Can women gain as much muscle as men?

If you’ve just started working out and are trying to build an ideal physique as a woman, there’s probably one important question on your mind: “can women gain muscle as much as men?”

Today we’re here to answer that question; so, let’s get right into it!

Can women pack on muscle like men do? Short answer: yes. Long answer: it’s a bit more complicated. Women can build muscle, but the process looks a little different, thanks to things like hormones, body composition, and how we’re wired. But don’t worry, we are here to teach you how can women build muscle and talk about all these little differences in female muscle gain VS male.

How is testosterone related to muscle building in women?

Alright, let’s get the big one out of the way: Testosterone.

It has been proven that men naturally produce about 15-20 times more testosterone than women, and since testosterone is one of the primary hormones that promotes muscle growth, men tend to build muscle faster and easier compared to women [1]. But does that mean women can’t bulk up? Absolutely not!

You can also read “Workouts & Nutrition to Increase Testosterone” article to increase your testosterone naturally.

According to a study published by Scientific Reports, there are no specific differences in muscle growth and function produced by resistance training either for upper- nor lower-body muscles in women and men when following the same resistance training programs [2].

But if so, what’s the difference? The answer is time. Men tend to get bigger faster. In other words, building muscle as a woman takes more time and patience.

Do women turn into Hulk from exercise?

Many women are not into becoming bulky and that is why they often stay away from lifting weights. Well, spoiler alert: you’re not going to wake up looking like the Hulk after a few bicep curls!

If you don’t believe me just hear this out!

Women, generally, have a higher body fat percentage and lower muscle mass, so unless you’re eating and training like a bodybuilder and maybe even taking supplements, your muscle gains will be toned and defined but not “massive”. So, if you’re afraid of lifting heavy weights, relax!

Muscle growth in women; How can women build muscle?

The process of women building muscle is absolutely similar to men. Let me break it down (as simply as I can).

You see, when you lift weights, your muscles experience tiny tears (don’t be scared, it happens on a microscopic scale and you wont even notice it). Your body then repairs these tears, and this is how your muscles grow. Now, here’s the fun part: while women and men’s muscles respond similarly to this process, women’s muscles tend to recover faster. This means women can train more frequently without the risk of overtraining.

So not only can women build muscle, but also, they can hit the gym more often without compromising their health.

Can women lift heavy?

One of the first and most important tips for building muscle in women is to forget about the old myth that says lifting heavy is just for men! Throw away those 2 pounds dumbbells right now, if you’re trying to gain muscle.

Women need to lift heavy (yes, heavy!) to see real muscle growth. This means challenging yourself with weights that make the last few reps of each set hard. Trust me. A 2024 study on women, showed that a higher resistance training volume is associated with better improvements in muscle growth and strength [3].

Does cardio ruin what you’ve built?

Let me clear this up. Cardio is great for your heart and burning calories, but if your goal is to gain muscle, cardio isn’t among the best workouts for women to build muscle so don’t overdo it, especially if you’re not eating enough to fuel both your cardio sessions and strength training.

How can women gain muscle with nutrition?

Building muscle isn’t just about what you do in the gym; it’s also about what you eat. Protein provides your body with what it needs to repair and grow muscle tissue. Research suggests that women looking to gain muscle should aim for 1.4 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day [4].

Can women build muscle like men?

Here’s the bottom line: yes, women can gain muscle like men. You might not bulk up in the same way with the same amount of time, but you can absolutely get strong, lean, and muscular with the right workout routine, diet, and consistency.

References

[1] https://www.acsm.org/news-detail/2023/09/29/acsm-releases-expert-consensus-statement-the-biological-basis-of-sex-differences-in-athletic-performance
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8648816/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38090747/
[4] https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8