Working with menopausal clients brings both unique challenges and powerful opportunities for fitness and sports professionals. One of the most misunderstood factors in this phase of life is cortisol. Too often, it’s portrayed as something to fear, particularly when guiding women in their 40s and 50s through training.
Cortisol is not the enemy. And helping your clients manage it effectively, not fear it, is key.
Cortisol and many other hormones play a crucial role in the body’s adaptive response to training. While chronically high levels of ‘stress hormones’ can be problematic, especially when compounded by poor recovery and high life stress, cortisol itself is essential for energy regulation, metabolic function, and exercise adaptation.
All too often what gets missed is that it’s not usually the training that causes chronic cortisol issues, it’s poor recovery strategies.
The Running Myth
On a recent episode of the Hit Play Not Pause podcast, a woman shared that her obstetrician told her to stop running marathons… because of cortisol. Running had been a huge part of her life, her stress relief and her passion. And yet, she was being told to give it up. That kind of advice is not only disheartening but is also missing the bigger picture.
Your role as a coach or trainer is to shift the narrative from fear to function, equipping women to keep doing what they love with better recovery, smarter fuelling, and more intentional programming.
Practical Coaching Strategies for Training During Menopause
Prioritise Recovery: Instead of cutting back on the number off training sessions or intensity, evaluate recovery practices:
Under-fuelling and over-training are a fast track to hormonal dysregulation, something we cover in depth in our advanced training course. Track food intake, hydration, and energy availability, especially in endurance clients.
Introduce Hybrid Training: Many menopausal clients find they don’t recover like they used to. They may feel slower or weaker, especially with cardio-heavy routines.
This is where hybrid training comes in:
Support Hormonal and Nutritional Needs: Hormonal shifts can lead to, poor sleep, mood swing, increased fatigue and joint pain. All symptoms that can have a negative impact on intention and performance.
How can you help your menopausal clients?
Challenge the ‘Slow Down’ Mindset: Midlife clients are often subtly (or not-so-subtly) told they’re too old for intense or competitive training. This kind of messaging is both inaccurate and damaging.
Many women in this life stage are hitting their athletic peak in terms of discipline, time to commit, mindset, and long-term vision. We only need to think of Peggy, the octogenarian athlete we meet in our training course. Encourage your clients to:
Cortisol doesn’t need to be feared. The same goes for menopause. With the right education, empathy, and strategies, you can help your clients train smarter, recover better, and stay active for life.
Let’s stop telling women what they can’t do in midlife. Let’s show them what’s possible with the right support.
May 2025
