There’s a lot of talk about hormones today, especially about how the menstrual cycle can affect our training. Many hear that they’re supposed to feel more tired around their period, swollen beforehand, or less motivated on certain days of the month. But the truth is: it varies enormously from woman to woman.
Some are clearly affected — others hardly at all.
And if you’re like me, someone who doesn’t notice much difference at all? Then you actually don’t need to adapt your training to your menstrual cycle. There’s no point in planning your life around something that doesn’t affect you. I’ve been lucky not to have PMS, mood swings, or limitations during my period, and that’s why I train the same way all year round.
But this article is mainly for you who do feel the hormonal shifts, who notice that your training varies from week to week, who experience PMS or feel more tired in certain phases.
This is to help you understand why — and give you concrete tools for how you can work WITH your body, not against it.
🌸 Female Hormones & Training – How You’re Affected Throughout the Month
The female menstrual cycle consists of four main phases. The hormones that have the biggest impact are:
Estrogen
Progesterone
Testosterone (lower levels than men, but still important)
FSH/LH (regulate ovulation)
Prostaglandins (affect menstrual cramps)
These hormones influence strength, energy, recovery, motivation, and performance.
Here’s a simple and realistic overview:
📆 Phase by Phase
1️⃣ Menstrual Phase (days 1–5)
Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest levels.
How you might feel:
Lower energy
Cramps, fatigue, or inflammation
Reduced motivation
May feel “heavier” or stiff
Training that works well:
Light strength training
Walks
Cozy low-intensity sessions
Mobility & stretching
Bonus:
As your period comes to an end, estrogen begins to rise → many feel an immediate boost in energy.
🌸 The Hormones That Regulate the Menstrual Cycle – and Your Training
The menstrual cycle is controlled by an intricate interaction between the brain, the ovaries, and hormone production. The key hormones are:
Estrogen
Rises during the follicular phase
Enhances muscle building (increases protein synthesis)
Improves motivation (influences dopamine)
Raises pain tolerance
Makes you more endurance-efficient
Positively affects fat metabolism
Progesterone
Rises after ovulation
Can increase body temperature, heart rate, and fatigue
Reduces recovery capacity
Can make you feel swollen or heavy
Increases the breakdown of muscle tissue (catabolic effect)
FSH & LH
Signal ovulation
Brief hormonal peak → influences motivation and energy
Testosterone
Peaks during ovulation
Supports muscle building
Increases explosiveness and strength
Prostaglandins
Released when the uterine lining breaks down
Can cause inflammation and menstrual cramps
Can affect training early in the menstrual phase
How Hormones Affect Strength, Training, and Performance According to Research
There are many studies. The most important things to know:
➡️ Research shows that women generally perform best when estrogen is high (follicular phase + ovulation).
This especially applies to:
Max strength
Explosiveness
Sprinting
Repetitive training
Endurance
➡️ Performance can decrease when progesterone is high (luteal phase).
Common effects include:
Fatigue
Slower recovery
Higher heart rate
Higher body temperature
Reduced motivation
But: research is clear that
individual differences are enormous
. Some notice nothing at all.
Why Some Feel Stronger in Certain Phases and More Tired in Others
1.
Metabolism Changes
In the luteal phase, energy expenditure increases by about
100–300 kcal/day
, according to studies.
This can make you:
hungrier
low on energy if you eat too little
struggle more with performance
2.
Temperature and Heart Rate Increase
Progesterone raises both:
body temperature (0.3–0.5°C)
resting heart rate (5–10 beats)
This makes cardio feel
harder
, even at the same effort level.
3.
Estrogen Protects the Muscles
Estrogen has anti-inflammatory effects → significantly better recovery in the follicular phase.
4.
Progesterone Does the Opposite
It increases catabolism in muscle tissue → muscles recover more slowly.
🌟
Summary – Hormones Are a Superpower (Once You Understand Them)
The female cycle isn’t a limitation — it’s a pattern you
can
use if you feel it benefits you:
🟥 Luteal phase + early period:
→ Take it slower, focus on recovery.
🟩 Follicular phase + ovulation:
→ Go all in. Progress, max strength, heavy leg days.
And if you’re like me, someone who doesn’t experience big differences?
Then it’s completely fine to train as usual — you don’t need to “cycle-sync” anything at all.
No matter how your body works, this knowledge helps you understand it better and stop pushing yourself on the days when your body is simply working harder behind the scenes.
Anna Stålnacke
