Are you ready to optimize your workouts by aligning them with your menstrual cycle? Whether you’re a single or multi-sport athlete, syncing your training with your cycle can lead to improved performance and overall well-being.
In my book The Cycle Syncing Handbook, I talk about how you can work with your body’s natural rhythms to seamlessly integrate cycle syncing into your existing routines. You can modify your workouts based on your current hormone levels by changing routes, warm-up routines, etc. You can also adjust your training plans to be in sync with your cycle by planning build weeks before ovulation and then have a premenstrual recovery period.
Here’s how you can start aligning your menstrual cycle with your fitness routines:
For Single-Sport Athletes
If you focus on just one sport, consider tailoring your training sessions according to different phases of your menstrual cycle: base, build, peak, and recovery. Here’s a breakdown of how you can do it:
Base Phase (Menstrual Phase & Inner Winter): This is a great time to build endurance and strength. Increase your intensity and volume during workouts as your energy levels typically rise.
Build Phase (Follicular & Inner Spring: Take advantage of the peak energy and focus on high-intensity workouts or competitions. Your body is primed for maximum performance during this time.
Peak Phase (Ovulation Phase & Inner Summer): As you move into the luteal phase, your energy might start to dip. Focus on maintaining performance while incorporating more steady-state, moderate-intensity workouts.
Recovery Phase (Luteal Phase & Inner Autumn): Use this phase to prioritize recovery. Incorporate lighter workouts, more rest days, and activities that soothe both body and mind.
You might adjust warm-ups, increase rest periods, or modify exercises to align with your hormone levels. Experiment with scheduling more intense sessions before ovulation and more recovery-focused training during your premenstrual phase.
For Multisport Athletes
If you’re juggling multiple sports, you have the opportunity to plan varied activities based on your cycle phases:
Follicular Phase: This is an ideal time for higher-intensity sports or interval training. Your energy levels are typically higher, making it easier to push yourself.
Luteal Phase: Shift towards endurance activities or steady-state exercises. You might find it more beneficial to focus on consistency and less on high-intensity efforts during this phase.
Explore and experiment to find what combinations of sports and phases work best for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so listen to your body and adjust as needed.
Tweak Your Plan
Many training plans are linear and don’t account for the menstrual cycle. To better align your training with your physiological changes, consider the following:
Adjust Workout Frequency: You might prefer to front-load more of your workouts in the first half of your cycle and reduce the intensity or frequency in the second half. For instance, if your plan calls for four runs a week, you could aim to complete three of those in the follicular phase and scale back during the luteal phase.
Use RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion): This tool helps you gauge your workout intensity based on how you feel. An RPE scale from 1 (very easy) to 10 (maximum effort) can help you adapt your training without changing your entire plan. For example, a 7-minute mile might feel like a different RPE in your follicular phase compared to your luteal phase.
Make Other Training Aspects Cyclical
If altering your workouts isn’t feasible, consider syncing other aspects of your training with your cycle:
Timing: Experiment with changing the time of day you work out according to your energy levels.
Environment: Rotate your training environments, such as switching between trails, gyms, or outdoor spaces, to keep your workouts engaging.
Social Training: Balance solo workouts with group sessions based on how social you feel during different phases.
Focus on Sleep
Good sleep is crucial for athletic performance and recovery. If you experience sleep disturbances related to your cycle, consider these tips:
Limit caffeine intake after noon.
Set a tech curfew to avoid screens before bed.
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Exercise daily, but avoid intense workouts close to bedtime.
Manage light exposure and invest in a comfortable sleep environment.
The Adventure Cycle
If you’re an adventurer at heart, you’ll find that your cycle mirrors the phases of an expedition:
Inner Winter: Dream and plan your adventure during your menstrual phase, reflecting and clarifying your goals.
Inner Spring: Strategize and prepare for your adventure as you move into the follicular phase, getting all the details right.
Inner Summer: Embark on your adventure with confidence and joy during the ovulatory phase.
Inner Autumn: Reflect on your journey and analyze your experiences during the luteal phase.
Three key things to keep in mind:
Manage your energy, not your time: If you feel less peppy during a certain season (often that’s inner autumn and inner winter), you don’t need to totally stop your exercise routine. Maybe other adjustments would be most useful like getting more/better sleep, fueling differently, or space your training schedule differently for maintenance instead of building during those times.
Play over perfection: Don’t stress if you can’t change your workout schedule (or don’t want to). You are still capable of performing your best at any point in your cycle. This information is just meant as a useful tool to help you play with what works best for you.
Your experience above all: As long as you are taking care of yourself and enjoying movement, you are doing it right since there is no “correct” way to workout cyclically. Some people love working out on their periods, others hate it, experiment and do what works for you!
By aligning your training and adventures with your menstrual cycle, you can enhance your performance and well-being. Remember, the key is to listen to your body and make adjustments that work best for you. If this has been helpful information and you would like to learn more, please check out my book The Cycle Syncing Handbook. Happy training and adventuring!