Phases of the Menstrual Cycle & Its Effects on Training
Okay, ladies (and gentlemen, y’all can read about this too!).... Let’s talk about our menstrual cycles. The “taboo” subject that no one ever talks about, so most of us know nothing about it. In high school health class, we were taught that when you have unprotected sex, you will get pregnant… AND DIE! (Mean Girls, anyone??) But is this really true that sex anytime in your cycle can result in a pregnancy? And does this have any effect on our daily lives, or more specifically, our training?
Let’s talk about the menstrual cycle itself and exactly what is going on in our bodies every month. It is separated into two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase.
The follicular phase starts on cycle day 1, AKA the first day of your period. Menstruation, or the shedding of the uterine lining, marks the first day of your cycle when a pregnancy did not occur in the previous cycle. A healthy period lasts anywhere from 2-7 days and contains bright red blood. Towards the end of your period, that bright red blood may turn darker or even a brownish color, called spotting. The hormone estrogen (estradiol) tends to gradually rise during this phase in order to thicken the lining of the uterus.
Also occurring on cycle day 1, the hormone FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) signals for the ovaries to begin growing follicles, hence the name “follicular phase.” One follicle will become the dominant follicle, which becomes the egg that will be ovulated. In an average 28 day cycle, ovulation typically occurs on cycle day 14. However, there is SUCH a wide range for how long a cycle may last! A healthy menstrual cycle lasts between 21-35 days, so ovulation may occur anywhere from cycle day 7 to 21!
The hormones FSH and LH (luteinizing hormone) tend to spike just before ovulation. If you are trying to conceive, this is a great time to have those ovulation predictor kits (OPK’s) on hand to test the amount of LH in your urine to know when to time intercourse! Women tend to be most fertile in the 5 days leading up to ovulation (the releasing of the egg) plus one day afterwards. If you are trying NOT to conceive, these would be the days to abstain from sex OR to use contraception!
The egg travels from the ovaries and down the fallopian tubes. Once ovulation occurs, estrogen plumits, and the luteal phase begins. A healthy luteal phase lasts anywhere from 10-15 days. The ovary that released the egg then produces a cyst called the corpus luteum, which causes progesterone to rise. If the egg is fertilized (and later implanted in the uterus), the corpus luteum will continue to produce progesterone to sustain a pregnancy. If a pregnancy does not occur, then progesterone gradually declines, thus bringing us back to cycle day 1 and our period!
Now, what does this mean for how we feel throughout our cycles?
Week 1: Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest, but once estrogen begins the gradual incline, you may feel more energy.
Week 2: Estrogen begins increasing more rapidly in preparation for ovulation. You will likely feel the most energy during this time. This is a great time to hit a PR!
Week 3: Estrogen peaks, ovulation occurs, and progesterone begins to rise. You may begin to feel more sluggish. Movement may help!
Week 4: Both estrogen and progesterone decline, so energy levels may be at their lowest. Gentle physical activity may reduce PMS symptoms.
Now, to clarify, there is no need to have specific workouts that you only do during certain phases of your menstrual cycle. If you are training for an event, you can’t always plan it around your cycle and may not have a way to replicate a cyclical training phase, so it is best to keep a consistent training program. Nonetheless, it always helps to know where you are at in your cycle, and give yourself more grace if you aren’t hitting the weights or the reps that you did the week before!
Check out our top app recommendations for tracking your cycle and learning along the way —
Cycles | Apple | Best for couples
MyFlo | Apple & Android | Best for those with irregular periods
Clue | Apple & Android | Best for those newly off of birth control
Ovia Fertility | Apple & Android | Best for those who are trying to conceive
xxx,
Coach Maddie
