I’m sure all you ladies out there have experienced the premenstrual tank in energy levels. Mine personally hits a few days before my period starts and I literally feel drained. Then once it does start, I still don’t have a ton of energy for at least the first 3-4 days.

Guess what? This is totally NORMAL! It’s our bodies way of saying “Hey lady, I am doing some seriously hard work over here. Can you please give me a break?!” This is the perfect time to back off of the harder workouts and to honor our bodies with gentle movement. I’ve found that yoga, stretching, a more leisurely spin on the bike, or a long walk is just what my body is asking for - but again, that’s MY body. Maybe yours is saying do nothing. Maybe it’s asking for a short run instead of the 10 miles you normally do. It’s just up to us to listen and oblige!

Not only can training intensities/styles change around actual menstruation, but also throughout the month - or with each “phase” of the cycle. Now, let me preface this by saying I personally have a longer cycle, being an average of about 8 weeks. I know, it’s weird. But it’s MY personal “norm”. So, the phases last longer for me than someone with a normal 4 week cycle. Just wanted to throw that out there.

I’ve been learning a lot about this after listening to podcasts with Alisa Vitti, author of WomanCode and creator of the My Flo app. Once I started plugging in my own cycle “data” and symptoms into the app, I started to notice that my body was actually craving the change in workouts that she recommends.

For instance, during the first phase (Follicular, or when your body is trying to mature an egg), I enjoy mixing things up with something like a AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible circuit), fun workout I found on YouTube, or maybe a totally random class like Sculpthouse or Barry’s Bootcamp.

The next phase (Ovulation, or around the time your body actually releases said egg), I feel like I’ve got tons of energy, so I might add in some more HIIT workouts or sprints then.

The Luteal phase (when your hormones all peak right before dropping, which signals your period) is a lot like the Ovulation phase, where I still have a lot of energy and really enjoy pushing myself during my workouts. This usually lasts until a few days before my period begins (the Menstrual phase), which is when I feel that intense crash and taper back to more gently movement or active rest days.

Isn’t it crazy how our bodies work? I know this sounds a little woo-woo, but I promise that it can actually make a huge difference in how you feel throughout the month/your entire cycle! By taking it phase by phase and listening to our bodies, we can reduce inflammation, prevent injury, and keep our hormones more balanced. I urge you to give it the ole’ collage try and let me know what you think and how it works for you!