In the past, you have discussed the importance of training efficiency for women. What do you mean by that and why is it important or relevant to the female trainee?

Many females I consult with feel it necessary to perform yoga and stretching to increase flexibility, aerobics to reduce body fat, and pilates to improve core strength. Guess what, strength training will do all the above and then some! It's called "killing many birds with one stone" and that is the concept of training efficiency that I discuss. When one has only a limited time to train in any given week, they should use that time wisely.

Also, many females are disillusioned with strength training believing that it will lead to gigantic muscles and a bulky appearance (this condition has been coined "myophobia" by Charles Staley.) Nothing could be further from the truth! It's hard enough for most men to achieve this condition, and yet, females have androgen levels that are up to 30 times less than males (around 10 times less testosterone),

a fewer number of nuclei in their muscle cells as well as fiber composition, biomechanical and structural differences that are not conducive to huge muscles. In my opinion, the muscle magazines are to blame for this illusion ("dis-illusion") and we all know what type of ergogenic aids are necessary to achieve that unnatural effect.

In fact, Staley makes an excellent point on this subject. Ask any woman in her 30's or beyond when she looked the best in life and most likely she'll respond with her late teenage years. Ironically, this is when she had the most muscle! So if it is put in a different perspective then it may be easier to understand. I apologize if I veered off topic, but it seems to be an uphill climb to sell the importance of strength training to females.