Perhaps you are 88 percent of the people who experience pain during menstruation and don't feel like doing cardio.
According to a joint March 2019 survey by the University of St. Mary in England, the Strava workout app, and FitWomen, 69 percent of the women surveyed said they disrupt their exercise routine (despite 78 percent said exercise relieves menstrual discomfort).
How exactly do your hormones affect your athletic performance? Does exercising improve PMS symptoms or make them worse?
How does your menstrual cycle affect workouts?
It turns out that the hormonal fluctuations you experience during your 28-day cycle can influence whether you're killing yourself in cycling class or crawling all over.
On the first day of your cycle, the day your period begins, estrogen and progesterone hit rock bottom, and as a result, you may not be at your peak. But over the next 12 to 14 days, those hormone levels start to rise. This is when women's athletic performance is at its peak.
A February 2017 study in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that women exhibited significantly greater strength and less fatigue during the follicular phase of their cycle, which begins on the first day of the period and lasts until just before ovulation.
Your period is part of your reproductive cycle and we need to normalize it more. You don't have to change your life or your training unless you feel like it.
Because you can feel stronger, the first two weeks of your cycle are optimal for resistance training . The change in hormones makes you feel like you're on top of the world, so lifting weights will be less of a hassle and you may be able to lift a little more.
Estrogen peaks during ovulation and then plummets right after, which can leave you feeling sluggish during the luteal phase of your cycle, the two or more weeks after ovulation. Your stamina is worst during the five to six days before your period.
Should you modify your training during menstruation?
Whether you decide to do HIIT or take it easy with a little yoga, you don't need to modify your training during your period. Although there are no negative side effects associated with exercising during this time of the month (and many positives, more on that soon), you may not be up for a serious sweating session.
You should always listen to your body, so if you don't feel like doing the same exercise you normally would, take it easy. A high intensity workout during menstruation can make you feel more fatigued than usual, especially if it goes beyond your typical repertoire, but there is no medical reason why you can't.
When you have your period, you can do 30 to 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity for two days, followed by a day where you keep things low-key. Think of a brisk walk, a relaxed bike ride, Pilates, or yoga.
Period-induced starchy and carbohydrate cravings can contribute to tiredness and make you more prone to collapse after training. But don't throw in the towel just because you feel bad. Focusing on healthy eating can alleviate fatigue.
How Your Training Can Ease Menstrual Discomfort
Sometimes all you want to do is lounge on your couch with a bottle of Nutella. I know, but moving will cheer you up. It sounds counterintuitive, but many menstrual symptoms can actually be reduced with exercise. That's true whether you do light, moderate, or vigorous activity.
In the University of St. Mary's survey, 78 percent of women reported that exercising helped their period-related discomfort, including stomach cramps and breast pain, bad moods, fatigue, and cravings.
Here's how you can benefit from exercise despite the discomfort of your period:
- It can reduce cramps . That's because exercising can lower prostaglandins, compounds that cause cramps by causing the uterus to contract.
- It could ease the swelling . It is normal to gain a few pounds during your period due to water retention. Exercising and sweating releases some of that. Just remember to keep drinking plenty of H2O to stay hydrated.
- You will get a boost of energy . Even if you're feeling drained, getting your fitness fix can boost your energy. In addition to the boost you get from endorphins, exercise also helps you sleep better, which will make you more alert.You may have to exert yourself for the first 10 minutes or so, but then the endorphins will start to flow and you will get into the rhythm .
Is it really bad to do a HIIT workout with the rule?
Unless you have fibroids, it's not bad at all. Many people think that you have to be more sedentary during your period, but most of us feel better after exercising. Your period is part of your reproductive cycle and we need to normalize it more. You don't have to change your life or your training unless you feel like it.
Athletic performance and endurance are highest during the first 12 to 14 days of a menstrual cycle due to increased levels of estrogen and progesterone. You may feel sluggish five to six days before your period, so you may want to modify your workouts at that time, but the key is to keep moving.
