Understanding how to align your exercise routine with your menstrual cycle can revolutionise your fitness results. By working with your body’s natural rhythms, you can enhance performance, improve recovery, and reduce the risk of injury.
During your menstrual phase, energy levels are typically lower as your body sheds its uterine lining. This is the time to focus on restorative exercises such as light walking, gentle stretching, or yoga.
Many women find that listening to their body, especially in the first few days, allows for better recovery and reduced fatigue.
As you enter the follicular phase, rising oestrogen levels bring increased energy and strength. This phase is an excellent time to introduce new workout routines or higher-intensity training.
Your body is primed for building strength, making it an ideal time for progressive overload in strength training or exploring new physical challenges.
During ovulation, testosterone peaks, enhancing strength and power. This is a great time to focus on multi-joint exercises such as squats, deadlifts, or bench presses. Aim for heavier weights with fewer repetitions (e.g., 5-7 reps).
However, elevated oestrogen during this phase can affect ligament flexibility, so be cautious with high-impact activities to avoid injury.
In the luteal phase, energy gradually declines as the body prepares for menstruation. Moderate-intensity workouts work best early in this phase, with a focus on moderate weights and higher repetitions (e.g., 15-20 reps).
As you approach your period, transition to lower-intensity activities like steady-state cardio, pilates, or restorative yoga to support recovery and maintain consistency.
The key to successful cycle syncing is flexibility and awareness. Track your energy levels, strength, and recovery throughout your cycle to adjust your workouts accordingly.
For strength training, consider this approach:
For cardiovascular training, adjust as follows:
While these guidelines provide a framework, every woman’s cycle is unique. Pay attention to your body’s signals and adjust your training accordingly. Some days, you may feel stronger or weaker than the typical pattern suggests, and that’s perfectly normal.
Cycle syncing your workouts can lead to numerous advantages, including:
By honouring your body’s natural rhythms and working with them rather than against them, you can optimise your fitness results while maintaining hormonal balance. This approach is not about limitations—it’s about smart, strategic training that respects and enhances your body’s capabilities.
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