This two-hour practical add-on teaches qualified, insured exercise professionals how to adapt gym-based training for women across the menstrual cycle, the postnatal period, perimenopause, menopause and medically induced menopause. It follows the Women's Health core course on the same day.

Add-on at a glance

• Duration: 2 hours (4:15pm to 6:15pm on the same day as the core course), with a 15-minute break after the core course

• Format: 100% practical. Pairs and small groups rotate through movement stations, coaching each other with tutor feedback

• For: Personal trainers, sports therapists, rehab-focused practitioners and movement therapists who are qualified and insured to prescribe exercise

• Prerequisite: The Women's Health core course (same day, or completed beforehand)

• Class size: Maximum 12 to 16, with a second tutor or assistant if numbers go above 8

• Certificate: Separate add-on certificate, 2 hours of CPD

Aims

To give exercise professionals a practical, safe and flexible framework for adapting resistance, impact, balance and conditioning work for women at different hormonal life stages, and to help them recognise when to modify, pause or refer.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the add-on, learners will be able to:

1. Coach the key movement patterns (squat or sit-to-stand, hinge, push, pull, carry) with regressions and progressions for each life stage.

2. Use autoregulation, such as effort ratings and reps in reserve, to build flexible plans that respond to how a client feels on the day.

3. Plan a graded postnatal return to exercise and monitor symptoms during sessions.

4. Design progressive strength, power, impact and balance training for perimenopausal and postmenopausal clients.

5. Adapt training for clients in medically induced menopause, working within their care team's guidance.

6. Recognise symptoms and red flags that mean modifying, stopping or referring, and communicate this clearly to clients.

Entry requirements and scope

• Qualification and insurance: Learners must hold a recognised qualification to prescribe exercise and insurance that covers exercise instruction for the populations taught. Tutors will ask learners to confirm this at registration.

• Pregnancy: This add-on does not cover exercise prescription during pregnancy. Learners should refer to appropriately trained professionals and current national guidance.

• Pelvic floor: The add-on teaches symptom monitoring and referral to a pelvic health physiotherapist. It does not teach pelvic floor assessment or rehabilitation, which will be covered in Course 3.

• Medical conditions and medication: Learners do not advise on starting, stopping or changing medication, including HRT. Where a client has a medical condition or cancer history, exercise is planned within the guidance of the client's GP, specialist or care team.

• Diagnosis: Exercise professionals do not diagnose hormonal or medical conditions. They recognise patterns, adapt training and refer.