Running is a sport enjoyed by both men and women. But have you wondered why men can run faster than women? Even if both men and women follow the same diet, the same workout, and the same training session, the speed difference on the track is quite evident. However, this has nothing to do with the strength, you can blame the hormones and body size for this division.
The hormonal factor
The difference is mainly because of the hormones. Before boys and girls hit puberty, their bodies are almost similar. Things begin to change as soon as they step into adolescence. There is a surge of testosterone in men and when they reach adulthood, some men have up to 20 times more testosterone than women.
This hormone is responsible for the growth of the new blood cells in the body and helps to keep bones and muscles strong. As women produce less testosterone, they have less muscle mass as compared to men.
Moreover, women have more estrogen than men due to which they have a higher percentage of body fat than men, which decreases their speed on the track.
Body size
Yes, the body size does have some crucial role to play, when it comes to speed while running. Men's legs have 80 percent more muscles as compared to women's leg. The extra muscles help men to run faster. Apart from this women's lungs and hearts can pump less oxygen as compared to men. This is also responsible for the difference in the running speed.
What about other sports?
Speed is not necessary while playing other sports. Balance, flexible muscle and tendons are some things that help women while playing sports in which running is not required.
