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The role of the menstrual cycle with respect to female strength and power performance on the broad scale is poorly understood and considered.  This is despite the current literature available highlighting the potential of using the menstrual cycle to optimising an athlete’s training periodisation.  

 

This article looks into the how we can optimise female’s strength and power:

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports

 Volume 28, Issue 4

 

Basal and stress‐induced salivary testosterone variation across the menstrual cycle and linkage to motivation and muscle power

J. Cook

P. Kilduff

T. Crewther

 

First published: 21 December 2017

https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13041

 

Abstract

 

This study investigated salivary testosterone (sal‐T) variation across the menstrual cycle in female athletes, at different competitive levels, and its association with motivation and neuromuscular power.

 

Six elite and 16 non‐elite female athletes were monitored on days 7 (D7), 14 (D14), and 21 (D21) across 3 menstrual cycles for basal sal‐T concentrations and self‐appraised motivation to train and compete. Two further measures were taken on D7, D14, and D21 across 2 menstrual cycles: (1) the sal‐T response (delta change) to a physical stress test and (2) peak power (PP) response to a 6‐second cycle sprint following a post‐activation potentiation (PAP) stimulus.

 

Basal sal‐T concentrations increased by 17 ± 27% from D7 to D14 before decreasing by −25 ± 43% on D21 (P 102%) who showed larger menstrual changes. Motivation, sal‐T reactivity to stress, and the PP responses to a PAP stimulus also varied by testing day (P