How to train for your menstrual cycle

Research is showing us more and more the importance of understanding your menstrual cycle and hormone fluctuations when it comes to maximising your performance – whether it’s in the gym or on the field. Here’s a 101 on your menstrual cycle, as well as some tips to keep hydrated and reduce risk of injury.

There are 4 key phases of your cycle.

Menstruation: Aka – your period. This generally lasts 3-7 days and is when your uterus lining sheds and flows out of your vagina.. This phase happens during your ‘follicular phase’.

The follicular phase: This phase happens during the first half of your cycle, so it starts on the first day of your period (yep – it overlaps with our menstruation stage) and lasts for 13-14 days, ending in ovulation. During this stage, your pituitary gland in your brain releases a hormone to stimulate the production of follicles on the surface of an ovary (one of these follicles may mature into an egg),. Basically, your body is prepping for pregnancy in this stage.

Ovulation: This is when a mature egg is released from your ovary and moves along a fallopian tube towards your uterus. This generally happens once a month and this process generally lasts between 16-32 hours. Once the egg is released, it can survive up to 24 hours. If sperm reaches the egg during this time, you may get pregnant. This stage separates the follicular phase from the luteal phase.

The luteal phase: The luteal phase is the second half of your cycle. After ovulation, cells in the ovary release progesterone and a small amount of oestrogen to thicken the uterus in case of pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the egg dies, progesterone levels drop, the uterus lining sheds and the period begins again.

During this phase, you’ll experience lower levels of menstrual hormones and your body is primed to maximise hard and intense training efforts. During this stage, your body is better able to access stored carbohydrates, and it’s also easier to build and maintain muscle, which means this is also a great time to focus on muscle-building exercises. Because the follicular phase starts with day one of your cycle, you’ll have recently lost blood, so consider upping your iron intake over the fortnight. Also, because you’re shedding of the uterine lining during this time, there are a few days of increased inflammation. But overall throughout this lower hormone phase, keeping hydrated is easier, and you have a more even, cooler body temperature.

Training during the luteal phase

During the second half of your cycle, your body is prepping for your next period or for pregnancy. This means your hormones are running at a higher level, with a spike in estrogen and progesterone. More hormones mean a decrease in anabolic, or muscle-building, capacity. So, during this time, pay special attention to your body. Use your training to focus on lower-intensity workouts with more recovery time. Rather than your body accessing stored carbohydrates with ease, your hormones have put that energy under lock and key. What does this mean? Your body will need fuel from extra carbs and calories from your plate (your body actually needs 5-10% more calories during this time!) and your body will require extra water because more hormones pumping around = greater risk of dehydration.