Does age effect women fighters the same as men?

[Gawd]

I know there have been a few cases where female athletes have been advised to have abortions because its a theory that pregnancy takes to much out of the women's body and finishes an athletes career.

It is rumored that female East german used interupted pregnancies as a PED.

 

[nostradumbass]

Women hit their physical prime at 18. So yes

It's closer to 16.

The reason women tend to look older sooner is because men's skin is like 25% thicker and they have higher collagen density. They lose bone density and muscle mass faster too. Women's physical prime is sooner and much shorter, and that's not even counting having a baby.

 

[europe1]

I know there have been a few cases where female athletes have been advised to have abortions because its a theory that pregnancy takes to much out of the women's body and finishes an athletes career.

Didn't stop Michelle Watson.

 

[kevo1295]

Not impressed with some of the veteran women.

 

[dmtpanic]

Combat sports are for the young, not that there aren't any outliers, but in general, combat sports are for the young.

 

[notafighter86]

longevity in the sport will also depend the on how competitve the sport is. Its easier to stay at the higher level when there aren't as many people challenging you.

 

[WilfordBrimley]

Not to sound like a dick, but I don't see women aging as quickly as the men do in this sport because they don't compete as hard as men do. It can't be that taxing on your body to pretty much just grapple. Fewer KO's and big hits should equate better longevity.

 

[hussar922]

This might be a stupid question but as far as I know the decline is due to testostrone levels dropping, I'm no scientist or anything but I don't think female hormones work the same way. Will women be able to fight successfully for longer than men or am I just a moron?

are you serious?

 

[vancitymma]

I hate being bringing up grammar, but the thread title hurts my brain.

That said, I think it's all relative to when a career is started and how much damage has been taken over the course of it.

 

[null]

"Does age affect women fighters the same as men?"

 

[snizzar]

Women hit their physical prime at 18. So yes

This. Genetically speaking women begin puberty earlier than men and their sexual peak is said to be around late teens to early twenties, as opposed to men who don't reach their sexual prime until late twenties to early thirties.

That's the theory anyway.

 

[hussar922]

Not to sound like a dick, but I don't see women aging as quickly as the men do in this sport because they don't compete as hard as men do. It can't be that taxing on your body to pretty much just grapple. Fewer KO's and big hits should equate better longevity.

they compete just as a hard they just don't hit as hard - they also don't have the mass, denser bone structure or musculature to take a hit like a man so i'd say that evens out - 1st generation female mma fighters have already retired or are well, well past their primes - as far as the grappling is concerned joint/back issues will kill a career just as dead as a declining chin

 

[Free_MMAson]

Men as they get older tend to move on to younger opponents, while women as they get older find it much harder to find another opponent

 

[hussar922]

This. Genetically speaking women begin puberty earlier than men and their sexual peak is said to be around late teens to early twenties, as opposed to men who don't reach their sexual prime until late twenties to early thirties.

That's the theory anyway.

that's not the theory - in fact it's the exact opposite of the theory - the theory, which has been proven wrong, states that men hit their sexual peaks at around 16 to 18 while women don't hit theirs until their 30's

recent science has shown that sexual maturity and ability to perform have little to do with hormone levels so long as they're within normal ranges and more to do with general health and attitude

 

[MCscratchNsniff]

Men as they get older tend to move on to younger opponents, while women as they get older find it much harder to find another opponent

What you did. I see it

 

[Sherm]

I think most fighters get "old" because of wear and tear, not the passage of time. Look at Randy, he didn't start fighting until later, he lasted into his late 40s. Cormier looks pretty fresh as well. Compare them to Shogun.

So like the guy before said, maybe women can last longer because they don't take as many KO's? Also, they are more flexible, so perhaps their joints are more robust. But I do know for a fact that women tend to blow out their ACLs a lot more than men largely because of the width of their hips.

 

[Bad Romance]

Men age like wine, women age like milk.

 

[snizzar]

that's not the theory - in fact it's the exact opposite of the theory - the theory, which has been proven wrong, states that men hit their sexual peaks at around 16 to 18 while women don't hit theirs until their 30's

recent science has shown that sexual maturity and ability to perform have little to do with hormone levels so long as they're within normal ranges and more to do with general health and attitude

Hmm, did a quick search, couldn't find any concrete scientific data, but maybe I was wrong to say "sexual" peak. So you're saying the theory you just stated was proven wrong, or the other way around? Got confused a little.

I should've just said hormone/test levels or maybe physical prime? Or maybe that's completely wrong too. Ha, my mistake.

 

[irollnaked]

I dunno, my aunt is 38 and she stomped out a bunch of snakes in our village back home. Dont look like she slowing down yet so nah.

 

[Polish Punisher]

Judging by how many women look like men by the time they hit 40 I would say they have a major increase in testosterone production. If testosterone is the main factor in athletic performance then it would make sense that women become better athletes with age.

Thats the dumbest thing I've ever read.

Women peak physically by 18. In most Olympic sports, the age of the competitors are of a much younger age on average then the men who are often in their 30's.

There are always exceptions.

Testosterone is what makes male athletes with good genes continue to get physically stronger throughout their 20's and into their 30's without a serious loss in speed.

Women dont have that advantage are they normally get physically weaker. However good strength and conditioning programs can fight that but you are not going to see female fighters in their late 30's/early 40's competing at the top if the sport ever evolves to have an actual talent pool that even closely relates the current talent pool in Men's MMA.