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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Changhyun LimORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Copyright © 2026 by the American College of Sports Medicine. Resistance exercise training (RET) promotes muscle hypertrophy and strength. In females, menstrual cycle (MC)-based fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone have been postulated to influence RET-induced adaptations. It remains unclear whether periodizing RET across the MC (MC phase-based training; MCPBT) provides advantages when rigorous hormonal confirmation and balanced training loads are applied. Aim: – We investigated the influence of MCPBT on muscle hypertrophy and strength in response to RET over three MCs. Methods: – Employing a randomized, unilateral design, twenty-four healthy, eumenorrheic females completed a within-participant resistance training trial across three consecutive MCs (12.2 ± 1.3 weeks; mean ± SD). Each individual’s legs were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: non-exercising control (CON), continuous exercise training (balanced across both MC phases; EX), high-volume in the follicular phase with low volume in the luteal phase (HV-FOL), or the converse (HV-LUT). HV was defined as five sets per exercise twice weekly (≥10 sets·muscle⁻¹·week⁻¹), and low volume comprised one set per exercise twice weekly (≤5 sets·muscle⁻¹·week⁻¹). The primary outcome was thigh lean mass via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Secondary outcomes were vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (VL CSA), leg fat-free mass (FFM) via bioelectrical impedance analysis, one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength and maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results: – All RET conditions produced greater gains than CON for thigh lean mass, VL CSA, FFM, and 1RM strength (all, p < 0.001), with no differences (all, p ≥ 0.17) between any of the training conditions (EX, HV-FOL, and HV-LUT). Conclusions: – MCPBT confers neither hypertrophy nor strength advantages over traditional continuous RET. Training volume-load, not MCPBT, was associated with several adaptations. MC phase-based adjustments in RET could be based on individual preference but are not necessary to achieve muscular adaptations to RET.
Author(s): D'Souza AC, Van Every DW, Bhinder A, Elango S, Lamont GAC, Lees MJ, Lim C, McKendry J, Newbold JP, Naphin C, Rebalka IA, Roxburgh L, Suthaharan A, Wilson BK, Phillips SM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Year: 2026
Pages: Epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 18/05/2026
Acceptance date: 02/04/2026
Date deposited: 23/06/2026
ISSN (print): 0195-9131
ISSN (electronic): 1530-0315
Publisher: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
URL: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000004031
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000004031
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/tkfs-c467
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