Women Are Not the Weaker Sex. It's Time the Fitness Industry Started Acting Like It.

I recently heard Steven Bartlett talk about how two glasses of wine affected his training for three days.

It got me thinking.

Not because there's anything wrong with acknowledging how our bodies respond to stress, alcohol or recovery. That's completely normal.

But because, as women, we spend our entire lives training through physiological challenges that most people barely stop to consider.

Every single month, for decades, millions of women exercise while shedding the lining of their uterus.

We train through cramps that range from uncomfortable to debilitating. We train through bloating, headaches, fatigue, disrupted sleep and hormonal fluctuations that influence everything from our energy levels to our strength and motivation.

And that's just one phase of a woman's life.

Many women continue exercising while growing another human being.

Think about that for a moment.

Your body is building an entire person. Your organs shift position. Your centre of gravity changes. Your cardiovascular system works harder. Your joints become more mobile. Your energy is redirected to support another life.

Yet women still show up.

They modify. They adapt. They keep moving.

Then comes birth.

Whether that's a straightforward delivery, an assisted birth or a Caesarean section, the body undergoes one of the most significant physical events it will ever experience.

Recovery isn't simply about waiting six weeks and carrying on as normal.

It's about rebuilding strength. Relearning movement. Restoring confidence. Understanding a body that often feels unfamiliar.

And still...

Women continue to exercise.

Many while breastfeeding.

Many while functioning on broken sleep.

Many while carrying the invisible mental load of caring for a new baby.

Many while wondering if they'll ever feel like themselves again.

Later comes perimenopause and menopause, bringing another wave of hormonal changes, changing body composition, altered recovery, disrupted sleep and fluctuating energy.

Again, women adapt.

Again, women keep going.

So why have women been labelled the "weaker sex" for so long?

Perhaps we've confused physical strength with resilience.

Because when you step back and look at what women's bodies repeatedly endure throughout life, it's difficult not to be in awe.

For years, pregnancy has often been approached as though movement itself is something dangerous.

Of course, exercise needs to be appropriate, individualised and evidence based.

But pregnancy isn't an illness.

Postnatal recovery isn't simply a six week waiting period.

Women don't need wrapping in cotton wool.

They need knowledge.

They need coaches who understand the female body.

They need programmes that work with hormonal changes rather than ignoring them.

Most importantly, they need access.

One phrase I've always struggled with is that pre and postnatal women are described as a "specialist population."

Yes, coaching these women requires specialist knowledge.

But the women themselves?

They aren't a niche.

They're not a tiny percentage of society.

They're almost half the population at some point in their lives.

Women's health shouldn't sit in a corner of the fitness industry.

It should be woven into it.

Every fitness professional should have a fundamental understanding of female physiology.

Every woman should be able to walk into a class feeling confident that the instructor understands how to support her safely and effectively.

That shouldn't be exceptional.

It should be the standard.

It's Time for Change

Women's bodies are extraordinary.

Not because they are perfect.

Not because they are invincible.

But because they continually adapt to some of life's greatest physical demands.

We don't need people to tell us we're fragile.

We need people to recognise our resilience.

The future of fitness shouldn't be built around adapting male centred programmes for women.

It should be built with women in mind from the very beginning.

Because accessible, evidence based pre and postnatal exercise isn't a luxury.

It's not an optional extra.

It's something every woman deserves.