Do men have stronger legs than women?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the comparative strength of leg muscles between men and women, exploring biological evidence, personal opinions, and various factors influencing strength. Participants engage in a debate regarding absolute strength versus strength normalized for muscle mass, as well as the implications of testosterone levels.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that men have stronger legs than women, citing personal beliefs and anecdotal evidence.
  • Others reference biological studies indicating that while women may have less absolute strength, this difference diminishes when strength is normalized for muscle mass.
  • There is a discussion about the relevance of exercises like squats in measuring leg strength, with some arguing that squats involve other muscle groups and may not solely reflect leg strength.
  • Participants question the criteria for comparison, such as the weight and training history of subjects, and whether specific muscle groups should be considered separately.
  • Testosterone levels are mentioned as a significant factor affecting overall muscle strength, including in the lower body.
  • Some participants express confusion over the definitions and measurements being used in the discussion, indicating a need for clarity in how leg strength is being assessed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether men or women have stronger legs, with multiple competing views and ongoing debate about the factors influencing leg strength.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks clarity on specific definitions and measurement criteria for leg strength, and there are unresolved questions regarding the influence of various factors such as muscle group differentiation and exercise type.

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So many people say that women have stronger legs. Some people say no. What does the biological evidence say? I thought men legs are stronger than women. What do you think? Please be honest.
 
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So, I don't have to be serious as long as I'm honest?
 
arildno said:
So, I don't have to be serious as long as I'm honest?

You could have replied since you knew the answer.
 
Well, I dunno. That's my honest opinion.
 
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arildno said:
So, I don't have to be serious as long as I'm honest?

LOL, I know men are the stronger sex. But which gender has strongest legs?
 
umm this guy has squatted 1200 lbs. which is the world record. http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/video/Mike-Miller-1220Squat.WMV
 
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  • #10
The average male has a larger amount of testosterone in his body that females, which is a big factor to consider here.
 
  • #11
Moridin said:
The average male has a larger amount of testosterone in his body that females, which is a big factor to consider here.

Oh man. Read the thread carefully. I said *lower body* (legs). Not upper body. How many times do I have to say that? Because some people say that women legs are strong than men's which is wrong.
 
  • #12
That is completely irrelevant. Testosterone has an effect on the entire body, even on the lower body.
 
  • #13
hehehaha said:
Oh man. Read the thread carefully. I said *lower body* (legs). Not upper body. How many times do I have to say that? Because some people say that women legs are strong than men's which is wrong.

I'm a little confused why you would ask this question and answer it yourself here.

I mean leg muscles (calves, thighs). What has squat to do with legs? Anyway squat also requires other than your leg like your back.
By strength, I assume that you mean absolute strength. Are you comparing a man and a woman that both have the same weight? Or are you comparing an average sized man and an average sized woman? Is there an age range for your test subjects? How much strength training exercises is in the test subjects' history? etc...

If you don't want to use squats to gauge lower body strength, then what are you going to use?

The squat has a LOT to do with legs (although I agree the back is a major supporting group) so it can DEFINITELY be used to gauge the strength of legs. HOWEVER, the barbell squat is just one of MANY variations of the squat. Other variations of the squat, such as dumbbell squats, have even more to do with legs than the typical barbell squat and less to do with the erector spinae. SO certainly, one could use a variation of the squat to gauge lower body strength.

One could use the leg press to gauge strength, and men can press more here also.

Another point I'd like to bring up is that the lower body is made up of many groups of muscles... the quads, the hamstrings, the calves (the 3 that immediately come to my mind, but there are many others). Is it possible that women have stronger muscles in some groups while weaker muscles in the other groups? I'm not sure.. but I don't think we can lump all those muscles into one group called "lower body" because it is too general.

Are women stronger in stiff-leg deadlifts (it works the hammies), or how about calf raises (works the calves)? I don't know... I don't know how one is defining the test subjects.

My point is... we have to know exactly what you are measuring, and how you are measuring before we can answer your question in a scientific way.

Nonetheless, if one were to have average-sized men and the average-sized women perform exercises that primarily target the lower body, then based on my experience, I would say the men would lift more.
 
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  • #14
Moridin said:
That is completely irrelevant. Testosterone has an effect on the entire body, even on the lower body.

Right, and doing squats shoots testosterone levels much higher than exercises that primarily target just the upper body.
 
  • #15
hehehaha said:
I mean leg muscles (calves, thighs). What has squat to do with legs? Anyway squat also requires other than your leg like your back.
It seems that you are not satisfied with a reply unless they state somehow that women's legs are stronger than a man's. have you even ever done squats? if you are using your a lot of back muscles you have a extremely good chance of seriously injuring yourself because you are not doing them properly.
 
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  • #16
gravenewworld said:
It seems that you are not satisfied with a reply unless they state somehow that women's legs are stronger than a man's.
I agree.

hehehaha, you've gotten your answer. Thread closed.
 

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