How to sync your workout with your menstrual cycle

If you menstruate, you must know that the struggle of going to the gym during your periods is real. Only a few of us can manage to take ourselves to the gym during those 5-7 bloody (quite literally) days, but what if we told you that there is a way you can make your workouts more effective thanks to menstruation?

The entire concept of tailoring your workout during your periods to menstrual phases is known as menstrual cycle syncing.

These “phases” are responsible for the ups and downs of our hormones every month, but we can use them for our benefit. 

The phases

Meenal Pathak, a celebrity fitness coach and founder of Mee Studio, Noida, explains that it is very important to understand that “our mood and energy levels consistently change due to hormonal shifts during the cycle. This is why we are more energised during certain phases”. 

This menstrual cycle in women consists of several phases, each serving important functions in reproductive health. Primarily, these phases prepare the body for potential pregnancy.

Take a look:

1. Menstruation (Days 1-5)

This phase begins on the first day of your menstrual bleeding. The uterine lining sheds, resulting in menstrual bleeding. 

Hormone levels: Hormone levels, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, are low during this phase.

2. Follicular Phase (Days 1-13)

Your follicular phase overlaps with menstruation and goes on till ovulation. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the ovaries to produce follicles, each containing an egg. 

Hormone levels: Oestrogen levels gradually increase, stimulating the thickening of the uterine lining in preparation for potential pregnancy.

3. Ovulation (Around Day 14) 

Phase 3 of the menstrual cycle is known as ovulation. This typically occurs around the middle of the menstrual cycle, when a mature egg is released from the ovary.

This usually happens around Day 14 in a 28-day cycle but can vary. Ovulation is triggered by a surge in luteinising hormone (LH). This is the most fertile phase of your menstrual cycle, where pregnancy is most likely to occur.

Hormone levels: Oestrogen peaks in this phase. 

4. Luteal phase (Days 15-28)

After ovulation, the empty follicle transforms into a structure called the “corpus luteum”, which produces progesterone. 

Hormone levels: If fertilisation does not occur, your hormone levels decline, leading to the shedding of the uterine lining and the start of a new menstrual cycle.

How to sync your workout

“Since all of these phases have a direct impact on our hormone levels, tailoring workouts to menstrual phases can optimise training,” says Jashan Vij, a Health and Fat Loss Coach.

Meenal also agrees that muscle-building training according to phases can be an effective way to train women’s bodies. 

Here’s a breakdown as given by both of these experts: 

1. Menstruation

We know working out during the period itself is a task. So, according to them, if you want to skip the first few days and not work out, it is completely okay. 

Jashan says, “Women can train during their periods by adjusting intensity based on individual comfort. Exercise can alleviate menstrual symptoms, enhance mood, and maintain fitness. Low-impact activities like walking or yoga may be preferable during the first days, while more intense workouts can resume as energy levels permit. Listening to the body, staying hydrated, and prioritising self-care is key during this time”. 

2. Follicular phase

After the first few days of your periods, you can start working out as much as your body allows. However, during the 6-14th day of your cycle, you enter the follicular phase, where your oestrogen and progesterone are on the rise.

During this phase, Meenal says, “Feel free to attack higher-intensity workouts that build fitness, as well as focus on resistance training to build muscle.”

3. Ovulation

During this phase (Day 15-17), your oestrogen peaks. So, according to Meenal, women should opt for circuit, and high-intensity exercises, as their energy may be higher.

4. Luteal phase

During this phase, as your body is preparing for another period, energy levels are generally low (Days 18-28). 

Jashan says that during the luteal phase, “Focus on strength training and moderate-intensity exercises.”

In short

Listening to your body is very important when working out, during all four phases of your cycle. Sync is the best way to navigate it.