Why Menopause Training Needs a Smarter Approach
Training in midlife often feels different. Recovery seems slower, energy dips appear from nowhere and progress sometimes stalls despite doing the same workouts that once delivered results. Science is beginning to explain why and it comes down to more than motivation or age and it’s about hormones, especially oestrogen.
For us as fitness professionals and for those studying advanced pt courses, this is a fascinating area. The way oestrogen interacts with skeletal muscle reveals a lot about how women’s bodies change through the menopausal transition and how trainers can help clients adapt, not just cope.
Recent research by Austin Willard Ricci (2025) at the University of Oregon explored how oestrogen levels influence the control of skeletal muscle. His work examined what happens at the most basic level, inside the muscle fibres themselves, when hormones, fatigue and training history interact. He found that oestrogen suppression reduced phosphorylation of a key regulatory protein known as the regulatory light chain (RLC). That single modification affected something called twitch potentiation, that is the muscle’s ability to generate extra force after a short activation. In simple terms, without oestrogen the muscle’s ability to produce power and recover quickly between contractions dropped.
This finding gives physiological context to what many women experience during and after menopause, such as reduced power, slower recovery and higher fatigue. It also changes how trainers might design programmes for women in this stage of life. Anyone developing skills through a personal trainer course can benefit from understanding how muscle biology shifts with hormonal change, because these insights translate directly into more effective, individualised programming.
Oestrogen’s Role in Muscle Function
Oestrogen is often described as a reproductive hormone, but its influence extends into nearly every system of the body, including skeletal muscle. Inside the muscle cell, oestrogen interacts with receptors that influence protein expression and intracellular signalling. These interactions help regulate strength, repair and fatigue resistance.
At the cellular level, proteins such as Myosin Binding Protein C (MyBP-C) and the Regulatory Light Chain (RLC) act like fine-tuning knobs for muscle contraction. They control how quickly and efficiently muscle fibres shorten and produce force. Ricci’s 2025 dissertation demonstrated that when oestrogen levels drop, these proteins don’t function quite the same. RLC phosphorylation, a process that increases contractile readiness, decreases, meaning muscle fibres become less responsive and less powerful after activation.
Other studies have shown similar hormonal influence on muscle performance. Lowe et al. (2010) reported that oestrogen supports mitochondrial efficiency and antioxidant defence, while Enns and Tiidus (2010) found it helps regulate inflammation and muscle repair. Together, these findings highlight how hormonal balance influences not only strength and power but also recovery and fatigue management.
For us as trainers, this means understanding that hormonal shifts can directly alter how clients respond to exercise intensity, recovery time and volume. The same programme that worked five years ago may now produce fatigue rather than adaptation.
The Muscle Shift After Menopause
As oestrogen production declines, so too does its protective influence on muscle tissue. Research shows clear changes in muscle mass, strength and contractile function during and after menopause. Studies such as Taaffe et al. (2005) found that postmenopausal women who used oestrogen replacement therapy had greater muscle cross-sectional area and strength compared with those who did not. The hormone appears to support both protein synthesis and the muscle’s ability to generate power.
Pöllänen et al. (2010) identified another mechanism. Oestrogen therapy increased activity along the IGF-1 signalling pathway, which plays a major role in muscle repair and growth. When this pathway slows, recovery takes longer and progress becomes harder to maintain. This explains why resistance training outcomes can differ before and after menopause and it’s not because effort decreases, but because the underlying biochemistry changes.
Aging itself compounds the issue. Callahan and Kent-Braun (2011) showed that older adults experience slower muscle contractions and reduced power at higher velocities. This decline becomes more pronounced when oestrogen levels fall. Fatigue also accumulates more quickly and the recovery window between sessions tends to stretch out.
This physiological shift is what many women describe as “feeling weaker” or “slower.” It is not a lack of willpower but a predictable response to hormonal change. For us as personal trainers and exercise professionals studying advanced fitness courses, this understanding is essential when designing programmes for midlife clients.
Programming Strategies for Postmenopausal Clients
Resistance training remains the most effective intervention for preserving strength and independence after menopause. The goal shifts slightly from pure hypertrophy to maintaining contractile quality, coordination and power.
Training two or three times per week with a focus on compound movements delivers strong benefits. Emphasising the concentric phase, lifting with intent and speed, helps counteract the loss of twitch potentiation identified in Ricci’s research. High-velocity, low-load power training can be particularly useful for maintaining the ability to perform everyday tasks that rely on quick muscle activation, such as climbing stairs or catching a fall.
Recovery becomes a central part of the programme. Hormonal changes influence the body’s stress response, making adequate rest, hydration and sleep more important than ever. Trainers should plan longer recovery periods between sessions and consider varying intensity through the week. Tools such as rate of perceived exertion (RPE) or session readiness scales can help gauge fatigue.
Nutrition deserves equal attention. Protein intake of around 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram per day supports muscle repair and maintenance. Spreading this intake evenly through meals helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Nutrients that support connective tissue, such as vitamin C and collagen, become valuable for joint health. Omega-3 fatty acids may assist in reducing inflammation. Postmenopausal women should also monitor vitamin D, calcium and iron levels, all of which influence muscle and bone health.
Motivation and Mindset
The psychological side of training through menopause often goes unspoken. Hormonal fluctuations can affect mood, motivation and self-image. Trainers who understand this landscape can play a powerful role in keeping clients engaged.
Autoregulated training, that is adjusting sessions based on energy and recovery status, works well in this phase of life. Building flexibility into programmes reduces frustration and helps maintain consistency. Communication is also key. Discussing symptoms like fatigue or sleep disruption normalises them and allows training to adapt around real life.
Encouraging clients to track their recovery, mood and perceived energy builds awareness and control. This approach transforms exercise from a fight against changing hormones into a partnership with them. Confidence returns as women learn that their training still works. It just needs to work with their physiology instead of ignoring it.
Practical Summary
Oestrogen is deeply involved in muscle strength, power and recovery. As its levels drop, women experience measurable changes in how their muscles perform and repair. Fatigue increases, twitch potentiation decreases and recovery time extends. None of these are reasons to stop training, they’re reasons to train differently.
Resistance training with an emphasis on power, controlled volume and structured recovery provides the foundation for continued progress. Attention to nutrition and rest completes the picture. Coaches who understand this physiology can help women stay strong, energetic and confident through every stage of life.
Learning about hormonal physiology, muscle regulation and female-specific adaptation within advanced education, such as the Women’s Health & Exercise Specialist & Master Diplomas™, helps professionals translate research into real-world coaching.
Reference
- Ricci, A. W. (2025). Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Mechanics: Chronic Influences on Acute Control. University of Oregon. Click here to review the full research article.
- Lowe, D. A., Baltgalvis, K. A., & Greising, S. M. (2010). Mechanisms behind estrogen’s beneficial effect on muscle strength in females. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 38(2), 61–67. Click here to review the full research article.
- Enns, D. L., & Tiidus, P. M. (2010). The influence of estrogen on skeletal muscle: Sex matters. Sports Medicine, 40(1), 41–58. Click here to review the full research article.
- Taaffe, D. R., Sipilä, S., Cheng, S., Puolakka, J., Toivanen, J., & Suominen, H. (2005). Hormone replacement therapy, muscle composition, and strength in postmenopausal women. Journal of Applied Physiology, 88(2), 662–668. Click here to review the full research article.
- Pöllänen, E., Ronkainen, P. H. A., Suominen, H., Takala, T., Koskinen, S., & Sipilä, S. (2010). Muscle gene expression and hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 131(10), 687–694. Click here to review the full research article.
- Callahan, D. M., & Kent-Braun, J. A. (2011). Effect of age on human muscle performance: Implications for fatigue resistance and recovery. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 39(2), 76–82. Click here to review the full research article.
Menopause Made Manageable with Practical Training & Nutrition for PTs
Discover how to design smarter, more supportive training and nutrition plans for women navigating midlife with the TRAINFITNESS Exercise & Nutrition for Menopause course. This CIMSPA recognised CPD course dives looks at the latest research on hormonal changes, muscle health, metabolism and recovery, giving you the knowledge to help clients stay strong, energised and confident through every stage of menopause. You’ll explore practical exercise programming, evidence-based nutrition strategies and communication techniques that make a real difference to performance and wellbeing. It’s ideal for qualified fitness professionals looking to expand their expertise and offer a more personalised approach to female health.
Exercise & Nutrition for Menopause Course – Distance Study
Coaching Women Across Life Stages, Confidently
Support women’s health with science-based expertise through the TRAINFITNESS Women’s Health & Exercise Specialist & Master Diplomas™. These advanced qualifications explore how hormonal changes, pregnancy, menopause and lifestyle factors influence training, recovery and nutrition, and helps you design smarter, more personalised programmes. In Ricci’s 2025 study on skeletal muscle regulation, oestrogen suppression was shown to reduce muscle power and recovery potential by altering key contractile proteins. Combined with research showing that postmenopausal women lose up to 10% of muscle strength per decade without targeted resistance training, it’s clear that women’s health needs a specialised approach. These Diplomas give you the tools to deliver it, blending cutting-edge physiology, practical coaching skills and applied nutrition to help every client feel strong, capable and supported.
Learn more at train.fitness/personal-training-courses/womens-health-and-exercise
Women’s Health & Exercise Specialist/Master™ – Distance Study, In-Person & Live-Virtual
