ISSA Launches Menopause Coaching Certification as Women's Health Moves to the Forefront
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
Women's health is becoming an increasingly important area of focus across the fitness industry, and menopause is emerging as one of its largest untapped opportunities. With more than one billion women globally expected to experience menopause, the International Sports Sciences Association has introduced a new certification aimed at helping fitness professionals better support clients through one of life's most significant transitions.
The new ISSA Menopause Coach Certification is designed to provide personal trainers, group fitness instructors, nutrition coaches, and other health professionals with education and practical strategies to support women through pre-menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause. The program focuses on applying science-backed approaches to exercise, nutrition, recovery, and coaching.
The launch arrives as awareness around menopause grows, but education and support systems continue to lag behind demand. According to ISSA, only 20 percent of women report feeling understood or adequately supported by medical providers during the menopause transition, creating an opportunity for fitness professionals to play a more active role in long-term health support.
"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 continue to represent a growing segment of the fitness market, yet specialized coaching for this population has historically remained limited. As more operators and coaches shift toward outcome-based wellness models, menopause support is increasingly becoming part of a broader conversation around lifespan health.
Rather than approaching women's health as a single category, ISSA says the certification uses a stage-specific model that adapts guidance based on changing physiology throughout the menopause transition. The self-paced program is designed to be completed in approximately 20 to 30 hours and includes case studies, coaching tools, and client resources intended for immediate use in practice.
"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 certification also reflects a larger shift taking place across the fitness industry. As consumer demand moves beyond aesthetics and short-term transformation goals, coaching models are increasingly expanding toward long-term health, recovery, and sustainable performance. Menopause support may represent one of the clearest examples of that evolution.
ISSA has opened early access for professionals interested in the Menopause Coach Certification, with the full course expected to launch in the coming weeks.
