Most people associate “training around your cycle” as not training for a few days while you are on your period, & historically, people thought you shouldn’t train around your period!….but this isn’t what is meant by this.
Many athletes say that their cycle can be the difference between finishing a race first or last which is why it is so important to listen to your body and to be in tune with how to train optimally for this.
A “textbook” cycle is 28 days, but we are not textbooks!! Only 13% of people have a 28 day cycle. A normal cycle is anything between 21 and 35 days. If your cycle is shorter or longer than this, you may need to seek medical advice. Your cycle can have a variation of up to 8 days too. Your cycle is a reflection of your genetics, lifestyle and overall health.
During your cycle your body will produce varying quantities of hormones at different points in your cycle. The 3 main hormones are oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. (For the purposes of training we will be looking at oestrogen and progesterone due to a lack of research and data around any other hormones.) Other hormones such a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), prolactin, oxytocin, and cortisol, and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, epinephrine and dopamine also fluctuate.
Your cycle starts on day 1 of your period. Oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. During this week, you might feel tired, withdrawn, emotionally vulnerable and introspective. This marks the first half of the follicular phase and if you think of your menstrual cycle in seasons, you can think of this as your winter! During this early follicular phase you may see a dip in performance and strength. Endurance may also be lower. Exercise can help alleviate any symptoms associated with your period. Check in with your energy levels, if you are working out and experiencing low energy levels, reduce your weights and/or reps.
Your period is an inflammatory process, it is thought that this could prolong recovery, so you may need to take a couple more rest days between workouts at this point in your cycle. Have you ever experienced this?
Following your period, oestrogen starts to increase. (Around day 5 in a “textbook” cycle.) Moving into the non-menstruation half of the follicular phase. Oestrogen peaks just prior to ovulation (around. Day 11/12 in a “textbook cycle”). The later half of the follicular phase is the time to make gains in the gym! Hello superwoman 👏 Go for that PB lift or run. The oestrogen increase helps to boost energy levels, promotes muscle building and enhances recovery, so there is every chance your DOMs won’t hang around as long, meaning you can train more often this week if you are feeling it. This is the time to experiment with your training and try something new.
Ovulation refers to the release of an egg from the ovary & this happens at the mid point in your cycle. Did you know, ovulation occurs randomly from either ovary on any given cycle. Some studies have indicated that ovulation occurs more frequently from the right side and that ovulation on the right side has a higher potential for pregnancy. The ovulatory phase is the shortest phase in your cycle but it packs the biggest hormonal punch! Immediately after ovulation, oestrogen levels begin to fall.
Strength and performance remain strong around ovulation with the added help of testosterone. Towards the end of ovulation moving into the luteal phase you might find it beneficial to focus on aerobic performance and endurance. As progesterone starts to rise it inhibits some of the beneficial effects if oestrogen. Now it is key to listen to your body and emphasise hydration and recovery.
Phase 4 is the luteal phase which lasts around 11-17 days. During the luteal phase while progesterone is high your basal body temperature will be higher than normal. Towards the end of the luteal phase both oestrogen and progesterone begin to decline. You may start to experience premenstrual symptoms and a dip in energy. Now is a good time to take extra rest and focus on active recovery. High intensity workouts will feel tough in this phase.
The key takeaway from this blog is that there is no right or wrong way to exercise at different parts in your cycle, it is a very individual process. Listen to your own body and adapt exercise if you feel like you need to.
Side note: Contraception - these all have different physiological profiles and effects on performance and training. There isn’t a lot of research on how the different types of contraception effect your training. You can track your own symptoms, energy levels etc and look for patterns.
Thank you Jen!