Hormonal
There is no evidence supporting the practice of periodizing resistance exercise training for females according to specific phases of the menstrual cycle to promote greater hypertrophic adaptations.
Do not waste time or energy trying to periodize your training based on your menstrual cycle. There is no evidence that training differently in the follicular vs. luteal phase leads to better muscle growth. Stick to a consistent, progressive resistance training program regardless of where you are in your cycle.
Current evidence indicates that menstrual cycle phase does not influence acute strength performance or RET-induced hypertrophic adaptations.
Why this rating
Supported by systematic reviews and mechanistic data, though some variability in menstrual cycle tracking methods exists.
Source
Hormones, Hypertrophy, and Hype: An Evidence-Guided Primer on Endogenous Endocrine Influences on Exercise-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy
Derrick W. Van Every et al. · Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews · 2024
DOI 10.1249/jes.0000000000000346
More from this paper
- Acute postexercise elevations in systemic anabolic hormones (testosterone, growth hormone, IGF-1) are neither necessary nor sufficient to stimulate muscle protein synthesis or drive resistance exercise training-induced hypertrophy.Strong
- Females achieve similar relative increases in muscle mass and strength compared to males following resistance exercise training, despite having significantly lower systemic testosterone concentrations.Strong
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