Why Women Shouldn't Workout Like Men

It’s not necessarily beneficial for women to workout like men do. This doesn’t mean women aren’t strong or that they physically can’t, it just means other choices may be more ideal. But perhaps it’s important to understand the appeal of these workouts in the first place.

Why Do Some Women Want To Exercise Like Men in the First Place?

Beth Leipholtz is a writer, photographer, and graphic designer who lives in a rural area of Minnesota. She says while there are many gyms in her area, she has found it easy to commit to CrossFit. “With other classes, I didn't feel like I was pushed as an individual or really even known as an athlete,” she explains.

With other classes, I didn't feel like I was pushed as an individual or really even known as an athlete.

Another reason why she likes CrossFit is the structure of the classes. “I walk in each day, and I don't have to make a single decision about the workout. It's all on the board and that's that. I like being told exactly what to do, how long to do it, how heavy to do it, etc.” While she is on to something, structure is easily found in any group fitness class.

I Got HIIT Too Hard

As someone who had had a pretty good spin and Pilates routine for years, last spring I started to crave a change and decided to try high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The male to female ratio at my then-favorite studio was approximately 50:50, but working out with the boys made me feel physically and emotionally stronger. I also loved the energy of the room.

However, one day last May, in the middle of a jump-roping circuit, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back. To avoid feeling weak, I decided to switch it up and do kettlebells. Then, it was time for abs. This sounded great until I realized I was too injured to do a crunch. I involuntarily screamed in pain, absolutely terrifying the person next to me. I left on a stretcher, and later learned that I had fractured my spine.

While I don’t blame the studio for what happened or even the HIIT workout itself, let’s just say I’ve never left a yoga class in an ambulance. It took months to recover. I’m a lot better now, but I’m far more cautious today. Clearly, something was wrong prior to the moment of pain, but something about that HIIT class was the straw that broke the camel’s back. And I don’t want to be a camel again!

Another Reason Why HIIT Might Not Be a Good Idea

While different women have different fitness goals, it’s safe to assume those goals aren’t to look more like a dude. But that’s the big problem with HIIT. The exercises and workouts are targeted to improve the male form more than the female one.

The exercises and workouts are targeted to improve the male form more than the female one.

For example, while women want to tone their arms, men are generally working towards increasing bicep size. The same goes for toning those legs. Burning fat is just a different program than building large muscles. If you don’t want to look like a bodybuilder, don’t exercise like one!

Hormones

Another issue with intense workouts for women is that they can have negative effects on hormones. Excessive exercise can cause the body to stop producing its own energy. This can cause hypothalamic pituitary suppression, which can potentially lead to fibromyalgia. Extreme weight and fat loss can also cause women to lose their periods, which completely throws your hormones out of whack and negatively impacts your fertility.

Extreme weight and fat loss can also cause women to lose their periods.

Best Workouts To Prevent Injuries

Let’s get real — it's possible to injure yourself doing anything. You could trip on a crack walking down the street and break your leg. But some workouts can cause more injuries than others. If you’re prone to injuries, Pilates is a great choice because Joseph Pilates created the program to help rehabilitate injured dancers. It strengthens small muscles throughout your body and especially focuses on your core. These exercises can help to prevent injuries during higher impact workouts. Spinning is also good for the injury-prone because it’s so easy to maintain proper form.

Moderation Is Everything

If you enjoy HIIT workouts, it doesn’t mean you need to stop them completely, but HIIT shouldn’t be the only workout you do. It’s ideal to limit these workouts to once or twice a week. Use extreme caution so you don’t get injured. Mix up your routine with active recovery, or slow it down with deep stretching and yoga.

Closing Thoughts

Exercise is meant to keep us healthy and make us stronger. Let’s be smart about our exercise so it doesn’t end up hurting us!