Why Should You Exercise According to Your Menstrual Cycle?
How Working with Your Menstrual Cycle Can Optimize Your Fitness
By Maddy Wingerath
Why should you exercise according to your cycle? By understanding and working with these phases, you can adjust accordingly and optimize your fitness.
If you have female reproductive organs, you know that your hormones fluctuate daily, weekly, monthly. That means certain tasks- from focusing to exercising- are naturally easier or more difficult, depending on which phase you’re in.
It’s no surprise that exercise data heavily relies on male subjects. Therefore exercise formats, programming, and protocols tend to feel like a one-size fits all approach, setting many of us up for frustration and wondering why we couldn’t beat our PR from two weeks ago. Because our hormones fluctuate on a monthly basis, our performance is going to look a little different than men’s.
Let’s acknowledge and celebrate this internal wisdom your body holds. Letting biology inform your approach to exercise will:
Set you up for success with your goals
Find greater satisfaction in your fitness journey
Manage and abate PMS symptoms
Help you give your body exactly what it needs at any given time!
How do I work with my cycle?
The first step is to track your cycle. There are apps for this, but I really believe it’s best to do it by hand. I suggest learning to do this through The Fifth Vital Sign by Lara Briden. She also has an awesome workbook to begin tracking, and a weekly podcast called Fertility Friday.
All you really need to start is a thermometer that tracks two decimal places instead of just one. This is called a basal thermometer.
But if you want to start training with your approximate cycle, the first day of your period is day 1, and you can use the general guidelines below to get started.
As you read these guidelines you may wonder, “What do the phases of the moon or seasons have to do with my menstrual cycle?” Imagine these aspects of the guide as a visual metaphor. Each lunar phase and each season is necessary for nature to flourish.
If visual metaphors aren’t your thing, no problem!
Allow yourself to experience each phase by “going with” instead of “going against” your body. Leaning into even the toughest phases of your cycle will help you tap into your natural strength and wisdom.
Phase 1 - Bleeding - roughly days 1-5
Estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest. Low energy common as the uterine lining sheds.
❄️ Winter. Desire to stay inside, keep warm, and tune into self. Get comfy-cozy with some hygge vibes!
🌑 New Moon. Can feel dark at times
Focus on:
Fueling correctly. Include anti-inflammatory and “brain foods” rich in vitamin D, calcium, fish oils, and B vitamins.
Prioritizing sleep and rest. Slow down; prioritize self-care. Light candles, self-massage, ask someone else to do your least favorite chore.
Listening to your inner voices. They may be extra-loud during this phase— let them in! This is an ideal time to journal/reflect more often, meditate, let go of things you need to let go of, or have a good cry.
Great types of exercise during Menstruation:
Muscle activation. Neuromuscular control may be lower, so emphasize muscle activation movements in your warm up like glute bridges, good mornings, and heel taps.
Light cardio/endurance training, and yoga. These may reduce inflammation, especially during the first few days of your period.
Skills that require coordination like agility training, boxing, or a martial art, as ability in mental rotation tasks may be higher in this phase.
Phase 2 - Follicular - roughly days 6-14
Estrogen is peaking and progesterone is still very low. You may find yourself feeling more positive, having more energy, and less brain fog.
🌸 Spring. Feeling new, fresh, curious, creative
🌙 Waxing Moon. Beginning to get brighter
Focus on:
Starting that creative project you’ve been thinking about.
Letting your adventurous side out!
Pushing yourself a little more. This phase is optimal for muscle growth, and tissue is said to heal more quickly in this phase.
Great types of exercise during the Follicular phase:
HIIT and strength training. Take advantage of that extra energy and get after an intense workout.
Phase 3 - Ovulatory - roughly days 14-15
Estrogen levels initially drop off as ovulation occurs, then both estrogen and progesterone rise and remain high. You’re feeling strong, sexy, and outgoing. Pull to connect with others.
☀️ Summer. Beautiful outdoors, great mood, motivation
🌕 Full Moon. Bright, expressive
Focus on:
Feelings of hope, gratitude, and empathy.
Your social calendar. Lean into the socializing impulses— but be aware that your Luteal Phase self may regret not having any downtime in the next couple of weeks.
Being at your most persuasive! This might be a great time to propose that social justice initiative you had to your boss at work.
Your cardiovascular response. Heart and breathing rates are known to increase at this time. You may need to stop and catch your breath more frequently during your workout.
Great types of exercise during Ovulation:
Group workouts. Spinning or dance class could scratch that itch to connect with others.
Go for a PR. Your hormones are in that “I’m invincible!” stage.
Any exercise throughout this phase can be beneficial! Listen to your body and respond to your energy levels.
Phase 4 - Luteal - roughly days 16-28
Estrogen and progesterone levels decline to their lowest point. Energy is still high in the first half of this phase, then starts to noticeably fade. Decrease in hormones triggers an inflammatory response, so grab that hot water bottle. Higher stress levels, pain intolerance, and foul moods are common - aka, you’re PMSing.
🍁 Autumn. Leaves turning, getting colder, starting to spend more time inside
🌖 Waning Moon. Getting darker
Focus on:
Recovery strategies. Get plenty of sleep and eat more protein, complex carbs, and fiber.
Starting to pull back into yourself. (Those plans you made during Ovulation can start to look awfully daunting right about now!)
Listening to your voice and intuition more than others’. You’re likely to be even less receptive to mansplaining than usual.
Your “down” emotions. You may need to cry or complain more. Find a sympathetic ear to vent, or warn your loved ones to tread carefully.
Concentration. Brain fog can start to set in here. You may wake up throughout the night more frequently, which contributes to less-sharp focus and performance.
Having a fan or the a/c handy. Your body temperature is higher, and you’re more sensitive to hot or humid environments.
Great types of exercise during Luteal phase:
Yoga or pilates. They’re gentle on an inflamed body and help offset higher stress levels.
Outdoor walks/hikes and other light aerobic activities feel good and help boost your mood!
Light and moderate intensity exercises are the most effective in the latter half of this phase.
“The force of [the healer] is within everyone… In sanskrit, the word avidya means ‘forgetting,’ and it is said that this is the source of all suffering and dis-ease. The healer’s mission then becomes to move through the comfort of forgetting, through the veils of ignorance and denial to reveal the radiance that already exists. The Healer approaches this in multiple ways, from multiple angles, knowing the cycle of healing is not linear— it is multilayered and circuitous process, always leading back to its own origin… The wounded healer is not someone who was wounded and is now healed. It is someone who continues to courageously break open the self and ego as a means for deep integration.” (Krans, 2019)
We all have the capacity to be wounded healers. Tracking our cycle, and working with our bodies, is just one way of remembering, returning, and reclaiming that central life force.
