How To Approach Strength And Aerobic Training During Your Period.
And Why It Matters.
To be completely honest, as a male fitness coach, understanding how the menstrual cycle impacts training wasn’t something I was taught early on during my training qualifications, or something I paid much attention to. But recently that’s changing, I’m currently taking a women’s coaching course, and what I’ve learned so far has been eye-opening.
I’m not even half way through the course, but I wanted to share a simple, practical guide on how to strength and cardio train during your period (and how to work with your body instead of against it) based on the information I’ve gathered so far.
Week 1: Menstrual Phase (Day 1–5)
This is when your period begins. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest, and your energy might be too. You may also experience cramps, bloating, fatigue, or lower back pain.
Best Training Approach:
Light movement, not a great time for your hardest workouts.
Focus on low-intensity strength work, bodyweight exercises, or light/moderate cardio like walking, cycling, or yoga.
Listen to your body — movement is non negotiable, intensity is.
One study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that women’s perceived exertion was higher during their period, even if actual performance wasn’t significantly affected.
Week 2: Follicular Phase (Day 6–13)
Energy starts to rise, especially as estrogen increases. Strength, mood, and motivation typically get a boost. This is when you feel strongest!
Best Training Approach:
We can push it — your body is primed for higher-intensity strength and cardio.
Great time to progress lifts, do interval training, or take on new challenges.
Recovery is also better during this time.
Research from Umeå University in Sweden showed women experienced increased strength and power gains when training more during the follicular phase vs. the luteal phase.
Week 3: Ovulation (~Day 14–16)
Estrogen peaks, and testosterone also gets a small boost — great for explosive power and confidence.
Best Training Approach:
Excellent time for PR attempts, HIIT, or compound lifts.
Be mindful of form — ligament laxity slightly increases, so injury risk may go up during high-impact moves (especially knees).
ACL injuries are statistically more common around ovulation, especially in sports like football or basketball. For this reason I believe you can go hard, but that it’s very important to focus on good stability and always warming up.
Week 4: Luteal Phase (Day 17–28)
Progesterone rises and then drops off, which can lead to fatigue, mood changes, bloating, and reduced recovery. Some women experience PMS symptoms or find workouts feel tougher.
Best Training Approach:
Opt for moderate strength work, steady-state cardio, or circuit training.
Prioritize sleep, hydration, and lower-volume recovery weeks if needed.
Try more movement, not necessarily harder movement.
One study from Sports Medicine noted reduced time-to-fatigue and recovery during this phase, meaning women may benefit from lighter training or more rest. Again, adjust expectations but don’t stop altogether.
My Thoughts
The thing that’s really stood out while doing my course is that every woman is different — some feel great training hard all cycle long, while others experience major fluctuations. There’s no one-size-fits-all plan. But being cycle-aware could be a game-changer — for both clients and myself. At the end of the day the main principles apply regardless of what you’re going through:
Prioritize Sleep.
Eat nutritious food.
Manage stress.
Move your body.
I’m learning more every week, and I’ll keep sharing it with you as I go. If you have questions or want more guidance around training with your cycle, feel free to reply to this email and I’d be happy to chat, or let you know a little about how we could work together to help you achieve your goals.
Thanks for reading.
Freddie.