What women can teach men about fitness

8 May 2018

There are plenty of gender stereotypes flying around - and it's fair to say that, as is the nature of stereotypes, many of them do have a certain amount of basis in reality. That can hold true in the health and fitness world, too. For example, women tend to be very conscious of what they eat, while men often bark encouragement at each other as they endeavour not to let up with their workout efforts... but what could those men learn from women?

The ability to flex should be kept in flux

Think of a yoga class and you probably immediately picture a large crowd of women all attempting to strike that obscure pose demonstrated by, yes, a female instructor. However, the strengthened flexibility which such classes can bring women shouldn't simply be spurned by men.
Breaking Muscle notes that, while the ability to preserve muscle mass does decline with age, the same cannot necessarily be said of flexibility. It's a case of "use it or lose it"; men who practice the likes of yoga when young can prevent their bodies tightening up by the age of forty.

Exercise can be more effective when taken less seriously

Zumba is another fitness activity that tends to be strongly associated with women. However, men who see women taking part in Zumba might soon see why they should consider giving it a try, too. Zumba is, quite simply, fun. It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement as the salsa music plays - and that's probably better than what can be said for trying to repeatedly punch a heavy bag or manage "one more rep". Notice yourself giving up at either? It's probably boredom setting in. However, if you genuinely enjoy a particular activity, you are likelier to continue doing it.

Pilates can nicely complement those six-pack abs

A six-pack might be the holy grail for a lot of men who work out; however, having one doesn't strictly indicate that a man has a strong core. As highlighted by nine.com.au, not properly exercising the core could result in a man too easily picking up injuries to their back or hips. Fortunately, by participating in another typically female pursuit, Pilates, a man can develop their internal stomach muscles which, while supporting the spine, help keep injury risk to a minimum. It's the external muscles that instead provide the visual effect of a six-pack.

Men can feel more empowered when physically stronger

Science says that, however much exercise in which they participate, women cannot match men in strength - and factors such as women's smaller muscle mass and lower testosterone are factors. However, women can still benefit from trying to maximise their physical strength. After all, doing so could help them to not only keep their muscle mass and bones intact but also make themselves feel more empowered. Indeed, men can get the same psychological effect from becoming physically stronger, as noted in an article on the ABC News site. A juicing retreat could help them do that.