Many trans men find strength training more accessible as muscle mass increases,
but endurance, flexibility and recovery still require attention.
CAROLINE SAVOIE | East Texas Staff Writer
carosavo@storydustsearch.com
For people with menstrual cycles, whether they’re cisgender women or transgender men, exercise advice has increasingly centered on “cycle syncing” — tailoring workouts to different phases of the menstrual cycle.
Social media posts across all platforms often promise better performance, fewer symptoms or faster gains from adjusting exercise intensity based on hormones. But large-scale data has revealed a more measured conclusion: Hormones influence how exercise feels, but consistency matters more than perfectly timing workouts.
That’s the takeaway from new findings from the Apple Women’s Health Study, paired with growing research on how hormonal fluctuations affect more than reproduction. Hormonal fluctuations also influence energy levels, muscle recovery and cardiovascular function.
Exercise habits don’t dramatically change across the cycle
Researchers analyzing data from more than 110,000 participants, ages 18 to 50, found that people exercised nearly the same amount regardless of where they were in their cycle. Participants logged a median of about 21 minutes of exercise per day during the follicular phase (which includes menstruation and the days leading up to ovulation) compared with 20.9 minutes during the luteal phase, which follows ovulation.
The findings reinforce long-standing medical guidance:
It is safe to exercise during all phases of the menstrual cycle, including during bleeding days. In fact, regular physical activity has been associated with reduced menstrual pain, improved mood, better sleep and lower long-term health risks.
How hormones can change how workouts feel
Hormonal shifts throughout the menstrual cycle affect more than reproduction. They also influence metabolism, muscle function, body temperature and how hard exercise feels. While everyone’s experience is different, many people notice these general patterns:
Menstruation (bleeding days)
- What’s happening: Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are at their lowest levels.
•How it may feel: Lower energy or motivation; increased fatigue or discomfort. - Workout approach: Exercise is safe and can help ease symptoms, but lower-intensity movement may feel better.
- Good options: Walking, gentle cycling, stretching, yoga nidra, restorative or yin yoga.
Follicular phase (after the bleed, before ovulation) - What’s happening: Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone begin to rise.
- How it may feel: Increased energy, motivation and mental focus.
- Workout approach: This phase often feels supportive for building strength and intensity.
- Good options: Strength training, high-intensity cardio, interval training, running, power yoga.
Ovulation - What’s happening: Estrogen and testosterone reach their highest levels.
- How it may feel: Peak energy, stamina and confidence.
- Workout approach: Many people feel more capable of pushing or challenging themselves.
- Good options: Heavier lifts, longer runs, high-intensity workouts, competitive or endurance-based training.
Luteal phase (after ovulation, before the next bleed) - What’s happening: Progesterone becomes the dominant hormone.
- How it may feel: Workouts may feel harder; recovery may take longer.
- Workout approach: Build in more rest, prioritize recovery and adjust intensity as needed.
- Good options: Moderate-intensity strength training, walking, yoga, barre, pilates, mobility work.
What the data doesn’t support
Despite these physiological trends, Apple researchers caution against rigid exercise prescriptions based on cycle phase alone. Cycles vary, symptoms vary and many people have irregular cycles that don’t follow predictable hormonal patterns.
Research participants with irregular cycles exercised for fewer minutes per day on average, which researchers say may reflect underlying conditions, fatigue or pain that can limit movement. In those cases, consulting a healthcare provider can help identify safe, accessible movement options.
Considerations for transgender men on hormones
For transgender men who take testosterone, cycle-based fitness advice calls for more nuance.
Testosterone therapy often suppresses menstruation, but not always completely or immediately. Some trans men continue to experience bleeding, cramping or cyclical symptoms, while others have irregular or unpredictable patterns. Hormonal profiles under testosterone differ significantly from those of cisgender women, and traditional cycle phases may no longer apply.
Testosterone also affects muscle mass, strength potential, recovery time and cardiovascular response to exercise. Many trans men find strength training more accessible as muscle mass increases, but endurance, flexibility and recovery still require attention.
Experts emphasize that transgender men should base workouts on symptoms and performance cues, not assumptions about a “typical” menstrual cycle. Tracking energy levels, soreness, mood, sleep quality and recovery patterns often provides more useful guidance than tracking cycle phases.
Anyone experiencing new pain, dizziness, extreme fatigue or changes after starting hormone therapy should consult a healthcare provider familiar with transgender care and sports medicine.
The bottom line
Hormones can influence how exercise feels, but they don’t need to control whether you move your body. Walking counts. Dancing counts. Yoga counts. Short workouts count.
Whether or not a person chooses to “cycle sync,” the most evidence-based approach is simple: Listen to the animal of the body, adjust intensity when needed and prioritize intuitive movement throughout the cycle.