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This is a really interesting question. At the moment there is very little high-quality scientific evidence to show that ‘phased-based training’ will lead to better outcomes than traditional training. Most research is pointing to the fact that it very much comes down to the individual. Some women are really affected by the phases of their cycle and others are not at all.
I always recommend that my clients track their cycle for a few months and see how it affects them. If they notice that they have more energy in their follicular phase and feel stronger… we can push on then. If during their luteal phase, they are hungrier and more fatigued we will increase their daily calorie consumption a little and pull their training intensity back. Let’s do our own mini experiment on our own bodies and get to know our own individual needs.
Yes, this is my bread and butter – doing our situational best, getting out of the ‘all or nothing’ mentality and focusing on what we can do. In Empowered Movement, I have created my workout programmes so they can be done at home, using minimal equipment and are short but still effective.
Alongside our main training program, we also have a library of ‘exercise snacks’. These are 10-minute workouts that are easy to squeeze in on extra busy days. I always encourage getting out in the fresh air for walks with the baby in the buggy and meeting a pal too.
Attend a women’s health physio if you are experiencing any pelvic floor dysfunction. It is one of the greatest investments in your health you will make and is the only way you will find out what your pelvic floor needs.
Outside of that make sure you are never bracing, breath holding or belting up in training, stay hydrated and avoid constipation, take your time when you are toileting and stop sucking your tummy in.
Strength training is so important for all women but especially for this demographic. After 35 we start to lose muscle mass at a rate of 3% a decade. That begins to change once we go into perimenopause and increases by 10-fold, losing 3% per year.
This loss can be counteracted by doing resistance training two to three times per week and getting enough protein in. Women in perimenopause and menopause should be aiming for 1.5-2g of protein per kilo of body weight. Strength training will also support our skeletal health by helping us maintain and build bone density.
