Women run maximum-intensity intervals harder than men, new study says

When it comes to running sets of hard intervals, women push harder than men, according to new research.

The study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, took a group of experienced runners and had them run sets of six 4-minute intervals at the highest intensity they could maintain. The women ran at an average of 97 per cent of their maximum heart rate, while the men only mustered an average of 92 per cent.

The men and women rated the workouts at the same degree of difficulty, but the women worked harder.

“These findings support the notion that women may demonstrate improved recovery during high-intensity exercise, as they will self-select intensities resulting in greater cardiovascular strain,” the researchers concluded.