New certification addresses growing demand for full spectrum menopause-specific fitness training

PHOENIX, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than one billion women globally in menopause, one of the most significant and underserved phases of life is rapidly emerging as the next frontier in health and fitness. Yet despite the scale of the need, most fitness professionals have never been formally trained to support it. The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) announced a new certification designed to address this gap.

The ISSA Menopause Coach Certification, a first-of-its-kind program, is designed to equip personal trainers, group fitness instructors, nutrition coaches, and other fitness professionals with the expertise to support women through pre-menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause with science-backed, real-world strategies.

Despite menopause impacting half the population, education across both healthcare and fitness has lagged behind demand. Only 20% of women report feeling understood or supported by their medical providers through the transition, creating a widening gap between what clients need and what professionals are prepared to deliver.

ISSA's new certification aims to equip fitness professionals to better support their clients, expanding their role from program design to long-term health partners for women navigating complex hormonal, metabolic, and psychological changes.

"Menopause is not a niche issue, it's a defining phase of life for half the population, and the industry hasn't kept pace," said Jenny Liebl, Senior Product Developer and Master Trainer at ISSA. "What we're seeing now is a shift away from short-term fitness outcomes toward long-term health. Coaches need the tools to better understand and evolve with their clients, and that's exactly what this certification delivers."

Midlife women represent a growing segment of the fitness market, yet remain one of the least served when it comes to specialized coaching.

Unlike traditional programs that treat women's health as a single category, ISSA takes a full-spectrum approach, training professionals to adapt exercise, nutrition, and recovery strategies across each stage of the menopause transition. The course is delivered in a 20–30 hour, self-paced format and includes downloadable client handouts, real-world case studies, and coaching tools designed for immediate application. The result is a framework that moves beyond theory, giving coaches resources they can use with clients right away to support client outcomes.

"Women in midlife often experience a disconnect between the clinical advice they're given and how they actually need to train and fuel day to day," said Brooke Jeffries, MS, CN, NBC-HWC, Program Director and Lead Instructor at ISSA's Health Coach Institute. "This course empowers fitness professionals to close that gap, equipping them to adapt to a woman's changing physiology and become trusted experts their clients rely on for the long term."

The introduction of the Menopause Coach Certification marks a broader evolution in how fitness professionals are trained and how they serve their clients. Where the industry once focused on short-term transformation, it is now moving toward lifespan coaching. Menopause sits at the center of that shift, requiring a deeper understanding of hormonal health, recovery, and sustainable performance.

ISSA has opened early access for professionals interested in the Menopause Coach Certification, with the full course set to launch in the coming weeks.

About International Sports Sciences Association

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is the global leader in online fitness and wellness certifications. For more than 37 years, ISSA has been committed to delivering comprehensive, cognitive, and practical education grounded in industry research. Rooted in Certified Personal Training certifications, ISSA offers over 50 fitness and wellness certifications and specializations, including a Yoga Alliance-recognized Yoga 200-Hour Teacher Training Course, Health Coaching, Nutrition, and more. ISSA has certified nearly one million trainers across 176 countries while driving toward their vision to connect 100 million people to the power of healthy living by 2030.

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SOURCE International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)