There are countless myths in the bodybuilding industry, and the bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, with seven Mr. Olympia titles under his name, is known for debunking those myths. Recently, Arnie debunked the myth about the influence of gender on building muscles. Who do you think builds more muscles, men or women? If you don’t know, then let’s find out.

If you thought men built more muscles than women, you might be wrong. In the latest edition of the newsletter of the Austrian Oak, the Arnold’s Pump Club, the Terminator, shared results from new evidence-based research that busted this myth. Let’s delve deeper into the research shared by Arnie.

Do men have more upper-body muscles than women?

“New research suggests that men and women gain muscle equally well,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger. He further shared that a team of 27 scientists worked on men and women between the ages of 18 and 50. The researchers compared the training styles of the people with whom they performed the research. They not only compared their training styles but compared specific gender differences. 

The scientists compared the muscle fibers and body composition of each of the participants. They found out that men have more upper-body muscles than women. “While it’s true that men can gain more total muscle than women, the rate of change in muscle size between genders is similar once you factor out genetic variables that make it possible for men to gain more total muscle,” explains Arnie.

Despite your gender resistance, training has endless benefits for both genders. The Austrian Oak emphasized, “Adding muscle — even just a few pounds — can help you live longer, sleep better, fight against disease, strengthen your heart, and improve how your body processes blood sugar (better insulin resistance).” 

The Terminator concluded by adding that if you want to gain muscle, focus on your diet and what you eat. Or, if you wish to be lean and strong, focus on your training regime and lift weights. It will not be the first time Arnold Schwarzenegger debunks the influence of gender on bodybuilding. Earlier, he revealed the truth about how men and women respond to exercise.

Exercise reduces the 24% risk of mortality in females according to Arnold Schwarzenegger

In the previous edition of Arnie’s newsletter, he focused on the longevity effect exercise has on men and women. He disclosed that women can reduce the mortality risk by 24%, whereas men only showcased a 15% drop. The Austrian Oak wrote, “The scientists found that women need about 140 minutes of low-intensity exercise per week to achieve maximum lifespan benefits. For a similar outcome, men would need to train more than 300 minutes per week.“

Continuing further in the newsletter, the seven-time Mr. Olympia highlighted that physical differences between men and women can make some difference in their fitness. The Austrian Oak concluded by saying, “In general, men have lean muscle, larger hearts, and greater lung capacity, and these differences could be why women appear more responsive to exercise.“

As the seven-time champion, Mr. Olympia broke two of the most common myths in the bodybuilding industry. What are your views on the matter? Do you also used to believe in these myths? Let us know in the comments.