Unser Blog

Sport during the period: should we adapt the workout to the cycle?

18 Jan, 2023

Sport during the period: should we adapt the workout to the cycle?

However, this is a mistake. Regular exercise is good for you and has advantages, not least with regard to your menstruation.

Why you should also exercise during your period and to what extent it makes sense to adapt your training to your cycle is explained below.

The most important facts about exercise during your period at a glance

  • Women should also exercise during their period.
  • Exercise can help shorten your period and relieve menstrual pain.
  • A look at your menstrual calendar will help you to adjust your training to your performance during the respective phase of your cycle.
  • Since performance is not at its highest during menstruation, it often makes sense to reduce the intensity of exercise.
  • Exercise can help you not only to reduce period pain, but also to relieve PMS symptoms.
  • The most important thing is that you enjoy your workout and exercise regularly.
  • Period underwear is a great way to keep you protected while working out during your period.

Should I exercise at all during my period?

period panties

Sporting activities should be an integral part of your daily routine, even during your period. Among other things, regular exercise helps your menstrual blood to drain better. As a result, your period may tend to be a little shorter than if you did not exercise at all.

Apart from this, workouts help many women to relieve uncomfortable period symptoms such as abdominal cramps. If you are affected by these problems, exercising during your period can be a great way to improve your well-being.

What kind of sport should you do during your period?

As a general rule, the fun of exercise should be in the foreground. After all, you will hardly stick with it for a long time if you get bored during training or if every workout is torture for you. It's best to find a type of exercise that you like and that you can imagine being a regular part of your daily routine.

Do you need to adapt your training to your cycle?

As you've probably noticed, women's performance can fluctuate significantly throughout the cycle. It therefore makes sense to take this into account when designing your training plan and to adapt your workout to your cycle, at least to a certain extent.

Exercise during your period

From a hormonal point of view, the period is characterised by a drop in progesterone and oestrogen levels. Apart from that, the heart rate increases and menstrual bleeding leads to a drop in haemoglobin levels. As a result, you don't perform as well as usual during your period and your muscles tend to fatigue more quickly.

For this reason, menstruation is not normally the right time to strive for top athletic performance. It's better to tone down the intensity of your workouts and make sure you don't overload your body. Try yoga training, Pilates or moderate endurance training.

Exercise during the follicular phase

The follicular phase is the phase of the cycle that begins when your period ends. During this phase, the follicles in the ovaries mature. Oestrogen levels are initially low during the follicular phase. Over time, however, it rises.

During this phase of the cycle, you can slowly increase the intensity of your training. It is a good time to do strength training or martial arts, for example. Physical performance and motivation are usually particularly high during the follicular phase.

Sport during the ovulation phase

The ovulation phase is the phase of the cycle when you ovulate. Progesterone levels rise and oestrogen levels fall.

Activities such as weight training are still possible during the ovulation phase. However, it may be a good idea to reduce the intensity of your training a little and not try to beat your previous best around ovulation.

period pantsSport during the luteal phase

The luteal phase begins after ovulation. It ends with the onset of the next period. During this phase, your performance slowly but surely decreases. While you felt full of energy before you ovulated, your motivation will most likely decrease now.

As your period approaches, it's usually a good idea to reduce the intensity of your exercise and focus on sports like moderate cardio rather than pushing your body to its limits with heavy weight training or interval training.

Exercise for women with PMS

By the way, the fact that your performance decreases in the days before menstruation does not mean that you should avoid exercise altogether. Especially if you suffer from PMS, you can benefit from regular exercise.

Many women find that exercising in the days before their period helps to reduce their PMS symptoms and significantly improves their well-being in everyday life. So it's not only worth it during your period, but also in the days leading up to it, which are often characterised by cramps and headaches, to get out and get physically active.

Weekiss period panties: the perfect companion for your workout

Of course, you want to be able to concentrate on your workout during your period and not have to worry about stains in your training pants.

Weekiss period pants is the perfect choice for this purpose. Our menstrual underwear is available in different absorbencies for your weaker and stronger days.

Carefully crafted and made without synthetic fibres, they offer excellent comfort and a secure fit, so you'll soon forget you're not wearing normal underwear when you're exercising.

Sport during the cycle - our conclusion

As you can see, it's worth overcoming your inner stubbornness and exercising during your period. Even if you find it difficult at first, you should at least give it a try.

Find a type of sport that you enjoy and don't overdo it during your period. You will soon realise how good exercise is for you and you won't want to give up exercising during your period in the future.

Regardless of this, you should try to adapt your training to your menstrual cycle. Take into account the different performance levels in the different phases of your cycle and don't try to work against your body. This will save you unnecessary frustration and make it easier for you to keep up your exercise programme.