What is Cycle Syncing and Why People Think It Works

Hormonal Fluctuation

There are four phases in a woman’s menstrual cycle — menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal — and different hormones rise and fall throughout each phase.

For the sake of this article, we’ll focus on estrogen and progesterone:

• Estrogen rises toward ovulation
• Progesterone dominates the luteal phase
• Both are low during menstruation

Estrogen: controls periods, reproductive organs, bone health, and some brain functions.

Progesterone: prepares the body for pregnancy and affects mood and body temperature.

The Theory Behind Cycle Syncing Workouts

Research suggests that estrogen may have anabolic effects on skeletal muscle, plays a role in regulating metabolism, and may enhance muscle activation. Progesterone, on the other hand, can have anti-estrogenic effects.

Because these hormones fluctuate throughout the cycle, the theory is that women should structure their training during their menstrual cycle to “work with their hormones” instead of against them.

And Social Media Took That Idea… and Ran With It

It quickly became a trend.

Influencers saw new content opportunities. Brands saw marketing potential. And some “coaches” saw a chance to sell women a new type of cycle syncing workout program.

(I say “coaches” because I’ve yet to meet a qualified, practicing coach in real life who actually promotes strict cycle syncing. Most would disagree, myself included.)

Typical recommendations look something like:

• Light stretching or mobility during menstruation
• Moderate strength training in the follicular phase
• Heavy lifting and PRs around ovulation
• Pilates or lighter training during the luteal phase

While this is just an example, most cycle syncing workouts follow a similar structure.

The Problem with Cycle Syncing Training

It Makes Progression Much Harder

If you follow strict menstrual cycle training, you’re essentially only pushing hard for 1-2 weeks per month, and pulling back (or avoiding lifting) for the other half. This makes progressive overload (the foundation of getting stronger) much harder to achieve.

Even if you don’t lose significant strength in two weeks, you lose two weeks of potential progress. And when you return, your body often needs a session or two to readjust to lifting; Your nervous system needs to re-adapt, movement patterns need to be re-grooved, loads feel heavier than they should.

By the time you’re back in rhythm, you’re often already nearing the end of your “training window” again.

This is especially problematic for beginners, who need consistent exposure to build technique and muscle.

It Ignores Individual Differences

Every woman is different.

Symptoms like fatigue, cramps, mood changes, and energy levels vary not only between women, but from cycle to cycle. On top of that, not all women have a 28-day cycle. In fact, normal cycles can range from 21 to 35 days and ovulation timing varies.

Applying a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach to training during the menstrual cycle doesn’t reflect this reality.

It Can Become a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

There’s a psychological concept called the nocebo effect, where expecting a negative outcome can lead to experiencing it.

If you’re told:

“This is the phase where you’ll feel weak”

…there’s a good chance you will feel weaker.

Instead of encouraging women to truly listen to their bodies, cycle syncing can create expectations about when you should feel strong or weak.

In reality:

• Some women feel low energy during their period
• Some feel completely normal
• Some even feel stronger

Personally, I’ve hit PRs in every phase of my cycle. I base my strength training on how I feel that day, not what phase I’m in.

What Research Says About Menstrual Cycle Training

A 2023 review — Current Evidence Shows No Influence of Women’s Menstrual Cycle Phase on Acute Strength Performance or Adaptations to Resistance Exercise Training — found that most higher-quality studies show no meaningful difference in strength across cycle phases.

Many studies that do show differences:

• Have small sample sizes
• Use poor methodology
• Assume all women have a 28-day cycle and ovulate at the same time

Even meta-analyses like The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis suggest that while differences may exist, they are very small, inconsistent and not practically meaningful.

When it comes to training during your menstrual cycle, consistency matters far more than trying to perfectly time your workouts.

So What Should You Do Instead?

Listen to Your Body

How’s your energy? Your mood? Your symptoms?

• Feel good and want to push? Go for it
• Feel okay but not 100%? Train, but adjust intensity
• Feel terrible? Rest! That’s valid.

Have a Plan and Stick to It

A structured program removes decision fatigue. You just show up and execute.

If you feel weaker on a given day, just reduce weight, lower reps and focus on having good form.

This allows you to continue progressing in your strength training, even if performance fluctuates slightly.

Mobility work, Pilates, and lighter sessions are great, but they should be part of your regular training plan, not something reserved only for certain phases like the Luteal phase.

In Conclusion

Cycle syncing has become popular, but current research on menstrual cycle training is still inconclusive, with small effects and conflicting findings. This means you don’t need to structure your workouts around your cycle to see progress.

Instead of following rigid cycle syncing workout plans, focus on:

• Consistency
• Progressive overload
• Listening to your body

Don’t let the internet tell you when you’re supposed to feel weak or strong.

Once you start paying attention to how you actually feel, you may realize that you’re capable of training well most of the time, regardless of what phase of your cycle you’re in.

FAQ

Should I train during my period?

Yes, if you feel okay. Training during your period is safe, and you can adjust intensity based on how you feel.

Do hormones affect strength training?

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone may have small effects, but research shows they don’t significantly impact strength performance for most women.

Is cycle syncing necessary?

No. Current evidence does not strongly support structuring training around menstrual cycle phases.

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