Male-Female Strength/Wrestling Question

[hikepoet]

Hi, I'm interested in hearing honest opinions/experiences on male versus female strength. As a perhaps below-average strength guy (150 lbs, can bench 70 lbs ten times at most) I've often found women stronger than me, and many have pinned me in friendly wrestles. Wondering if men or women on this list have experiences to share, I'm curious if women often surprise their male friends or mates by being stronger. Thanks, Kevin

 

[fileen]

Hi, I'm interested in hearing honest opinions/experiences on male versus female strength. As a perhaps below-average strength guy (150 lbs, can bench 70 lbs ten times at most) I've often found women stronger than me, and many have pinned me in friendly wrestles. Wondering if men or women on this list have experiences to share, I'm curious if women often surprise their male friends or mates by being stronger. Thanks, Kevin

An ex challenged me to an arm wrestle and I kicked his butt. I gloated about it and he challenged me to a rematch claiming he "let me win" I beat him again. My current boyfriend challenged me to an arm wrestle and it was an absolute joke. I didnt even hold my own for a moment. Hes a larger guy, he doesn't work out but he's built to have a lot of muscle. I think it just depends on who you are and your lifestyle. I work out every day, run 5 Km, swim etc. I am pretty fit. My ex was a stoner and rarely went outside let alone worked out. He was tall and thin and not really built for arm wrestles

 

[BobG]

When my son was wrestling JV, once in a while there would be a girl entered in tournaments. The chance of getting pinned by a girl was something they had to learn to deal with. In fact, it wasn't that unusual to see a girl finish in the top 3 for JV tournaments.

Girls do have a disadvantage strength wise, even when things are balanced by weight classes, so it was very unusual to see a girl do very well at the varsity level (but not unheard of).

Technique, reactions, etc are more important than brute strength, but at a level where all the good wrestlers have excellent technique, the strength started to be a pretty big disadvantage.

 

[Proton Soup]

wrestling women is great foreplay. good times.

 

[mcknia07]

Small girls can hold a lot of unexpected strength. I have been told by several people, I am way stronger than they would have ever guessed. People also seem to think, I'm like a twig or something and will blow away in the wind, lol. It's great to confuse people like that

 

[Monique]

I'm curious if women often surprise their male friends or mates by being stronger. Thanks, Kevin

Yes, I was once challenged to arm wrestle a guy and won

 

[tribdog]

Hikepoet, don't worry. I don't know how old you are, but as you mature you will be stronger than women your size. I've noticed that now that I'm adult I'm quite a bit stronger than a woman who is the same size as me. That doesn't mean I won't let them win a wrestling match.

 

[lisab]

Yes, I was once challenged to arm wrestle a guy and won

When I was in 6th grade, my class had an arm wrestling contest. I beat all the boys in my class except one. Of course, none of them had gone through puberty yet...!

 

[Moonbear]

When I was in 6th grade, my class had an arm wrestling contest. I beat all the boys in my class except one. Of course, none of them had gone through puberty yet...!

Exactly. If you're in that 13 to 15 y.o. age range, there's really a good chance that the girls of equivalent size will be stronger than the boys. Once the boys go through puberty though, and start building more muscle mass, if they are the same size, and similar fitness level (I'm not trying to compare couch potatoes to athletes here), the boys will be stronger than the girls.

As BobG pointed out, though, technique can also play a big role, especially in things like high school sports where there are not only a range of body sizes and pre- vs post-puberty issues, but also a range of skill levels.

One of my friend's sons is on his high school wrestling team, and one of the other schools in the area has a girl on their team. My friend says the girl really does well. The boys hate being beat by a girl (just to quell any concerns that they're going easy on the girl), but it happens to most of them pretty often. My friend thinks it's a good lesson for them to learn early.

 

[Proton Soup]

eh? by 13, most have hit puberty. especially these days when they're making the change even earlier.

in general, tho, at least among people that strength train seriously, men are nearly twice as strong as women on average.

here's one set of tables: http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

 

[Moonbear]

eh? by 13, most have hit puberty. especially these days when they're making the change even earlier.

Girls are hitting puberty earlier, but I don't think boys are. They're more prone to delayed puberty.

 

[fileen]

My boyfriend wrestled in high school. He occasionally challenges me to a wrestling match, but I don't even bother now, I don't stand a chance.. not even for a moment. I distinctly remember when my brother was suddenly larger than me. As the oldest I found it hard to swallow. Luckily he didnt know how big he was until he was old enough to respect his size and strength. I remember getting ready to push him around a bit and thinking... this is a bad idea. Suddenly he was huge and I realized I simply did not have the advantage any more. I wrestle horses every day, they are bigger and stronger than human boys, the difference is the smarts. Horses don't know how big they are or that they are stronger. My brother didnt either and so I had the advantage, once he realized I was puny, it was the end of my days as "woman of the house"

 

[tribdog]

My puberty was extremely delayed. I was probably a junior before it really got going. I still haven't had my first period.

 

[Proton Soup]

Girls are hitting puberty earlier, but I don't think boys are. They're more prone to delayed puberty.

i believe i was about 11 or 12. that's even why we had a jr. high school. grades 6 through 8 (which for me were the ages 11 through 13) were puberty camp. here we were all segregated to pupate in peace, not being a menace to poor 5th graders, nor easy targets for the high school kids.

 

[Proton Soup]

My puberty was extremely delayed. I was probably a junior before it really got going. I still haven't had my first period.

are you really lean or extremely active?

 

[tribdog]

are you really lean or extremely active?

I'm really mean and extremely attractive

 

[gravenewworld]

Men are stronger. It is simple biology. Don't confuse strength for skill though. An individual can be highly skilled in something regardless of sex.

 

[tribdog]

An individual can be highly skilled in something regardless of sex.

even lactating?

 

[Proton Soup]

I'm really mean and extremely attractive

:!)

 

[Moonbear]

Considering that advanced-onset puberty is associated with obesity, I'm still not sure that someone going through early puberty is going to be able to win a wrestling match against normal-weight girls.

 

[tribdog]

I'm skinny, always have been, and went through advanced onset puberty. But I went grey early so I guess that makes up for it.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

There was a girl on the wrestling team at my high school. I never went to a match but always wondered how the guys dealt with groping her while wrestling since she had extremely large breasts.

And I wouldn't be suprized that a female could do well wrestling since with a lower center of gravity they tend to have better balance and they also tend to be more flexible and agile. As Bob points out skill is quite important in ground fighting. I've seen guys in UFC fights that easily out maneuvered guys twice their size once they were on the ground.

 

[tribdog]

I don't care what anyone says. It might be embarrassing to lose to a girl, I'm still not going to be able to treat her the same as I would a boy opponent. I would not be able to stop myself from backing off, especially if the move was painful, I wouldn't wrench quite as hard.

 

[moose]

Hi, I'm interested in hearing honest opinions/experiences on male versus female strength. As a perhaps below-average strength guy (150 lbs, can bench 70 lbs ten times at most) I've often found women stronger than me, and many have pinned me in friendly wrestles. Wondering if men or women on this list have experiences to share, I'm curious if women often surprise their male friends or mates by being stronger. Thanks, Kevin

That hasn't happened since I've taken judo and BJJ for quite a while. Sooo an untrained 300 pound man of muscle can't really pin me, let alone a normal sized woman.

However I have been surprised by how strong some women are.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I don't care what anyone says. It might be embarrassing to lose to a girl, I'm still not going to be able to treat her the same as I would a boy opponent. I would not be able to stop myself from backing off, especially if the move was painful, I wouldn't wrench quite as hard.

I have the same issue. I had a girlfriend who always tried to wrestle me and always won because I never really tried. She would get upset at me about it and tried to goad me by making fun of me for losing to a girl.

 

[Monique]

Exactly. If you're in that 13 to 15 y.o. age range, there's really a good chance that the girls of equivalent size will be stronger than the boys. Once the boys go through puberty though, and start building more muscle mass, if they are the same size, and similar fitness level (I'm not trying to compare couch potatoes to athletes here), the boys will be stronger than the girls.

I was about 18 and had never really arm wrestled before, it can work to your advantage to be the underdog. Now I just cheat when I need to wrestle

 

[tribdog]

Now I just cheat when I need to wrestle

Exactly what are you doing that you actually "need" to wrestle?

 

[CaptainQuasar]

In regards to strength stuff, here is a woman lifting weight equal to her own body weight for fifteen reps:

Quicktime, Windows Media

I don't know how relevant this kind of strength would be to wrestling but even when I was in better shape (weighed less than I do now and did more weightlifting) I would never have come even remotely close to being able to do anything like this.

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[fileen]

I don't care what anyone says. It might be embarrassing to lose to a girl, I'm still not going to be able to treat her the same as I would a boy opponent. I would not be able to stop myself from backing off, especially if the move was painful, I wouldn't wrench quite as hard.

haha and even if you don't wrench or push or pull as hard youll probably still win

 

[tribdog]

I was just brought up to not hurt girls. Well, unless she talks back when I tell her to get me a beer.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The necessity for wrestling comes up a lot in our family, especially on pay day. I used to wrestle in High School, so I know some of the good moves. My wife got her knowledge of wrestling from watching the WWF. I don't watch wrestling on TV so I haven't kept up to date with the new techniques. For instance, bashing your opponent over the head with a chair was not one of the holds I used back in the day, so she has the advantage there. On the other hand, she moves rather slowly. In the time it takes her to set up a piledriver powerslam chokeslam combination, I could have pinned the entire opposing team and a couple of their cheerleaders to boot. Ever the gentleman, I always let her win. Then I let her drive me to the hospital.

 

[LowlyPion]

For instance, bashing your opponent over the head with a chair was not one of the holds I used back in the day, so she has the advantage there.

You're supposed to keep a capsule of blood tucked in your cheek so you can bite down on it and look like you're bleeding. If you actually bleed that's really bad form. Points off for you.

Also don't forget you're supposed to keep a bottle cap tucked in your waist band to bring out and rake across her face whenever the referee is looking away. Always a fan favorite.

 

[Proton Soup]

In regards to strength stuff, here is a woman lifting weight equal to her own body weight for fifteen reps:

Quicktime, Windows Media

I don't know how relevant this kind of strength would be to wrestling but even when I was in better shape (weighed less than I do now and did more weightlifting) I would never have come even remotely close to being able to do anything like this.

⚛​

ha, i can't do that. most i ever did was about half my weight with a sandbag for 5 or 10. if you work your way up to it, though, you will be a beast. it's not simply a butt and legs exercise. forget inflatable balls, this is the ultimate core developer. you will have obliques and abs and serrati from hell.

but in general, stay away from crossfit theology. they push too much randomness instead of focusing on conquering specific exercises like she did.

 

[CaptainQuasar]

ha, i can't do that. most i ever did was about half my weight with a sandbag for 5 or 10. if you work your way up to it, though, you will be a beast. it's not simply a butt and legs exercise. forget inflatable balls, this is the ultimate core developer. you will have obliques and abs and serrati from hell.

but in general, stay away from crossfit theology. they push too much randomness instead of focusing on conquering specific exercises like she did.

I actually don't know what Crossfit is, someone posted that on another board when feats of strength were being discussed. But I'll keep that in mind, thanks for the warning.

⚛​

 

[Proton Soup]

I actually don't know what Crossfit is, someone posted that on another board when feats of strength were being discussed. But I'll keep that in mind, thanks for the warning.

⚛​

it's not all bad, but just do a google for crossfit rhabdo to get an idea of where the craziness can lead.