We're keeping it sporty - exercising with your cycle

We miss the Olympics already, so we thought we'd stay on theme

If you're signed up to our cycle-synced newsletter, you've already had some insight into how your menstrual cycle impacts your exercise. But, a quick reminder never hurts ;) . 

First off, here's a reminder that every body is different. For example, I usually feel very energised and ready to do sports on day 3 of my period (lucky, I know). However, my sports performance suffers quite a bit in my late luteal phase. So here are guidelines, based on medical research. But that's just what they are: guidelines. It's really about doing your best to listen to your body.

When you've just finished your period, and entering your spring / follicular phase, your oestrogen and testosterone levels (two of our reproductive hormones) will begin to rise. This often leads to us feeling more energised as well. 

Our late follicular and ovulatory phases (between days 5 to 12 usually) are great times for getting the high energy workouts in. Think of those 400m and 100m sprints, the HIIT training, or competing in the Olympics . It's peculiar to think that those women competing at the right phases of their cycles likely had hormones on their side. 

As you leave your summer / ovulatory phase, it's time to focus more on resistance and strength training. In your late luteal and menstrual phases, slow it right down: yoga, pilates, and walking are great

I still struggle to this day, to listen to my body when it's craving for yoga rather than a run. It's not always as easy as it sounds, but it helps overall performance as well as (more importantly) feeling better in your body.