Working out in sync with your menstrual cycle

Learn what types of workouts are best for each phase of your cycle

Once you learn to listen to your body you will feel more balanced throughout the month.

Often with my female clients, I see them go through similar struggles when it comes to training at certain times of the month. A few days before their period, during their period, and around ovulation can feel harder than normal and they feel discouraged. Many women blame themselves for missing workouts and being lazy, while really this is their body calling out for love.

This is why I teach my clients to work with their hormonal cycle and listen to their bodies.

The hormonal cycle is one of the most powerful tools we own as women, yet, we’re taught so little about how we can use it to our advantage. When it comes to working out, you can actually learn how to train during each phase of your cycle so you can feel better, stronger, and more balanced and your body will thank you in return.

There are four phases in our female menstrual cycle: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. Each phase has a varied duration depending on each women’s unique cycle. Throughout each phase our hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone rise and fall causing our mood, energy, strength, and eating habits to change. 

During each phase, we can change up our training styles to match our natural hormone fluctuations and be in tune with our most innate needs.

Training during the menstrual phase:

During this phase your estrogen and progesterone are low. When your period first starts, you may feel tired, crampy, and just not in the mood to work out. Some women choose to rest more at this time, while others prefer to hit the gym to get some endorphins flowing through their bodies. It’s all a matter of listening to your body and honoring what you need. If you cause undue stress on your body, it can increase cortisol, which is worse than you missing a day or two at the gym. Instead, do what feels right. If you’re feeling good, try a chill workout to see how your body responds. Choose activities such as yoga, bodyweight workouts, and long walks to get those endorphins going!

Training during the follicular phase:

During this phase, your pituitary gland releases a hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which stimulates the follicles in your ovaries to mature. The follicular phase technically starts with menstruation and lasts until ovulation. 

You may notice your mood improve right after menstruation starts, and your energy will start to rise. This is the best time to work on strength and muscle gains. Think traditional strength training, hypertrophy, and HIIT to take advantage of that energy. Estrogen will begin to rise at the end of this phase, which will help your body to recover quicker, meaning you’ll be able to get back in the gym quickly to train again.

Training during the ovulatory phase: 

During this phase, an egg is released and estrogen and testosterone are at their peak. This makes it a GREAt time to hit strength PRs. If you’ve been training heavy lifting, use this time to try to go as heavy as possible. Some women notice they feel some similar symptoms to PMS at this time; Working out can actually help improve those symptoms, and have you feeling great again. Cardio, HIIT, and strength training are great activities to engage in during this phase.

Training during the luteal phase:

Estrogen and testosterone start to decline a few days in and your body produces progesterone. The luteal phase starts right after ovulation. The beginning of this phase can feel much like ovulation, and you may still have a bunch of energy to burn. Closer to the start of your period, your energy may start to dwindle, which is when you may notice PMS symptoms. 

Instead of going super hard at the gym to suppress these symptoms, try to honor your body’s needs. It’s doing hard inner work to prep for your period! If you push through, you may cause adrenaline and cortisol spikes which can have worse effects on your body than missing a few workouts. Instead, choose low-impact activities such as yoga, stretching, and light-weight workouts.

Here’s a little infographic to sum it all up:

This is just a snippet of how you can use your cycle to your advantage when it comes to strength training and working out. Being aware of your needs and listening to your body is the most important skill you can have. Work with your body instead of against it!

Watch for my future blogs about eating for your cycle AND your training!

Love coach Leah