Special considerations for trans lifters?

[anniemichael]

I'm starting a small coaching business out of my garage gym, and one of the markets I'm interested in working with is the trans community -- folks who might feel unwelcome or unsafe in a large commercial gym environment, but who could really benefit from no-nonsense strength training.

Anyway, my friend (a PCP) mentioned that a colleague of hers, who sees a lot of trans* patients, said that transmen who are actively taking testosterone should do more high volume/low intensity work, because their muscles get stronger faster than their tendons.

This smells like BS to both of us, but I'm curious if there's any research one way or the other out there.

Thanks!

[Austin Baraki]

I wouldn't make any changes to their programming based on this alone.

Those concerns are pretty bro-sciencey, and are commonly heard in the world of anabolic steroid abuse (i.e., when people are taking huge doses of anabolics, far outside of any physiologic range). In that context, there may (or may not) be something to it - I'm not aware of strong evidence on the matter.

But for your clients, I'd program for them pretty much like you would anyone else.

[anniemichael]

That was my hunch. I mean, teenage boys are also swimming in testosterone, so...

Thanks!