Does the Menstrual Cycle Affect Strength Training in Women?
Share
Many women who lift weights or do resistance training wonder if their menstrual cycle affects their performance or muscle gains. Some trainers even suggest planning workouts around your cycle. But does the science support this advice?
A recent scientific review looked at the research behind this idea. Let’s break it down in simple terms.
What the Menstrual Cycle Is
The menstrual cycle usually lasts about 28 days, though it can vary a lot from woman to woman. It has two main phases:
- Follicular phase: Starts on the first day of your period and ends with ovulation. Estrogen levels are higher.
- Luteal phase: Starts after ovulation and lasts until your next period. Progesterone levels rise.
Hormone levels go up and down through these phases. Some believe this could affect strength, recovery, or how your muscles respond to training.
What the Research Looked At
The review analyzed multiple studies and systematic reviews that tested if strength or muscle gains changed depending on menstrual cycle phase. Researchers checked both short-term performance (like lifting strength on a given day) and long-term muscle adaptations (like strength gains after weeks of training).
They focused on studies with naturally menstruating women who weren’t using birth control and had regular cycles.
Key Findings
- No strong link: Most studies found little to no difference in strength performance across the menstrual cycle.
- Tiny effects, if any: Some small studies noticed slightly lower performance during the early follicular phase, but the difference was so small that it likely doesn't matter for most people.
- Muscle soreness might vary: A few studies suggested more soreness and slower recovery in the early phase, but the evidence is not strong or consistent.
- Training in the follicular phase isn't magic: Some early studies claimed training during the follicular phase builds more muscle. But they had flaws like poor tracking of hormone levels and unclear workout timing. More reliable studies have not supported this claim.
Why Results Are Mixed
Many studies had problems like:
- Small sample sizes
- Poor tracking of hormone levels
- Assuming all women have the same 28-day cycle
- Mixing women using birth control with those who are not
Also, hormonal shifts can vary from one woman to another and even from one month to the next. This makes it hard to draw firm conclusions.
What You Should Do
Since current evidence does not support strict cycle-based training, here’s what you can do instead:
- Track how you feel: Some women feel more tired or sore at certain points in their cycle. If that’s you, it’s okay to adjust your workouts. Listen to your body.
- Focus on consistency: Long-term gains come from regular training, not timing it perfectly with your hormones.
- Personalize your plan: Keep notes on how your energy, strength, and recovery change. If patterns show up, adapt accordingly.
- Don’t stress about the cycle: Hormones are one piece of the puzzle. Nutrition, sleep, stress, and motivation also matter a lot.
Final Thoughts
Right now, there’s no strong reason to plan your strength training around your menstrual cycle. Everyone’s body is different, and the science shows that performance and muscle gains don’t change much throughout the month for most women. Instead of overcomplicating your training plan, focus on staying active, eating well, and recovering properly.
As more high-quality research comes out, we may learn more. Until then, train smart, stay consistent, and do what works best for your body.