1RM male/female

[5kgLifter]

Came across this thought it may prove an interesting read:

This led me to start thinking about the differences between female and male lifters. The neuromuscular efficiency of a female lifter is lower than a male’s. In other words, her nervous system cannot utilize motor units as well as a males. The neuron will innervate fewer muscle fibers compared to a male; it’s a result of different sex hormones and characteristics. This means that a female is not capable of lifting her true absolute strength — what her muscle fibers are actually capable of — because it’s always limited by the nervous systems ability to innervate muscle fibers (AKA neuromuscular efficiency).


This means that a girl’s 1RM is relatively lower and as a result she can perform multi-rep sets at a higher percentage of her actual max than a guy. If I can press 240, then I might be able to double 228, or 95% of my max. A girl might be able to do as many as five reps with 95% of her max.

Women Stats | 70's Big

[BendtheBar]

This means that a girl’s 1RM is relatively lower and as a result she can perform multi-rep sets at a higher percentage of her actual max than a guy.

I've only trained several females, but each of them are like this. In my limited experience, the projected 1RM based on a 10RM effort is usually 10% ish lower.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I've only trained several females, but each of them are like this. In my limited experience, the projected 1RM based on a 10RM effort is usually 10% ish lower.

I noticed that some of the females that listed their 1RMs and 5RMs said they felt they got on better with the 1RM than with a 5RM etc. But, if it is correct, for say the larger percentage of female lifters because there's always a small element that don't conform to a supposed "standard", it does open some options for training, at least if the female isn't out for PL meets and such but overall strength.

This kind of reminds me of the info that Stu (can't remember his full username) posted, way back, about rep ranges, with an additional rep or set etc, being slightly different for women.

[Fazc]

Rippetoe made the same remark in a couple of his books as well.

[moeheep]

Is this why the girls are killing us guys in the December Deadlift Challange?????

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

This kind of reminds me of the info that Stu (can't remember his full username) posted, way back, about rep ranges, with an additional rep or set etc, being slightly different for women.

I mentioned to Bruteforce this weekend that I would prefer women train 8-15 rather than 5-10. It seems like a more manageable range for progression.

I could be completely wrong, but I think it's easier for most women to add a rep to a 10 rep set as opposed to a 5 rep set.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I mentioned to Bruteforce this weekend that I would prefer women train 8-15 rather than 5-10. It seems like a more manageable range for progression.

I could be completely wrong, but I think it's easier for most women to add a rep to a 10 rep set as opposed to a 5 rep set.

I may give that a shot and see how it goes and I could report back on it; I have a loose set-up scheduled so it won't be much of an issue to try out that rep range; not for overhead though due to the TOS which allows me time duration above strength really annoying but thankfully I sussed that out sometime ago.

[BendtheBar]

Let me know what you think Babsie.

[EliteDreams]

Originally Posted by moeheep

Is this why the girls are killing us guys in the December Deadlift Challange?????

Definitely possible.This is an interesting topic.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by moeheep

Is this why the girls are killing us guys in the December Deadlift Challange?????

Originally Posted by EliteDreams

Definitely possible.This is an interesting topic.

These posts just reminded me of something DW commented on in another thread; I'd mentioned that I find training at 95% of 1RM okay, and given that it's still my 1RM so essentially it affects my body as much as another person's heavier 1RM would for them etc, but he'd suggested that doing heavier loads at 95% for many reps was not doable, as such, because it was too taxing and that around 90% or just below was key...so, it may come down to a female/male thing possibly and not so much relate to the % of the 1RM in relation to the load, given the above and other sources...just a thought.