Girls!! Syncing your workout routine with your menstrual cycle is important, here’s why!
Ever felt your workout session was an epic fail one day, but you were crushing just after a couple of days? It might not just be motivation or sheer luck. Your body is different from men, and doesn’t synergize with the one-size-fit-all exercise recommendations across the fitness world.
Women go through different hormonal phases throughout the monthly menstrual cycle and it’s important to align your exercises for holistic growth. Let’s learn why it’s important and how you can leverage it all to your advantage, when it comes to bodybuilding.
Phases Of Menstrual Cycle
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Follicular Phase
You could call it the beginning of the menstruation cycle characterized by gradually increasing levels of hormones! Follicular phase could last anywhere up to 14 days where your estrogens increase to prepare your body for ovulation. To put it in perspective, these are the most sane days of your life when you could workout like a man, literally!
Ovulation
One of the most crucial phases of a women’s menstrual cycle is ovulation, marking the event of an egg being released from the ovary towards the uterus. In the menstruation cycle, this phase occurs right in the middle, and this is the most energetic you’d ever feel during the month.
Luteal Phase
This marks the second half of your menstrual cycle! This is the phase that accounts for premenstrual syndrome and other psychological symptoms within your body due to increased hormonal fluctuation. Your energy level also witnesses major fluctuation eventually welcoming Aunt Flo!
Menstrual Phase
Code red, lady time, shark week, or Aunt Flo, whatever you may want to call it, she is here (and not for good). Menstrual phase is when your energy and hormonal level are at the lowest. Right from your bowel movements to center of gravity, periods could lead to a lot of changes in your body.
Workout Recommendation For Each Phase
Cycling your exercise with your menstruation cycle is not that hard, and very crucial for holistic health. Here are workout recommendations for each phase:
HIIT for Follicular Phase
Follicular phase is perfect for high-intensity training like HIIT coupled with cardio. Your body can handle more stress, so it’s a great time to push your limits, set new personal records, and try new exercises.
Strength Training for Ovulation
During this time your strength and endurance peak, hence you should indulge in intense weight training including heavy lifting, sprinting, and complex exercises. Across the ovulation phase you might feel more powerful and capable of tackling challenging workouts.
Moderate-intensity for Luteal
Now would be the time to shift your focus to moderate-intensity exercises, such as pilates, zumba, low-impact cardio, etc. During this time you wouldn’t want to over-exert yourself, hence you must stay away from strength training.
Restorative for Menstruation
While your body is going through the hardest time of the month, don’t try to push it any further. Engage in restorative yoga, light stretching, walking, and meditation to keep the body active and help with cramps. Take it easy, and allow your body to heal!
Ultimately, Listening To Your Body
Female biology is different from men, whose hormones are tucked away in a sack outside of their body. Women on the other hand, have to go through a rollercoaster of hormones fluctuation. Hence, it’s okay if someday you crush at the gym, and other day you don’t even want to get out of bed.
Your body knows it better than anyone! Embrace the power of your cycle, and listen to your body to discover a fitness approach that’s uniquely yours!
