Should you train according to your cycle? What the science says

"You can build strength in any phase of your cycle." That’s the bold message from recent research (Colenso-Semple et al., 2023 & 2025), which found no consistent advantage to syncing your workouts with the phases of your menstrual cycle. Women are capable of adapting, building strength, and performing—in every phase of the month.

Still, experts like Dr. Stacy Sims point out that hormones like estrogen and progesterone can influence things like energy, recovery, and stress tolerance for some women. It’s not about following strict rules. It’s about tuning in to your body and knowing when to push and when to pause.

You’ve likely already felt it: that natural ebb and flow across your cycle, times you feel strong and focused, and times you feel off or need rest. That’s real. But here’s where it gets tricky: science doesn’t show one-size-fits-all training advice based on your cycle. In fact, the research is mixed. Some studies find subtle changes in performance and recovery, while others find no meaningful differences at all.

This is why the idea of rigid cycle syncing can be problematic. When taken too literally, it might even backfire, encouraging women to skip sessions during certain phases, ultimately disrupting the consistency that’s essential for progress, especially if your goal is building muscle or gaining strength.

Bottom line? The best plan isn’t a universal template. It’s one built on cycle awareness observing your patterns, trusting how you feel, and making training choices that work for you.

Ever notice how some days you feel like you can absolutely crush your workout, and other days, not so much?

What’s going on may have less to do with motivation and more to do with your hormonal rhythm. Understanding your menstrual cycle can help you make smarter choices. Not because one phase is always better than another, but because listening to your body can be powerful.

Harnessing your hormones 

Your hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, play subtle roles in how you feel, recover, and perform. Hormonal changes partly influence pain thresholds, endurance, and even recovery. But the truth is: there’s no one magic workout schedule that fits all women, even though the female body does work differently than a man’s.

Saying "one-size-fits-all" is not helpful. But saying "your body often changes with your hormones" ? That can be empowering.

What does the science really show?

Muscle adaptation study

A 2025 study led by Colenso‑Semple examined muscle protein synthesis in the late follicular (high estrogen) vs. mid-luteal (high progesterone) phases. They found no significant difference in muscle-building signals.

The takeaway: you can build muscle in any phase of your menstrual cycle.

Note: This study only included 12 women and focused solely on muscle adaptation. Other factors, like endurance, mood, recovery, or injury risk, weren't addressed and may still vary across the cycle.

Sims & Heather (2018) highlighted physiological differences across the menstrual cycle, estrogen improves endurance metabolism, while progesterone raises core temp & can increase fatigue in luteal phase. She suggested leveraging low-progesterone phases for intense work and being mindful of recovery when progesterone is high.

Large-scale meta-analysis (Elliott‑Sale et al.)

A review of 78 studies found that low hormone (early follicular) days might show slightly lower performance, but the effect was trivial, and the evidence quality was mostly low. The authors concluded that there is no reliable phase-based training advantage, individual responses varied greatly.

Broad umbrella review (Colenso‑Semple et al., 2023)

This review found no clear benefit of phase-based training for strength, pointing out that many past studies lacked consistent methods and accurate cycle tracking.

So should you cycle‑sync or not?

Short answer: Maybe, but only if it helps you.

Current evidence shows no universal benefit to syncing training with your cycle. However, some women do feel differences in strength, motivation, or recovery across the month. If you notice consistent patterns, adjusting your training accordingly makes sense.

Examples:

• Pushing harder mid-cycle if you feel strongest
• Scaling back before your period if you often feel fatigued or bloated

Dr. Stacy Sims promotes cycle awareness over rigid syncing. She encourages women to track how they feel and adjust training if helpful, but not to follow blanket rules.

That’s not about restriction. It’s about respecting your body.

Updated guidance: what you can trust

Phase-by-phase suggestions: 

Menstrual phase (the days your are bleeding) 
If you feel low energy or cramps, listen to your body. Gentle movement or rest can be supportive, but if you feel capable, go for it. Many women do well lifting during this phase

Follicular phase
Estrogen rises. Some women feel energetic and recover faster, if that's you, it’s a great time for strength or high-intensity workouts. Others feel spot on in luteal it’s highly individual.

Ovulation (most fertile days) 
Estrogen and testosterone peak. Some may feel more social or strong; some studies suggest a slight increase in power or coordination. Still, there's no guarantee this will be your best training day.

Luteal phase  (11-16 days after ovulation)
Progesterone goes up. Some women notice more fatigue, slight temperature changes, or cravings. Ensure adequate carbs and recovery, especially if you typically feel low in this phase.

There’s no need to strictly phase-shift your training every week. Evidence shows hormone shifts minimally impact performance for most women—and strong training and nutrition habits are far more important.

But if you notice patterns: fine-tune to yourself. And if you don’t— keep training, keep progressing, and enjoy the journey.