Gender Differences in Strength

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in upper and lower body strength as a function of lean body weight and the distribution of muscle and subcutaneous fat in the upper and lower limbs. The subjects were 103 physically active men (n = 48) and women (n = 55). The peak torques produced during shoulder flexion (SF) and knee extension (KE) were used as measures of upper body and lower body strength, respectively. Flexed arm girth, thigh girth, triceps skinfold, and thigh skinfold were used to estimate the distribution of muscle and subcutaneous fat in the limbs. Results of the MANOVA revealed that the overall strength of men was significantly greater than that of women. Results of MANCOVA indicated that the SF and KE strength of women and men did not differ significantly when differences in lean body weight, arm girth, thigh girth, triceps skinfold and thigh skinfold were statistically controlled. High levels of SF and KE strength were associated with a high lean body weight and a large arm girth. Results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that for men a substantial portion of the variance in both SF and KE strength was explained by lean body weight alone; whereas strength variations in women were explained more adequately by including limb variables along with lean body weight. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that gender differences in upper and lower body strength are a function of differences in lean body weight and the distribution of muscle and subcutaneous fat in the body segments. Upper body strength is relatively more important than lower body strength in characterizing the gender difference in strength.

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