Shark week, aunt flo, the blob. If you get a period chances are you see it as  a pain in the **** that comes along to ruin your week.  Or maybe you don’t get a period but still experience symptoms like mood swings and energy crashes. You might be quite regular and know when to expect it all to happen, or there might seem to be no rhyme or reason to how your cycle works. BUT we are here to tell you how you can start to work WITH your cycle to understand what your mind and body need at different stages of the month.

But first, what are the stages you go through? We’ve based our schedule on a regular 28 day cycle, so obviously yours may vary a bit from this, the best thing you can do is track your flow, or lack of and your symptoms for a few months to identify how you are feeling and where you might be.

So the menstrual cycle is broken down into five stages or phases : 

Days 1-7 early follicular phase - The bleed

Days 8-14 late follicular phase - STRONG AF 

Days 14-18 ovulation -  Release the egg

Days 18 -  23 early luteal phase -  Grumpy baby

Days 23 - 28 late luteal phase - Leave your ego at the door

But what does this all mean? And how can it impact your training? Your body is prepared for different things when different hormones are flowing and ebbing, if you feel different, why wouldn’t your training be different? Here’s our guide to how you can alter your training throughout your cycle to help you maximise your gains and your recovery. 

Days 1 - 7  EARLY FOLLICULAR PHASE 

Day 1 of the menstrual cycle is the first day of bleeding, where all of your hormones are at their lowest. Tiredness and irritability are really common so don’t stress if you feel this way -  it’s normal!
You want to drop your training intensity and volume, but studies show that your strength shouldn’t drop so no need to go lighter than normal!
Prioritise getting rest and recovery time and eat plenty of omega 3’s. Your early follicular phase is also time to take iron supplements - they will reduce tiredness and fatigue, help support normal cognitive function, and help give your immune system a boost. This is where Active Iron comes in, our preferred iron supplements provider. Have a look at their product range here to find the right supplements for you!

Days 8 - 14 -  MID FOLLICULAR PHASE 

This week you’ll be STRONG AF!! So go heavvvyyyyy! Oestrogen is high and progesterone is low. Increase your carb intake around your training and supplement magnesium to help with energy levels. Make sure you add in time for stretching everyday!

Days 14 - 18 -  OVULATION

This is your time to shine! Test your maxes and push yourself to the limits! Increase your simple carbs like white rice and add in sports drinks with training to help with energy release.  Supplement magnesium, zinc and glutamine. 

Days 18 - 23 - EARLY LUTEAL PHASE 

Alright, you’ve had your fun, this week, be prepared for moody mandy to come out. Oestrogen drops and progesterone kicks in. You’ll be irritable and hungry, so eat!! Increase your carbs and reduce fats a bit.  Listen to your body, if you don’t feel like training, don’t.  But try to keep moving with some yoga, walks, or light swimming. You gotta get those endorphins from somewhere!

Days 23 - 28 - LATE LUTEAL PHASE 

Leave your ego at the door.  This is the week to focus on your technique rather than going as heavy as you can.  Increase your protein and complex carbs.  Try to avoid being in a calorie deficit this week as it will have an impact on your sleep.  Foods high in tryptophan are great and they will give you a serotonin boost.  Add oats, nuts, and chocolate to your shopping list!

Wow, that was a lot of info..  If you know where you are in your cycle, you can jump straight in and try some of this out, but if you’re not sure the best thing you can do is track track track,  whether you’re regular or not, whether you have a fancy watch or a pen and paper, keep track of your mood, any body symptoms and your workouts every day. Even if you don’t get a period you can still notice the changes in how you are feeling to work out where you are in your cycle. 

And as always, if you are concerned about your cycle at all, speak to a doctor or medical professional