Imagine a race between a male and female adult, both of whom are roughly the same age and have the same level of fitness. Whom would you expect to win the race? Who would have the greater endurance to finish the race? The answer is, it depends on the type of race. Most people may argue that the man would win, and they’re most likely right if the race is short. But if the race is long, Professor Brian Dalton and his researchers predict that the woman would win as women have more muscle endurance.
In his study, Dalton had the test subjects bend their feet repeatedly as it closely resembled the movement of walking. After collecting the test results, he and his team concluded that the men were faster and more powerful at the beginning of the experiment but wore down towards end. In contrast, the women were more evenly-paced and fatigued less than the men.
Image Source: Pete Saloutos
Even though Dalton only studied one movement and muscle group, flexing and the calf respectively, he found his findings mirror other studies. Dalton also believes that the results from his study can be used more practically such as modifying workout routines or implementing changes to match energy output in the workplace to maximize efficiency.
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” It’s a classic cliché, but it certainly applies in this case. Just because a male may look larger and stronger than a female, he may not “win all the competitions,” so to speak. Men and women both have their physical advantages and disadvantages, but women tend to have better stamina.
Feature Image Source: “Time to Crash” by Becka Spence
