[jdm022]

Fair points brought up by all.  But "near contest shape" could be eliminated from the statement.  Female Bodybuilders in non-contest, off-season shape are easily stronger than most non-bodybuilding men.

If a Female Bodybuilder competes at about 150lbs.  She is usually 20 to 30 pounds heavier in off-season and can push a lot of weight.  At this point, they are at their Strongest and way stronger than most men.

;D

[cpbell0033944]

Female Bodybuilders in non-contest, off-season shape are easily stronger than most non-bodybuilding men.

Very much so – that's just one of the brilliant things about ladies of iron!

[The Muffin man]

I don't doubt that jdm022's numbers are about right, what I doubt is the conclusion.  Many limb movements rely on leverage to multiply the force exerted by the muscle.  Thus strength is often partly dependent on bone length.

On top of that, while working out makes the muscles stronger, bodybuilders aren't going for STRENGTH. They are going for size, definition, symmetry…
In fact, I read somewhere that a bodybuilder is at their WEAKEST during contest time, since they are basically starving themselves to make the muscles show through.

Meanwhile, in the off-season, they are not worrying about eating something that will "mask" their hard work. They are worried about properly fueling their muscles.

[rob000]

A professional bodybuilder can carry as much as 60 – 65% of their bodywieght as muscle.

Can you provide a citation?  It seems quite likely (and much more plausible) that a statistic like that applies only to the upper echelon of male bodybuilding.

[jdm022]

Can you provide a citation?  It seems quite likely (and much more plausible) that a statistic like that applies only to the upper echelon of male bodybuilding.

rob000, i provided what math, science and reasoning are necessary earlier in this post to believe that Sharon Marvel was close to 60% muscle at certain points in her bodybuilding career.

Yes, the muscle mass numbers seem more atune to male bodybuilders, but Kim Chizevsky was so muscular at one point in her career that she probably met or aproached 60 – 65 % as well. 

What's needed are 1. non-bodybuilding weight, 2. bodyuilding weight, 3. approximate fat percentage.  With those thre numbers, we can make an approximation.

[iri1001]

I don't doubt that jdm022's numbers are about right, what I doubt is the conclusion.  Many limb movements rely on leverage to multiply the force exerted by the muscle.  Thus strength is often partly dependent on bone length.

Perhaps, but it's still more complicated than that, is it not?  In powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, for instance, it seems that competitors often tend towards shortness (relative to mass).

I'm light years from being an expert on this, but don't other types of leverage also apply, such as muscle attachment points on the bones?  Seems that for certain types of motion, bone length can actually work against someone.  Maybe it depends on the specific motion/exercise being talked about.

[cpbell0033944]

I'm light years from being an expert on this, but don't other types of leverage also apply, such as muscle attachment points on the bones?  Seems that for certain types of motion, bone length can actually work against someone.  Maybe it depends on the specific motion/exercise being talked about.

Yes, dear newcomer (welcome BTW) – that's why I pointed-out that 6'2" man vs. 5'7" womn isn't a fair comparison.

[Mr. Stone]

Being a Sports Medicine "guru" maybe I should chime in. 

All things being equal, a man will always be stronger in terms of "absolute" strength.  Women, however, usually have "proportionate" strength. 

There is also the difference our muscle's makeup.  A man has larger, though less abundant, muscle fibers.  Whereas a woman has smaller muscle fibers, but they are more dense.  Generally, this is why a woman should be able to move herself faster than a male.

[SheMuscleLover]

The biology/science nerd in me is totally geeking-out at this topic.  I love this.

[jdm022]

Glad this topic has envoked such thought…

Lingster and others almost have me convinced that a female bodybuilder who can bench 265 pounds for reps is weaker than me, who can bench 185 for reps, because I'm 3 or 4 inches taller.

Not sure how that makes any sense?  But glad to know that 185 is more than 265!
Pretty embarassed at my college education at this point, hope i can get some money back from my Calculus professor.

;D

[Author]

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