I have been helping a friend with strength training for some time now. Last fall she read a few online articles on how the period effect the ability to strength train during the different parts of the menstrual cycle. Since then she has more or less surrended to the fact that the last part of the cycle means that strength gains are not possible and that strength training is more or less useless. This means that she puts immense pressure to preform during the first face of the cycle and if that goes bad, it’s best to stay as far away as possible:)
Is there any scientific proof of this? If there is, what should you think about when programing? More volym less intensity during the luteal phase?
If this is all in her head are there any article she can read to sway her because my word won’t be enough.
Thanks for the post. The current literature suggests an individual response to one’s period in the context of performance with no good data showing decrease or increase in performance. In general, it tends to be about the same. A lot of this probably has to do with expectations, mindset, previous experience, etc. I wouldn’t change programming at all, provided it’s already correctly set.
I was afraid it was her mindset (there are some other underlaying issues as well). It’s very hard to convince her once she has made up her mind even if it might be wrong. She lifted fine until she read the articles.
She is not on a program, she mixes a lot of ideas both strength and bodybuilding ideas.
All I have done is to help with her technique and given some pointers in how to lay a plan and try to convince her that to follow a program might work better. She has started to warm up to idea now, specially since I told her I have signed up with you guys:)
I agree that mindset and expectations are big here. If it helps, you can tell her that as woman, I just train according to my program, no matter where I am in my cycle. Now does it sometimes suck? Sure. But I never go into a training session thinking that my cycle is going to affect it, I just go in to train. Also giving up a week of effective training is just not something I am willing to do. And I’ve competed and set PRs in all phases of my cycle too, so…