Sex difference in muscular strength in equally-trained men and women.

Abstract

Although the magnitude of the sex difference in muscular strength is well documented, the extent to which it reflects long-term behavioural differences in physical activity compared to innate biological differences in muscle mass or neuromuscular function is unclear. The purposes of this study were to determine: (1) the magnitude of the sex difference in upper- and lower-body strength in groups of men and women with similar backgrounds of physical activity and (2) the extent to which the difference in strength could be explained by indices of muscle size. Maximum curl, bench press, handgrip, leg press and leg extension strengths; fat-free weight (FFW); and upper-arm, forearm and thigh fat-free cross-sectional areas (FFCSA) were measured on 24 male and 25 female swimmers and 23 male and 25 female non-athletes, 15-28 years of age. Sex differences in absolute strength for both groups were typically smaller than those previously reported. Sex differences in absolute strength were generally smaller for the swi...