Women get big muscles when they exercise. The male hormone, testosterone, is responsible for muscle bulkiness in males. This hormone is present in women but in quantities one-tenth that of men. Women who have participated in an intense weight training program for several months have shown significant increases in strength. However, their increase in muscle size might be relatively small.
Women benefit significantly from weight-bearing exercise, especially after menopause.
As women and men grow older, there is a tendency for bones to lose calcium. Individuals who experience severe bone loss are said to have osteoporosis. Bones, like muscles, get stronger and thicker the more they are exercised. Many exercises slow down the bone-loss process. These include weight training, walking, and running.