Being on your period is no joke, especially if you are an athlete. You are expected to perform to your best on the field even though you might be cramping, low in energy, or PMSing like crazy. And it is even harder when you feel that you are not understood.
If you feel that your menstrual cycle gets in the way of your training, specifically your period, keep reading this article. As a Sport Psychologist and fellow female, I am going to give you girlies a few tips that you can use to train spectacularly, all the while using your menstrual cycle as your friend, and not your enemy.
What Is A Menstrual Cycle?
In simple terms, a menstrual cycle refers to the changes that occur in a female body which makes pregnancy a possibility. This means that your uterus and ovaries undergo changes as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.
However, as a woman, I am sure you know well that it is not just your ovaries or your uterus which undergo changes. Your entire body, including your muscles and metabolism, all undergo changes with different phases in your menstrual cycle.
Your entire menstrual cycle comes in four phases. Let me explain these a bit since this knowledge is necessary to help your performance.
Menstrual Phase (1st day to 5th day)
- This is the start of your period or your menstruation
- Your hormone levels are quite low at this point
- We all know that this is quite a painful process, physically, mentally and emotionally
- Bring on the ice-cream, chocolate and fluffy bread since a girl needs all the carbs she can get her hand on during this time
Follicular Phase (6th day to 14th day)
- Your hormone levels are gradually rising, and you are feeling completely different from how you were feeling during your period
- You’re feeling motivated and ready to take on challenges
Ovulatory Phase (15th day to 17th day)
- Your hormone levels (including your testosterone levels) are at their highest
- You feel like a superwoman, both in your body and your mind
Luteal Phase (18th day to 28th day)
- Your progesterone levels are slowly rising and you might feel hotter in your body
- Say hello to PMS symptoms, including moodiness and cravings
- Go to the supermarket and get your period supplies because your body is getting ready to menstruate
How To Train With Your Menstrual Cycle?
In this section of the blogpost, I am going to show you how to train during various phases of your menstrual cycle. Yes, each phase requires a different type of training, and don’t worry, none of this means that you are any lesser than your male counterpart on the field. In fact, a couple of your phases will give you a strong boost that can make you a superhero in your sport.
Menstrual Phase
For those who are not professional athletes, this time can be used completely for rest and recovery. However, being an athlete, you might not always be able to afford to rest fully in these few days. What you can do is to simply use this time for your mobility, since your body is definitely open to training. You can also use this time for active recovery and low intensity workouts. Feel free to stretch as much as you want. Your period cramps will thank you.
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Walking
- Bodyweight exercises
- Yoga
- Technique over intensity
- Mental training: Guided meditation, box breathing, gratitude journaling, positive self-talk, visualization of training. For more mental health habits which you can make use of in this phase, check this post out.
The most important thing is to listen to your body. Not everybody’s body is the same, and certainly not everyone’s uterus. If your body is telling you that it needs to rest, give it rest. If your body is ready to move a little, do exactly that. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or want to learn more about how to navigate your period, shoot me an email at mindyourwicket@gmail.com
Follicular Phase
This phase is bound to the most favorite for athletes since this is when you will experience your best power and performance. So, don’t hesitate to give your best in your training. You will not only feel physically amazing, but your mind will also be much keener. This happens because of your estrogen levels rising, which leads to quicker muscle repair and higher endurance levels.
- Heavy lifting
- Explosive movements
- HIIT
- Mental training: Visualization of high-performance situations, goal-setting, reaction drills, power poses, affirmations
While this phase will surely push you to do your best in your physical training, you also need to make time for recovery. If your muscles don’t recover as well as they need to, you might struggle with injuries later on.
Ovulatory Phase
These couple of days are going to give you an even stronger boost than the previous phase. Not only do your estrogen levels peak here, but you also get an uptick in testosterone levels. Your strength and your coordination levels will be at their best here, not to mention your self-confidence.
- Heavy lifting
- Resistance work
- Sprinting
- Plyometrics
- Agility
- Hand-eye coordination
- Reflex training
- Mental training: Pressure simulation while staying composed, visualizing performance under pressure, mental agility training
At the same time, your ligament laxity also increases, which means that your joints are more flexible than usual, which can lead to injuries. So, be careful and have a spotter always during training.
Luteal Phase
In this phase right before your ‘Aunt Flo’ comes to town, your progesterone levels increase, which can make you tired and moody. Your muscle recovery also slows down, and your slower reaction times may make you look like a completely different athlete from what you were during your previous phase. Don’t be surprised when your coach yells “WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?” We all know who’s to blame here.
- Moderate intensity workouts
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Core-work
- Maintenance over performance
- Mental training: Journaling, meditation, challenging negative thoughts, self-talk
Tips For Training With Your Menstrual Cycle
- Track your menstrual cycle with an app
- Journal your thoughts regularly during different phases
- Regularly track your resting heart rate and other biometrics if you’re using a wearable device
- Listen to your body and yours alone
- Consult your gynecologist or physician if you see changes that you are not used to
- Avoid overtraining at all costs
- Be realistic while setting goals
Conclusion
I know that your menstrual cycle can sometimes be a hassle, especially on your game days. But it does not necessarily have to always be like this. By being more aware of how your hormones affect your performance, your stamina and your mood, you will be able to round up a highly optimal training regime for the entire month. I will be soon putting up another post wherein you will learn how you can compete on the field with your menstrual cycle.
If you like this post or have any questions, please drop an email to mindyourwicket@gmail.com
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10823667/
https://en.uit.no/go/target/856417/B18B863489BF0A1DE0538E03F60A30AC
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079612320300704
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/6/487
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01691-2
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9488/3/4/44
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/17479541241269274
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