Should Women Train Around Their Cycle?
When it comes to training women in the resistance training space, I’ve spent the last 18 years working hands-on in clinics, physical therapy settings, with athletes, and with individuals who are completely new to strength training.
Every bit of that experience has been 100% in person.
That matters, because it means I’ve had to read people in real time. I’ve had to adjust programming based on what’s actually happening in front of me, not what a chart, trend, or algorithm suggests should be happening.
With a background in sports and exercise science, a master’s degree in kinesiology, and years of continued education focused on women’s health and aging, I’ve made it a priority to stay informed. I’ve gone back to school, studied evolving research, and worked across populations with very different needs, from high-performing athletes to individuals managing chronic pain, fatigue, or major life transitions.
Because of that, I’ve learned to separate what is clinically useful from what is simply well marketed. And there is a lot of well marketed content out there, more than ever.
The Rise of Cycle-Based Training
Right now, one of the biggest trends making its way through the industry is the idea that women should be training strictly around their menstrual cycle phases.
When I started reading about this, I looked back at my own personal experience with competing in jiu jitsu, playing basketball as a teen, and my own workouts. I looked back at all my female clients, and what was being said and what I experienced were not matching up.
So I pulled the data, and Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, who is truly leading the front on this research, helped solidify that disconnect.
On the surface, it sounds thoughtful. It sounds individualized. It gives the impression that we are finally paying attention to women in a space that has long been dominated by men in the weight room and women in group classes.
But when you take a closer look, a lot of what is being pushed is not grounded in strong, long-term clinical evidence.
Instead, it is often simplified into rigid frameworks, packaged into programs, and tied to products and “right phase” training systems.
When Marketing Outpaces Evidence
We are in a time where misinformation spreads like wildfire and marketing often drives the message.
Influencers promote protocols they may not fully understand because they earn a percentage of what they sell. Companies package incomplete data into digestible soundbites because it is easier to market.
The result is that many women are left feeling like they need to constantly adjust, track, and second-guess their bodies in order to train in the “right phase.”
Everything I have built in my career has come from word of mouth, trust, and in-person results. From showing up consistently, building relationships, and helping people get stronger, move better, and feel more capable in their bodies.
Because of that, I have both the ability and the responsibility to stay grounded in what actually works, and skeptical of anything that does not have strong long-term data behind it.
Not because I am resistant to change, but because I have seen what happens when trends outpace evidence.
People overcomplicate things that do not need to be complicated. They become less confident in their own bodies. They rely more on external rules than internal awareness.
What Actually Matters in Training
When it comes to training women, I have always approached it in a way that brings them back to their autonomy.
I never ask about my clients’ cycles or what phase they are in. As someone who competed in jiu jitsu and basketball as a teen, my cycle came along for the ride.
We still compete. We still play. We still lift.
Those questions give me far more useful information than trying to place someone into a predetermined phase.
Adjusting Based on Reality, Not Theory
If a client tells me they are menstruating and experiencing symptoms, whether that is fatigue, poor sleep, low energy, or significant cramping, then we adjust based on that.
We might ease into movement.
We might lower intensity.
We might focus more on mobility, controlled strength work, or simply maintaining consistency without pushing output.
But that adjustment is based on what they are actually experiencing, not what a generalized phase model says they should be feeling.
And the reality is, not every woman experiences her cycle the same way.
Some feel strong and capable during their period. Others feel drained. Some notice no difference at all in performance across the month. Some have irregular cycles, are on hormonal birth control, or are in different stages of life such as perimenopause or postmenopause.
If we try to apply one rigid framework across all of those scenarios, we are going to miss the mark more often than we hit it.
The Body Adapts to Stimulus, Not a Calendar
On the other hand, if a client comes in feeling good, sleeps well, is properly fueled, and is mentally ready to train, then we train.
Because the body adapts to stimulus, not to a calendar.
One of the most important things we can do for women in strength training is not limit their potential based on assumptions.
The Behavioral Side Most People Miss
There is also an important behavioral component to consider.
When we overemphasize cycle-based training without strong individual context, we can unintentionally create hesitation.
Women may start to question whether they should push, whether they are in the right phase to lift heavier, or whether they need to hold back even when they feel capable.
That hesitation matters.
Confidence in training is built through experience. Through showing up, moving, progressing, and learning what your body can do.
If we replace that with constant second-guessing, we take away one of the most powerful aspects of resistance training.
Awareness Without Restriction
This does not mean the menstrual cycle is irrelevant. It means it should be one piece of information, not the entire framework.
Awareness matters. Understanding your body is important.
But awareness should lead to flexibility, not restriction. It should not predetermine your exercise selection or limit your effort before you even start training.
The women I have worked with over nearly two decades do not benefit from being put into a box.
They benefit from:
- Training consistently
- Proper programming
- Smart recovery
- Solid nutrition
- Learning how to adjust based on their own feedback
Those fundamentals drive results far more reliably than any trend.
The Bottom Line
These principles apply across the board, whether someone is an athlete, a busy professional, a new mom, or someone just starting their fitness journey.
That is something I have seen proven over and over again, not on social media, not in a marketing campaign, but in real people, in real time, over years of consistent work.
Because real training is not about following a perfect plan.
It is about responding to the person in front of you, building trust in the process, and creating an environment where strength, both physical and mental, can develop over time.
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