, experts like Davies and Beversdorf emphasize that moderate-intensity cardio and strength training with lighter weights, performed to failure, are also effective and well-supported by evidence for women of all ages.
- The debate touches on whether specific female-focused advice is necessary due to physiological differences or as a cultural antidote to past fitness messages that prioritized thinness for women.