Research
There are at least six hundred different muscles in the human body. It is proven that men and women differ greatly in body composition; men have more muscle mass, and women mostly have more body fat. Both men and women are exposed to adiposity; still, the consequences are different for the sexes. However, it is wrong to state that women take more time and effort to gain muscles than men. Males are good at explosive strength, but females burn fat better and are more sensitive to insulin. One thing I found interesting is that “regardless of the mating context, musculature would have provided ancestral women with cues to how well a given man fulfills each objective” (Durkee et al., 2019). Males and females are identical in how their bodies build muscles during rest. The main differences in body composition between men and women are often associated with the sex-hormone milieu. A research article I found said, “Musculature is sexually dimorphic in humans. The sex difference in musculature is most clear in the upper body. On average, men have 60% greater total muscle mass and 80% more arm muscle than women” (Durkee et al., 2019). At the same time, the female sex steroid hormone estrogen builds muscles and prevents them from breakdown.
Critical thinking
It is essential to know the body to be able to construct it. There are seven types of muscles: triangular, circular, parallel, fusiform, unipennate, bipennate, and multipennate. Saladin K. says: «The word muscle means “little mouse,” and apparently was coined by one of the ancient Greek authorities who thought that skeletal muscles rippling under the skin resembled scurrying mice» (Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function (9th ed.), 2021). This is an important topic for me because muscles occupy almost fifty percent of human body weight and play a significant role in body functioning. Collectively, muscles perform five main functions: stability, control of body openings and passages, thermogenesis (heat production), movement, and glycemic control. It is also essential to know that obesity increases the risk of many diseases, like diabetes, kidney stones, and different cancers. However, society might need to revise their lifestyles knowing that sport can prevent them from horrible diseases and make life a lot better. Men and women have a lot in common, but also have unique and powerful advantages in muscle mass building.
References
Durkee, P. K., Polo, P., Muñoz-Reyes, J. A., Rodríguez-Ruiz, C., Losada-Pérez, M., Fernández-Martínez, A. B., … Pita, M. (2019). Men’s bodily attractiveness: Muscles as fitness indicators. Evolutionary Psychology, 17(2), 147470491985291.
Saladin K. (2021). Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function (9th ed.) McGraw Hill.