Women in gyms hear it all the time: lift heavy in some weeks, go lighter in others, depending on your menstrual cycle — because your hormones affect your strength. But is it backed by science?
There's a body of research going back at least 40 years, with scientists asking whether hormonal shifts in women influence strength, fatigue and recovery.
Over time, that research has filtered into gyms and social media, often simplified into rules like "take it easy during your period" or "push hard mid-cycle."
The menstrual cycle is a monthly rhythm of hormones. During the month, two key hormones, estrogen and progesterone, rise and fall, shaping how many women feel, move and recover.
Fitness professionals often divide the cycle into four stages:
Week one: during menstruation, also known as the bleeding phase or "period"
Week two: days leading up to ovulation
Week three: after ovulation
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