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Being a woman is hard.

On top of all your normal jobs and responsibilities, you’ve also got to deal with the pressure of looking a certain way, having Mother Nature pay you a visit every month, and creepy guys sliding in your DMs all day.

It’s no surprise you just want to hit the gym and relieve some stress!

But unfortunately, many women are taught that they shouldn’t lift weights and have pathetic muscle building ability.

That is not the case at all.

Women actually have several natural strengths when it comes to lifting and with the right approach and consistency can sculpt their body into the body of a goddess.

In fact, research has shown time and time again that based on their starting point, women can make just as good of results as men in the gym.

Women can make just as good of gains in the gym as men, relative to their starting point. Share on X

With that in mind, today I’ll be showing you how women can use a common feminine ‘downfall’ as one of their greatest assets in becoming lean, sexy, and mighty:

The menstrual cycle.

The Menstrual Cycle: A Primer

Over a period of 28 days on average, women pass along what’s known as the menstrual cycle, from the Latin “mensis” (month) & Greek “mene” (moon), referring to the time interval across which it takes place.

Without going into too much detail, the menstrual cycle is the normal process whereby Mother Nature prepares a woman’s body for the possibility of pregnancy.

Over the course of this period, a lot of major shifts take place within a woman’s body, and as a result, the menstrual cycle can be divided into various events and phases:

• Menstruation (day 0; lasts 2-7 days)
• Follicular Phase (days 1-14)
• Ovulation (day 14)
• Luteal Phase (days 14-28)

We’ll get into the practical aspects later when we talk about how to change your training around the menstrual cycle for muscle growth.

For now, let’s take a closer look at what’s going on & the impact that has.

Menstrual Cycle & Hormones

Over the course of her menstrual cycle, the hormones within a woman’s body rise and fall like a rollercoaster.

Estrogen and progesterone rise and fall the most, with estrogen peaking just before ovulation and progesterone laying low before surging during the luteal phase.

And even though testosterone gets all the fame for its muscle-building effects, estrogen has benefits for muscle growth too. Estrogen has anabolic effects and has a role in mitigating the muscle damage you get from lifting.

Testosterone stays at a more steady level during the menstrual cycle with a slight rise at the end of the follicular phase and at ovulation.

Hormones no doubt have an effect on our bodies, and these shifts form the basis for the rest of our discussion on the menstrual cycle for muscle growth and constructing the physique.

Birth Control and Hormones During the Menstrual Cycle:

Oral contraceptives affect the natural hormonal shifts that take place during the menstrual cycle, so if you take them, most of this article doesn’t really matter for you.

Now let’s look at what the research has to say about women lifting weights differently over their menstrual cycle:

The Research on the Menstrual Cycle and Lifting Weights

Wouldn’t you think that scientific researchers would take the time to stop trying to figure out where the aliens are at or why America is so damn fat and instead question whether or not muscle growth is affected by the menstrual cycle?

Well, they have.

And the results are very interesting.

In several studies looking at effects of working out & the menstrual cycle, healthy women with a regular menstrual cycle made better gains in muscle size and strength when putting the majority of their workouts in the FOLLICULAR phase of their menstrual cycle (the period of 1-14 days from the start of menstruation).

Women Make Better Gains with More of Their Training in the Follicular Phase

For example, a 1995 study by Reis et al showed a 32.6% increase of strength in the group who put most of their training in the follicular phase  vs. only a 13.1% in the group who spread their training out normally. Muscle cross-sectional area increases were also greater in the follicular phase group.

Another study by Sung et al looked at changes in size and strength over the course of several months (5 total, 2 of which were controls) and also found better gains in the women performing the bulk of their training in the follicular phase (4x/week per muscle in the follicular phase & 1x/week in the luteal vs. the other way around with most of the training in the luteal phase).

Most recently, Wikstrom-Frisen et al found that after 4 months, a higher follicular phase training frequency (5x/week follicular, 1x luteal) led to better gains in muscle size, power, and strength than the group performing the higher frequency in the luteal phase (1x week follicular, 5x luteal) or a more even split across the menstrual cycle (3x/week the whole cycle).

This adds even more support to the idea of changing your workouts around the menstrual cycle – especially due to the strengths in study design and its relevance to girls who lift.

Take home point?

Women make better gains in size and strength by putting most of their training in the follicular phase (first two weeks) of their menstrual cycle. Share on X

Training Study Limitations

It’s important to remember that all studies have limitations.

For example, the study by Sung et. al used untrained subjects and diet was not controlled, so we can only speculate based on our knowledge of other areas as to what would happen with more trained subjects on a traditional fitness program with proper calories and macronutrient breakdowns.

Also, the impact of higher training volumes, different muscle groups (this study found no major differences between groups when training the biceps), and long term results has yet to be determined fully,

This is an area where more research is needed.

Despite these gaps in the scientific research, evidence-based practice requires a multi-faceted approach (as I’ve outlined in my book, Architect of Aesthetics).

The real world speaks just as well to these results (most of my clients are women – and most compete), strengthening the support for menstrual cycle periodization schemes as a way to further optimize programming – especially in more advanced women.

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For more on my evidence based fitness philosophy, check out my ultimate guide here. 

For personalized online coaching by me to take you to your peak, click here. 

The Research on the Menstrual Cycle and Diet

What about the effects of the menstural cycle on diet and nutrition?

With these hormonal changes occurring, wouldn’t there be an effect?

For sure.

In this review of multiple studies, there was a significantly higher energy intake during the luteal phase of the cycle, indicating an increase of appetite during the last 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle. Energy expenditure increases during this period as well, but as you should know, diet can outdo exercise any day of the week. 

Increases in cravings are observed as well during this period, particularly for sweets, chocolate, and salty foods in general. The evidence is mixed as to whether this is due to desires for more carbs, fats, or a combo. I speculate it’s #3.

Furthermore, these effects seem to be more apparent during PMS, or pre-menstrual syndrome, a phenomenon occurring in the later stages of the luteal phase prior to menstruation which will be discussed further later in the article.

Ignoring these facts would be silly – especially for a fitness diet where specific, controlled diets are used to get optimal results.

You have to calculate this into the optimal program.

Summary of the Research on The Menstrual Cycle for Girls Who Lift

• As shown in the studies above, the follicular phase is best for making gains – AND fat loss during dieting phases due to the frequent increase in appetite and cravings during the luteal phase.
• The luteal phase is no time for starting diets or getting aggressive with caloric deficits. You can still burn fat, but high fiber, filling foods & a careful approach to calories is important here. More general activity and less hard workouts can contribute to the deficit instead if desired. Fruits like berries can be an excellent choice for their sweetness as well.
• If shooting for recomp (muscle gain AND fat loss), the follicular phase is best for gaining & the luteal is best for cutting if you do it right.

How to Change Your Training and Nutrition Across the Menstrual Cycle

With the basics of menstrual cycles and muscle gains out of the way, let’s tie all of this information together to show you how you can use this information to get better results for yourself or your clients.

Like I said earlier, the menstrual cycle can be divided into seperate phases that more or less follow certain time frames:

• Follicular Phase (first two weeks from menstruation)
• Luteal Phase (second two weeks of the cycle after ovulation)

We’ll now take each one by one and discuss their practical implications for attaining an aesthetic female physique.

Follicular Phase

After menstruation begins, women enter into what’s known as the follicular phase.

During this period of roughly 14 days, training volume should be increased. You can increase frequency as a way to do this.

In the studies I addressed, working out 3-5x/week per muscle group was the method used.

In real life, 3-4 workouts of 1-2 exercises per muscle group per week is a good starting point – and volume should be tailored according to training status, nutritional status, and lifestyle factors – both in terms of practicality and stress levels.

Start low, assess, and build.

More volume is better, but only if you can handle it and recover.

Should you lift weights on your period?

Working out can be pushed back by a couple days if lifting on your period is uncomfortable.

This is different for every girl, and you might find that you do best towards the middle/end of the follicular phase and feel your strongest, anyways.

Diet for the Follicular Phase

Lastly, if you’re looking to make gains here, don’t skimp on the calories. This is when you’re a muscle-building machine.

If fat loss is your goal, take advantage of the energy and controlled appetite.

You’ll probably still make gains if you do it right, but if not, at the very least you’ll maintain your muscle.

Luteal Phase

Around 2 weeks after your period, women ovulate and for the next two weeks are in what’s known as the luteal phase. Progesterone rises to a peak & the ratio of estrogen to progesterone isn’t as good.

So here you should REDUCE your training volume, and you can reduce your frequency to pull that off.

1-2 workouts per muscle is just fine depending on how much volume you need, and light weights can be used here, provided you’re still working hard. You can still be active & enjoy some light activity, but don’t add a bunch on for no reason.

Deloads in the Luteal Phase

Due to this, deloads & off weeks from training/active recovery can be best suited for the late luteal phase to properly manage fatigue before hitting it hard in the next cycle of training when women are most sensitive to gains in muscle mass and strength.

On top of that, training can be (and oftentimes MUST be) further reduced when factoring in the next variable of the menstrual cycle for many women: PMS.

Pre-menstrual Syndrome

During that last week of the menstrual cycle as they creep closer to menstruation, many women go through what’s known as PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome).

During PMS, a woman can experience mood swings, body aches, cramps, bloating, cravings/increased appetite, and shooting lightning & laser beams out of her eyes.

This is different from woman to woman, and not all women experience them all, at all, or to the same degree. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that this can have serious implications for diet and training.

How to change your workouts if you have PMS

Therefore, for the last week of the menstrual cycle where a woman may be experiencing PMS, go ahead and taper the training down and build up the dietary budget to allow her to satisfy those cravings and not fear hampering progress.

Like I said earlier, high fiber, filling foods with a little IIFYM mixed in can work like a charm.

If you’re cutting and looking to have a diet break (short periods of maintenance calories), here is a good place to put them before hitting it again in the next phase.

This is key to work with the flow of a woman’s shifts and set her up for success by creating a favorable program that doesn’t have her suffering when she’s most vulnerable.

This is key for sustainable outcomes via adherence and enjoyability.

For Trainers, Coaches, and Clients

Lastly, let’s talk about some further real-world implications.

Clear, open communication, trust, and confidentiality are all important parts of top-notch coaching, so when working with female clients, this is a discussion you should be having.

The menstrual cycle is an integral part of being a woman and brings with it several changes in mood, energy level, and so on that are highly individual.

In addition, you’ve just learned about the potential of altering training to match these shifts, so being on the same page is essential for ensuring you’re maximizing your results.

CLIENTS

If you’re a client being coached, don’t be afraid to bring it up for the reasons listed above.

And if you have a coach who isn’t aware of the implications of the menstrual cycle when training female clients (who can read and knows the value of evidence-based coaching), share this article with them.

Most male coaches have no clue and run around thinking you can train women the same way as men.

You can’t.

Not if you wanna be the best, that is.

Menstrual Cycle Tracking

You should also know by now that tracking is an essential part of fitness success.

It applies to training, nutrition, body composition (weight and fluid retention shifts across the cycle), subjective factors, and for women : their menstrual cycle.

There are several apps out there that make this simple & easy, so find one that you like and track your monthly cycle to get better in tune with things.

On top of that, keep a journal in your notes app, a cloud document, or plain ‘ol pen and paper to write down more subjective factors related to your monthly cycle such as how you feel:

• Mentally
• Physically
• Emotionally

Adding these in to your traditional tracking methods of training, nutrition, and body composition, you’ll be able to identify trends and learn your body on a whole new level.

Responses across the phases of the menstrual differ in women, and some see greater benefits or downfalls during different periods.

Track it for at least 2-3 cycles and see how you’re responding.

Conclusion

In conclusion, girls are from Venus, boys are from Mars. Or something like that.

Women, work with your body – not against it. Try these tactics for menstrual cycles and muscle growth out for yourself and show the world what a lifting woman is capable of.

SHARE this article with fellow female lifters out there…

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For more on all of the principles of building the ultimate physique, check out my latest book: Architect of Aesthetics.

For exclusive 1 on 1 coaching to optimize your training and nutrition, you can reach out to me directly here.