Period power: Should your cycle shape your training?

Let’s start by addressing the main issue … High quality research in this space is pretty thin on the ground. For decades, exercise science was built largely on male physiology. Before the 1980s, fewer than one in five study participants were female, and many early theories about menstruation stemmed from single studies, often conducted in mice.

What we do know is that hormonal shifts aoross the menstrual cycle may spark fluctuations in strength, metabolism, inflammation, body temperature and injury risk. Around 75% of female athletes report symptoms like cramps, back pain, headaches and bloating during their cycle. Yet newer research indicates the cycle has little impact on strength performance, and another study finds minimal impact on muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise.

Dr. Gillian Hatfield notes that while monthly hormonal changes can affect mood, fatigue, and motivation to exercise, there is no universal training strategy that resolves symptoms for everyone.  “That’s because menstrual cycle length, phase length, and ovulation timing vary greatly within individuals.”

Hatfield, along with Dr. Jinger Gottschall and Bryce Hastings, recently studied 148 highly active women to explore how their cycle shaped motivation, stress, fatigue, and physical and emotional well‑being.Their findings were clear:

•           Even when weekly training stayed the same, participants reported lower motivation and higher fatigue and stress duringmenstruation compared with the late follicular and ovulatory phases.

•           Negative physical and emotional symptoms peaked in the late luteal phase and during menstruation.

“The specific impact of each phase is different for everyone. And shifts in energy and mood are normal,” Hatfield explains. “Additionally, factors other than menstrual cycle can affect your energy and motivation to exercise, such as sleep, nutrition, and other sources of stress in your everyday life. The important takeaway is to listen to your body and adapt exercise to suit your body and your mind.”

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The important takeaway: listen to your body and adapt exercise to suit your body and your mind.

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Watch Diana Archer Mills and Dr. Jackie Mills explain the different phases of your cycle and how to look after your body during each phase.

The phases of your menstrual cycle

As most women will know, your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and ends when your next period begins. Usually, this is 28 days, but it can vary. Within your cycle, there are three phases:

The follicular phase

This is the time between the first day of your period and ovulation.

Ovulation

This is halfway through your cycle when an egg is released from the ovary.

The luteal phase

This is the time between ovulation and before the start of menstruation, when your body prepares for a possible pregnancy.

Each phase is fueled by hormones – four in particular. In the early stages of your cycle, a hormone known as the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) tells your ovaries to prepare and produce the egg-containing follicles. These follicles then produce the second hormone, estrogen, which rebuilds the lining of the uterus. Once the follicles are big enough and produce enough estrogen, the third hormone – luteinizing hormone (LH) – is produced. This releases the egg which causes ovulation. In this final phase, the follicle that contained the egg begins to produce the fourth hormone, progesterone. It is progesterone that helps prepare your uterus for a possible pregnancy.

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Cycle syncing: tuning into your body

Tuning in to your menstrual cycle and any associated symptoms can help you understand fluctuations in your energy levels and mood, and why your motivation to exercise might change throughout the different phases. You can discover the best times to push your body and when to focus on rest and recovery.

Cycle syncing is when you tailor your training to match the different phases of the menstrual cycle. This study shows how menstrual cycle length, phase length, and ovulation timing can vary greatly within individuals, which indicates that a prescriptive approach based on the assumption that the follicular and luteal phases are each 14 days is not ideal. Rather, it is better to take a personalized approach based on symptoms. It can be as simple as shifting the intensity of your workouts as your cycle progresses, or it may involve choosing different types of exercise to match how you are feeling.

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Tips from trainers who sync their workouts to their cycle

While everyone is different, you might like to adopt some of the modifications these trainers have made to sync their workouts with their cycle.

Les Mills presenter Khiran Huston says her mood and energy hits an all-time high immediately after her period. “I find week two is possibly the best window to take my training to the next level. Rising estrogen levels can make me feel more energized and my pain tolerance can be higher…. I feel motivated to train more – running a little longer, extending out my training in the gym.”

But then when she hits weeks three and four it all changes. "This is when the early morning classes are not a vibe, they're a struggle as I crave more sleep. I also know this is when I need to be careful with my weight lifting, as I’m more prone to injury or muscle soreness."

Les Mills Creative Kaylah-Blayr usually feels really strong in the second week of her cycle and uses it to her advantage. "I plan to train heavy with my weights and I add in more to my workout sessions because I have the energy and it feels right. Sometimes, if I’m feeling great later in the day, I’ll add in LES MILLS GRIT or LES MILLS SPRINT as my second workout of the day."

Kaylah-Blayr says it's during weeks three and four of her cycle that she usually feels very bloated, tired and lacking motivation. "This is when I lift lighter weights and add in workouts like RPM, THE TRIP, or LES MILLS STRETCH, or even just walking. I choose my workouts depending on how I'm feeling.”

For Rachael Newsham, LES MILLS Creative, her cycle seems to change regularly, so building awareness of her mood and energy levels has been key. "For me, month to month, it's a lucky dip. But generally, on days two and three of my period, the last thing I want to do is jump, in particular jumping around where other people are watching me." She says it's a mental thing, not a physical thing, but she's now learned to avoid high-intensity exercise in these early stages of the follicular phase.

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Aligning your exercise to your menstrual cycle

Exercise during early follicular phase

At the beginning of your cycle, your menstrual hormones are low while you are menstruating. You may be dealing with symptoms like inflammation, pain and a good dose of lethargy.This is when you might want to be kind to yourself and train in a way that really nurtures your body and mind.

Exercise during mid follicular phase

As the follicular phase progresses, estrogen starts to rise. This is when your energy levels may start to pick up and some find a higher pain tolerance. Some women find this can be the perfect time to train harder and push through high-intensity workouts and strength training.

Exercise during late follicular phase to ovulation

As estrogen levels peak at the end of the follicular phase, so too can your motivation to exercise.In this phase, right before ovulation, you may feel perfectly primed to smash your goals and break new training records.

Exercise during the luteal phase

After ovulation, your menstrual cycle hormones fluctuate fast. Energy levels can drop and you may be feeling heavier because of fluid retention. Some women find this is the perfect time to embrace longer, more steady-state training. You might like to focus on improving technique and movement efficiency, rather than pushing for a personal best. Parasympathetic activation can also be very advantageous during this phase – so enjoy activities like yoga, meditation and breathwork.

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Tips for syncing your diet to your menstrual cycle

Nutritious foods for the follicular phase

In the early follicular phase, during menstruation, fuel your body with iron-rich foods like legumes, seafood, red meat, nuts and seeds and choose meals with anti-inflammatory foods and antioxidants, You may also benefit from Vitamin K found in dark leafy greens, cauliflower and kiwifruit. Throughout the follicular phase, maintain energy levels with complex carbs like oats, legumes and whole grains. Mix with a variety of plant foods and high-quality proteins like fish and eggs to help recovery.

Nutritious foods for the luteal phase

In the early stages of the luteal phase, many find appetite can decrease. This is when it’s important to fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods and snack regularly. As this luteal phase progresses, start consuming more anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish, tomatoes, dark leafy greens and berries.

IN SUMMARY:

We’re all different, so it’s important to explore what works for you.

Many women find the late follicular phase (the time between menstruation and ovulation) can be a good time to push, hustle, grind and break records. During the late luteal phase and menstruation, many women choose to scale back and do the type of training that nurtures your body.

It’s important to be aware that the shape of your cycle is unique and it can change month-to-month, and at different points of your life. The hormonal shifts you experience in your younger years can vary later in life and there can be significant changes when you reach perimenopause and menopause.

Key things to remember:

·      Explore different options rather than follow prescriptions

·      Tailor intensity and impact as feels good for you

·      Make recovery a key part of your training routine

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Discover 4 workouts to try during different stages of your cycle

Check out LES MILLS+ to discover four workouts made with different stages of your cycle in mind.