How your training should be at each phase of the menstrual cycle –

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Every month she shows up: sometimes, she sends prior notice in the form of a pimples and, like an inconvenient guest, stays three to five days and then leaves with a promise to return soon. A menstruation it can even be quite uncomfortable for those who practice physical activity, and many people don’t even know whether or not to continue their exercise routine during their period. But the good news is that not only can you, but the following weeks represent the best time for you to increase the intensity of your training and achieve more results. That’s why we explain how your training should be at each stage of the menstrual cycle.

A QUESTION OF HORMONES

“The greatest amount of estrogen and testosterone present in the body after menstruation positively interferes with your disposition and favors the construction of muscles”, says physical educator Disnei Sanches, technical director of Competition Training Gym, in São Paulo. That is, in the first 14 days of the cycle, you should work harder at the gym, betting on HIIT sequences and in exercises with heavier loads.

Elevated estrogen and testosterone during menstruation favor strength training

Yes, after ovulationwhen the levels of these two hormones fall and the progesterone dominates the organism (she prepares her body for menstruation), it is normal that her income is no longer the same. A survey carried out by the Female Athlete Health Group, in the United States, with more than a thousand runners, found that a third of them have their performance affected by the cycle. “Women really have less energy and should do moderate training with longer intervals”, emphasizes Disnei.

Now, when you get to end of cycle, reserve the last week for regenerative sessions (very light and with little weight). “Moderate physical activity can alleviate some symptoms of TPM, such as mild colic and mood swings,” says gynecologist and sports doctor Renato Zucchi, from Clínica Zucchi, in São Paulo. “However, if the discomfort is very severe, exercise can make it worse.”

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