Strong, Not Drained: How to Lift Weights in Sync With Your Cycle
For years, I treated weight training like a one way street - three to four sessions a week, the same split, same weights, same mindset. I believed that consistency meant doing exactly the same thing no matter how I felt.
And while that kind of discipline might work for some people, it didn’t work for me. I’d have weeks where lifting felt effortless and weeks where I could barely get through my warm-up without wanting to cry. The problem wasn’t that I’d suddenly lost motivation — it was that my body was in a completely different hormonal state.
Once I started syncing my strength training to my cycle, everything shifted. I stopped feeling guilty on the lower-energy days, I recovered faster, and I saw way more progress in my lifts.
Why Your Cycle Matters for Strength Training?
Women’s hormones affect more than just mood and cramps. They directly influence strength, recovery, and energy output. Training without considering your cycle is like ignoring the weather - you might still go outside, but you’ll be caught off guard if you don’t dress for the conditions.
Here’s How I Lift in Each Phase…
Menstrual Phase
This is my lowest-energy window, so I either take a full break from heavy lifting or do gentle mobility and Pilates. If I lift at all, it’s very light and slow.
Follicular Phase
Oestrogen starts climbing here, and my energy goes with it. This is when I focus on building — heavier weights, progressive overload, and pushing myself a little harder in the gym.
Ovulation Phase
This is my peak strength moment. I feel confident, powerful, and capable of lifting my heaviest. I’ll schedule my biggest lifts here — squats, deadlifts, overhead presses — and push for PRs if I’m feeling good.
Luteal Phase
Progesterone rises, and I shift towards maintenance. I still lift, but I reduce the load slightly and focus on form, stability, and controlled reps. If I feel extra tired or bloated, I’ll sub in resistance bands or bodyweight work.
The Benefits of Lifting in Sync?
Better recovery between sessions
More consistent progress without burnout
Reduced risk of injury (especially in the luteal and menstrual phases)
A deeper connection with your body and its natural rhythms
If you’ve been pushing yourself to train the same way every week and feeling drained, try adjusting your program to match your cycle. You might be surprised how much stronger you feel — physically and mentally.
This is exactly how I design strength-based Pilates classes inside Sync with Georgia — so your training adapts to you, not the other way around.
Love Georgia xxx