Menstrual cycle and training: whether your strength changes, whether to train by phase and how to adapt
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Across 78 studies, performance barely changes over the menstrual cycle, and muscle protein synthesis is the same in the follicular and luteal phases. What the evidence says about strength, muscle, contraceptives and training on your period, and how to adjust your routine to your symptoms.
In 2020, a research team reviewed 78 studies on athletic performance across the menstrual cycle. Their conclusion was that performance might drop slightly during the first days of the cycle, the days of your period, but that the effect was trivial and too variable between women to set general rules. They recommended something more useful than any calendar: paying attention to how each woman responds.
In recent years the idea of "training according to your cycle" has become popular, with phases for pushing hard and phases for easing off. Here is what the evidence really says about strength, muscle gain and the menstrual cycle, what happens if you take contraceptives, whether it's a good idea to train on your period and how to adjust your routine to your symptoms without overcomplicating things.
The phases of the menstrual cycle in a few lines
In a typical cycle of about 28 days, the two main hormones, oestrogens and progesterone, rise and fall in a fairly predictable way. The actual length varies a lot between women and between cycles, so the days in the table are only a guide.
| Phase | Approximate days | Oestrogens | Progesterone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early follicular (period) | 1-5 | Low | Low |
| Late follicular | 6-13 | Rise to their peak | Low |
| Ovulation | Around day 14 | Peak and drop | Starts to rise |
| Luteal | 15-28 | Moderate | High, especially mid-phase |
Does strength change across the menstrual cycle?
Very little. The meta-analysis by McNulty and colleagues (2020), with 78 studies, found a trivial effect: performance, both strength and endurance, tended to be slightly lower in the early follicular phase than in the rest of the cycle. The quality of the evidence was rated as low and the differences between studies were large.
Focusing on strength alone, the meta-analysis by Blagrove and colleagues (2020) reviewed 21 studies and compared the early follicular, ovulatory and mid-luteal phases for maximal contraction, isokinetic strength and explosive strength. None of the differences was significant, and all the effects were small or trivial. The authors conclude that strength barely changes with the hormonal fluctuations of the cycle, although they urge caution given the quality of the studies.
Is there a better phase for building muscle?
That's the idea behind "menstrual periodization": concentrating the hardest training in the follicular phase, when oestrogens rise. The review by Kissow and colleagues (2022) gathered some studies pointing in that direction and presented it as a possibility worth investigating.
The most recent evidence doesn't support it. The umbrella review by Colenso-Semple and colleagues (2023), which analysed the available meta-analyses and reviews, found highly variable results and often poor methodology for identifying the phases, and concluded that it is premature to claim that hormonal fluctuations have a meaningful influence on strength or hypertrophy. And in 2025, the same group directly measured muscle protein synthesis in 12 women during six days of training in the late follicular phase and in the mid-luteal phase, with rigorous methods to confirm each phase: synthesis in the trained leg was 1.52% a day in one phase and 1.46% in the other, with no differences by cycle phase.
| Study | What it analysed | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| McNulty and colleagues, 2020 | 78 performance studies | Trivially lower performance in the early follicular phase; individual approach |
| Blagrove and colleagues, 2020 | 21 strength studies | No significant differences between phases |
| Kissow and colleagues, 2022 | Narrative review | Suggests that training more in the follicular phase could be better |
| Colenso-Semple and colleagues, 2023 | Umbrella review | Premature to claim the cycle influences strength or hypertrophy |
| Colenso-Semple and colleagues, 2025 | Muscle protein synthesis in 12 women | No differences between the follicular and luteal phases |
The practical takeaway: you don't need to reorganise your training around your cycle calendar to gain strength and muscle. What works in any phase is the same as always: progressive overload, enough volume and consistency.
Contraceptives and training
The contraceptive pill replaces the natural fluctuations with a constant daily supply of synthetic hormones. The meta-analysis by Elliott-Sale and colleagues (2020), with 42 studies and 590 participants, compared pill users with naturally menstruating women. Average performance might be slightly lower with the pill, but the effect was small, most of the studies were of moderate or low quality and the differences between studies were large. As with the natural cycle, the authors recommend an individual approach.
In practice: taking contraceptives is not a reason to train differently, nor a relevant advantage or disadvantage for building muscle. The decision about contraception belongs with your doctor, not with your routine.
Can you train on your period?
Yes, and it may even help. The Cochrane review by Armour and colleagues (2019), with 12 trials and 854 women with moderate or severe period pain, found that exercise might markedly reduce pain intensity compared with no exercise: about 25 millimetres on a 100-point scale. The quality of the evidence was low and none of the trials used strength training (they involved stretching, yoga, core exercises or aerobic exercise), but it points in a clear direction: moving is not contraindicated and many women find it does them good.
If on a given day pain, tiredness or heavy bleeding make you feel worse, lowering the intensity is a sensible decision, not a failure.
Menstrual cycle and training: how to adapt to your symptoms
Instead of a fixed calendar, adjust each session to how you feel when you arrive. This table sets out simple adjustments for the most common symptoms:
| How you feel | Practical adjustment |
|---|---|
| Normal | Train according to your plan, in any phase |
| Moderate period pain | Keep the session with slightly lighter loads; gentle movement often brings relief |
| Tiredness or poor sleep | Cut one or two sets per exercise and leave more reps in reserve |
| Bloating or digestive discomfort | Swap uncomfortable exercises (for example, ab work) for others for the same muscle group |
| Severe pain or very heavy bleeding | Rest or gentle activity, and see a professional if it happens every month |
A useful tool is to log your cycle for two or three months alongside how you feel and your training loads. If you find a pattern of your own, such as consistently performing worse on the first two days, you can plan lighter or technique-focused sessions on those days. If no pattern shows up, there's no need for your cycle to dictate your training. It's the same self-regulation logic we explain in how to manage fatigue.
When to see a health professional
Exercise is safe and beneficial throughout the whole cycle, but some signs deserve a medical consultation:
- Your period disappears or becomes very irregular when you increase your training or cut back on food. It can indicate that you are eating too little for what you burn, something that affects bone health and performance.
- Very severe period pain that doesn't improve with standard painkillers or stops you from going about your normal life.
- Very heavy bleeding, especially if you notice persistent tiredness, because it can be linked to iron deficiency.
If you're just starting out, you'll find a complete guide in the beginner gym routine for women, and if your goal is to lose fat, in the fat-loss routine. The Progrevia generator builds your plan based on your level and the days you have available, and you can lower the intensity of any session whenever your body asks for it.
- McNulty KL, Elliott-Sale KJ, Dolan E, Swinton PA, Ansdell P, Goodall S, et al. The effects of menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance in eumenorrheic women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2020;50(10):1813-1827.
- Blagrove RC, Bruinvels G, Pedlar CR. Variations in strength-related measures during the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2020;23(12):1220-1227.
- Colenso-Semple LM, D'Souza AC, Elliott-Sale KJ, Phillips SM. Current evidence shows no influence of women's menstrual cycle phase on acute strength performance or adaptations to resistance exercise training. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2023;5:1054542.
- Colenso-Semple LM, McKendry J, Lim C, Atherton PJ, Wilkinson DJ, Smith K, et al. Menstrual cycle phase does not influence muscle protein synthesis or whole-body myofibrillar proteolysis in response to resistance exercise. The Journal of Physiology. 2025;603(5):1109-1121.
- Kissow J, Jacobsen KJ, Gunnarsson TP, Jessen S, Hostrup M. Effects of follicular and luteal phase-based menstrual cycle resistance training on muscle strength and mass. Sports Medicine. 2022;52(12):2813-2819.
- Elliott-Sale KJ, McNulty KL, Ansdell P, Goodall S, Hicks KM, Thomas K, et al. The effects of oral contraceptives on exercise performance in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2020;50(10):1785-1812.
- Armour M, Ee CC, Naidoo D, Ayati Z, Chalmers KJ, Steel KA, et al. Exercise for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019;9:CD004142.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the menstrual cycle affect strength?
Very little. The meta-analysis by Blagrove (2020), with 21 studies, found no significant differences in strength between phases, and the one by McNulty (2020), with 78 studies, only observed a trivial drop in performance in the first days of the cycle.
Is it better to train harder in the follicular phase?
The current evidence doesn't support it. A 2023 umbrella review concluded that it is premature to claim that the cycle influences strength or hypertrophy, and a 2025 study found no differences in muscle protein synthesis between the follicular and luteal phases.
Can I train on my period?
Yes. According to a 2019 Cochrane review, exercise might reduce period pain. If you feel worse on a given day, you can lower the intensity or the volume of the session.
Do contraceptives affect performance in the gym?
The effect seems small. A meta-analysis of 42 studies (Elliott-Sale, 2020) found that average performance might be slightly lower with the pill, with a lot of variation between studies. It's not a reason to change the way you train.
Informational content based on the available scientific evidence: it does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. If you have an injury or a medical condition, or are pregnant, check with one before changing your training or diet.
