“I don’t want you to train harder; I want you to train smarter—in sync with a body that’s changing week to week.” — Neely, Owner of Sweat Society
My Philosophy at Sweat Society (Why I Train This Way)
I’m Neely, the owner of Sweat Society in Hillcrest, San Diego. I coach women through a holistic, evidence-informed lens that blends strength training, practical nutrition habits, neuro-rehab therapy (NerveOTX/ARPwave), and functional medicine principles. My background in fitness, nutrition, rehab, and behavioral psychology shapes the way I write every program.
Women aren’t small men. Our hormones shift across the month, and that matters. Instead of ignoring these changes, I build programs around them—so you lift when your body is primed, and you recover with intention when it’s asking for more care. The result: more lean muscle, fewer plateaus, and less burnout.
What Cycle-Syncing Means in Strength Training
Cycle-syncing is not about training less. It’s about moving your hardest work to the window where you’ll get the best return, and refining technique, mobility, and accessories when your body wants to downshift. Over time, this creates smoother progress, stronger joints and tendons, and a better relationship with your training.
Menstrual Cycle 101 for Training
Every woman is unique, but here’s a helpful framework.
Follicular Phase (Day 1–Ovulation): Primed to Push
- Why it shines: As estrogen rises, many women notice better mood, higher energy, and improved tolerance for volume and intensity.
- What to do: Favor compound lifts (squat, hinge, push, pull), 3–6 reps for strength and 6–10 for hypertrophy, and let RPE reach 8–9 for top sets if you’re ready.
- Coaching cue: This is your progressive overload zone. Add small load jumps or a rep here and there while keeping form crisp.
Ovulatory Window: Peak Power, Smart Restraint
- Why it shines: Many feel explosive and confident for a few days.
- What to do: Keep top sets heavy, but respect tendons/ligaments—they can be more vulnerable for some. Use perfect setup, tight bracing, and no hero lifts.
- Coaching cue: Use cluster sets or doubles/triples with full rest to showcase power without sloppy grinders.
Luteal Phase (Post-Ovulation–Day 28): Build With Brakes On
- Why it matters: Body temperature, water retention, and PMS can make intensity feel harder. Sleep can wobble.
- What to do: Shift to moderate loads, 8–12 rep ranges, RPE 6–7. Add tempo, pauses, isometrics, and accessory focus to drive stimulus without frying your nervous system.
- Coaching cue: Win with consistency. Keep moving, protect sleep, and let volume do the talking.
Period Week: Options for Deload, Mobility, or Maintenance
- Bleeding days can range from fine to fatiguing.
- Options:
- Deload: reduce load or sets by ~25–40%.
- Mobility + core stability: diaphragmatic breathing, 90/90 hip work, light carries.
- Technique: skill practice on main lifts at RPE 5–6.
- Coaching cue: Training during your period is allowed and often helpful—just adapt the dial.
Programming the Month (Sets, Reps, & RPE by Phase)Strength & Hypertrophy Targets
- Follicular / Ovulatory:
- Main lifts: 3–5 sets, 3–6 reps, RPE 7–9 (top set), long rest (2–3+ min).
- Accessories: 2–4 sets, 6–10 reps, RPE 7–8.
- Luteal / Period (Deload or Technique):
- Main lifts: 3–4 sets, 5–8 reps, RPE 6–7; or reduce sets by 25–40% for deload.
- Accessories: 2–3 sets, 8–12 reps, RPE 6–7; sprinkle in tempo (3–0–3) or paused reps.
Cardio & Conditioning Without Undercutting Gains
- Follicular: short HIIT or prowler pushes 1–2x/week are fine if recovery is in check.
- Luteal: prefer zone-2 cardio (easy nasal-breathing pace) for 20–40 minutes, plus walks.
- Period: brisk walks and gentle mobility can ease cramps and stiffness.
Recovery Levers: Sleep, HRV, Walking, Breathwork
- Non-negotiables: 7–9 hours sleep, post-training walks to clear metabolites, and down-regulation (box breathing, long exhales) in late luteal.
- If you track HRV, use it as a yes/no for intensity, not as identity. Feeling solid beats any metric.
Minerals, Nutrition & Hormone-Aware RecoveryWhy Magnesium, Sodium/Potassium, and Iron Matter
- Magnesium (often glycinate or citrate) supports cramp relief, sleep quality, and muscle relaxation—vital in late luteal.
- Sodium & Potassium help maintain fluid balance and nerve conduction, especially as temperature and water retention shift.
- Iron losses from menstruation can sap energy; pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C, and talk to your clinician before supplementing.
Protein Timing, Carbs, and Cramp-Smart Fueling
- Protein: Aim for 0.7–1.0 g per pound of goal bodyweight spread over 3–5 meals. Anchor each meal with 25–35 g protein and a leucine-rich source (e.g., eggs, dairy, whey, lean meats, tofu).
- Carbs: Don’t fear them—carbs drive training performance and recovery. Cluster more carbs around training in follicular/ovulatory periods and keep steady carbs in luteal to stabilize mood and energy.
- Fats: Keep healthy fats in to support hormones—avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, salmon.
Hydration & Electrolytes by Phase
- Slightly increase fluids mid-cycle and in luteal if you run warm.
- Add electrolytes during longer sessions or hot days (sodium, potassium, magnesium).
- Caffeine is a tool; use it strategically, not as a crutch for under-recovery.
Real-World Templates (Exactly How I’d Map Four Weeks)
These are examples, not prescriptions. I personalize based on your goals, cycle data, sleep, stress, and training history.
Beginner Template (3 Days/Week, Full Body)
Week 1–2 (Follicular/Ovulatory Bias):
- Day A: Goblet Squat 4×6 (RPE 7–8), DB Bench 3×8, Lat Pulldown 3×10, Farmer Carry 3×40m
- Day B: RDL 4×6, Half-Kneeling Press 3×8/side, Seated Row 3×10, Side Plank 3×30–45s
- Day C: Split Squat 3×8/side, Push-Up 3×AMRAP to 1–2 reps in reserve, Hip Thrust 3×10, Pallof Press 3×10
Week 3 (Early–Mid Luteal):
- Keep exercises; shift to RPE 6–7, add tempo on squats (3-sec down), and add a mobility flow 10 minutes post-lift.
Week 4 (Late Luteal/Period):
- Deload: reduce sets by ~30%, maintain form, add breathwork and walking on non-lift days.
Intermediate Template (4 Days/Week, Upper/Lower Split)
Lower 1 (Follicular Power): Back Squat 5×3 (RPE 8), Barbell Hip Thrust 4×6, Leg Curl 3×10, Walking Lunges 2×12/side
Upper 1: Bench Press 5×3 (RPE 8), Chest-Supported Row 4×8, DB Incline 3×10, Face Pulls 3×12
Lower 2 (Hypertrophy): Front Squat 4×6 (RPE 7), RDL 4×8, Leg Press 3×12, Calf Raise 3×12–15
Upper 2: Pull-Ups 4×AMRAP (1–2 RIR), Overhead Press 4×6–8, Single-Arm Row 3×10/side, Triceps/Biceps 2×12
Luteal Adjustments:
- Reduce top-set intensity to RPE 6–7, extend rest, add paused squats and tempo presses, keep volume consistent, keep form sharp.
Postpartum / Returning Athlete Template (3–4 Days/Week)
Focus on pressure management, core/pelvic floor strategies, and gradual load.
- A: Box Squat 3×6 (RPE 6), Elevated Push-Up 3×8, Bridge 3×10, Carries 3×30m
- B: Hip Hinge Dowels/Light RDL 3×8, Half-Kneeling Row 3×10, Step-Up 3×8/side, Dead Bug 3×6/side
- C: Split Squat 3×8/side, DB Floor Press 3×10, Cable Row 3×10, Bird Dog 3×6/side
- Optional D (Mobility/Low-Impact Conditioning): 20–30 min zone-2 walking + pelvic floor/diaphragm breathwork.
Pain, PMS, and Performance: Adjustments That Protect ProgressWhen to Pivot to Isometrics, Partials, and Tempo Work
- If cramps or low energy hit, swap heavy triples for 3×8 at RPE 6–7, or use isometric holds (e.g., wall sits, paused RDLs) to maintain stimulus with less systemic stress.
- Use partials (e.g., top-half presses) to keep tissues loaded without overtaxing your whole system.
- Tempo builds muscle with lighter loads—great in late luteal.
Neuro-Rehab Tools (NerveOTX/ARPwave) to Calm the System
I regularly integrate neuro-rehab strategies (including NerveOTX/ARPwave) to help the nervous system down-regulate, reduce protective tone, and improve movement quality—especially useful when PMS makes everything feel “loud.” This can be the difference between skipping training and getting a productive, confidence-building session.
Special ConsiderationsBirth Control, Irregular Cycles, PCOS, Perimenopause
- On birth control or irregular cycles? Use biofeedback—sleep quality, mood, cravings, motivation, and perceived exertion—to cycle your loads. If a day feels like luteal, train it like luteal.
- PCOS: Prioritize steady strength work, zone-2 cardio, and protein-forward meals. Manage stress aggressively.
- Perimenopause: Hormonal variability can be high; strength training + protein + sleep becomes even more crucial. Auto-regulate intensity more frequently.
Labs & Red Flags: When to Loop in Your Clinician
- Heavy bleeding, persistent extreme fatigue, frequent dizziness, or pain that escalates needs a clinician’s eyes. I collaborate with healthcare pros and will happily adjust training around your care plan.
Work With Me in San Diego
If you’re ready to lift with your physiology—not against it—train with me at Sweat Society (Hillcrest). We’ll personalize your plan, track biofeedback, and build muscle without burnout.
Work with your local female personal trainer in San Diego who programs with your cycle, your schedule, and your real life in mind.
Full ArticleWhy Cycle-Synced Strength Training Works
Cycle-synced programming respects your hormone-driven recovery capacity. In follicular and around ovulation, many women can push heavier and recover faster. In luteal, the system prefers moderate intensity, clean technique, and more recovery inputs. Over months, you’ll notice fewer stalled weeks, better joint comfort, and steadier PRs.
How I Personalize Your Program
- Goal clarity: Muscle gain, strength for life, fat loss, or performance?
- Cycle data: App logs or simple journal notes.
- Recovery profile: Sleep, work stress, appetite, digestion, mood.
- Movement screen: How do hips, shoulders, and spine move today?
- Progress levers: Load, reps, tempo, range of motion, rest periods.
We change one lever at a time and monitor how you feel. The goal is progress you can feel—not just numbers on paper.
The Four-Week Rhythm in Practice
- Week 1 (Early/Mid Follicular): Groove technique, ramp intensity.
- Week 2 (Late Follicular/Ovulatory): Showcase strength—stay precise.
- Week 3 (Early Luteal): Sustain volume, introduce tempo or pauses.
- Week 4 (Late Luteal/Period): Deload or maintain with high-quality movement.
This rhythm repeats with finesse, adjusted to your real life—travel, deadlines, school pickups, and everything else.
Fueling for Gains Without the Crash
- Protein at every meal (25–35 g) supports muscle repair and appetite control.
- Carbs around lifting power performance; don’t slash carbs so hard you can’t train.
- Magnesium helps with cramps and sleep.
- Iron-rich foods matter—especially if your period is heavy.
- Electrolytes smooth energy during heat or longer sessions.
Mindset: Dials, Not Switches
You’re not “on” or “off.” Every training day is a dial—we choose the level that fits your physiology. Some days you’ll push a heavy triple; others you’ll do 30 minutes of quality movement, mobility, and breathwork. Both move you forward.
“Consistency beats intensity—especially when that consistency is tailored to your cycle.” — Neely
Common Mistakes I See (And Fix)
- Chasing PRs every week: We save that for the windows with the best recovery.
- Punishing cardio in luteal: We pivot to zone-2 and keep the lifts.
- Under-fueling: Lifting is carpentry—you need materials to build muscle.
- Ignoring sleep: Progress starts at night. We build wind-down rituals that actually stick.
- One-size-fits-all plans: Your life, stress, and cycle are unique—your plan should be too.
How We Track Progress Without Obsession
- Strength markers: load, reps, bar speed.
- Hypertrophy markers: measurements, photos, how clothes fit.
- Recovery markers: sleep hours, energy on waking, desire to train.
- Cycle markers: PMS severity, cramp frequency, cycle length.
We look for trends, not perfection. If luteal feels tougher one month, we pivot faster the next.
Why This Approach Feels Better (And Works Longer)
Cycle-synced training honors biology. That builds trust—with your coach and with your body. When you stop fighting yourself, you free up energy to lift better, recover deeper, and enjoy the process. That’s how we keep you progressing month after month.
You don’t have to grind to grow. By aligning your strength training with your cycle, you’ll push when it counts and recover before you’re forced to. The payoff is more muscle, fewer crashes, and a training life that fits real life. If you’re in San Diego and want a coach who programs with your physiology in mind, I’m here to help you build strength—without burnout.
Visit us at https://www.sweatsocietyfitness.com/
Source: FG Newswire