Fitness during menstruation: the pros and cons

How to train in “these days” and is it possible to do this? This question excites many girls, but not everyone decides to ask it. Everything you need to know about fitness classes on “critical days” in this article.

Playing sports during menstruation is, frankly, a delicate topic and excites all the girls who are in any way engaged in any direction of fitness. During menstruation, you can go to the fitness room, but not everyone.

You can not train during menstruation with:

severe spasmodic pain
with severe bleeding
with general ill health and severe weakness
Naturally, in the presence of any gynecological disease, the question of whether it is possible to play sports during menstruation should be discussed with your doctor. In case of pregnancy, the situation is similar.

Based on my own work experience, I can say that with regard to fitness during menstruation, girls are usually divided into two types:

those who feel bad and can not do
those who do not experience severe discomfort and can fully go even to strength training during menstruation
What happens in the body during menstruation?
The entire menstrual cycle can conditionally be divided into two phases: follicular and luteal, between which ovulation occurs. Follicular begins on the first day of the onset of menstruation and lasts until about the 14th day (if we consider the cycle of 28 days), luteal – from the 15th to the 28th day. All this time in the body there is a change in the level of hormones. In this context, we are interested in estrogens and progesterone.

Estrogens are the common name for a subclass of steroidal female sex hormones produced by the ovaries. Estrogens have a strong feminizing effect on the body. They stimulate the development of female genital organs, secondary sexual characteristics of the female type and perform many more functions. Exaggerated, we can say that it is estrogen that makes a woman a woman.

Progesterone is a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries, and placenta during pregnancy. Progesterone is often called the “pregnancy hormone” because it is responsible for all the processes in the body associated with preparing for pregnancy and bearing a baby.

The graph below shows how the level of estrogen and progesterone levels dramatically changes throughout the woman’s menstrual cycle.

Change in hormone levels by days of the menstrual cycle

During menstruation, estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply. This leads to a narrowing of the vessels of the uterine mucosa (endometrium). If the vessels narrow, the blood supply decreases. As a result, the mucous membrane begins to exfoliate and tear away, after which it leaves the woman’s body in the form of bleeding.

It is these processes that can cause poor health during menstruation. Naturally, all physical indicators worsen during this period. Even with a great desire, “setting records” at this time is unlikely to succeed – your endurance and strength are less than usual.

In the theory of training of professional athletes and sports physiology, whole training methods for women athletes have been developed, depending on the phases of the menstrual cycle. Naturally, in professional sports the approach is much more serious, because girls need to show record results and compete regardless of the day of the cycle. For girls who are engaged in fitness “for health” and maintaining good shape, it will be enough to follow the basic recommendations and, mainly, focus on your well-being.

What workouts to prefer during menstruation?

stretching – light stretching exercises can reduce menstrual pain
Pilates and yoga – avoid inverted asanas and postures that require strong tension of the abs
swimming – contrary to popular belief is permissible during menstruation, the main thing is to responsibly approach the issue of hygiene
low-intensity cardio loads – it is worth excluding activities that provide shock load, such as jumping rope. It is also worth being careful with running. In most cases, light jogging is acceptable, but it is better to focus on your well-being.
moderate strength training
Can I do strength training during menstruation?
Weight training is just like cardio workouts during menstruation. But, in order to prevent an increase in the intensity of bleeding and a deterioration in well-being, a number of conditions must be observed:

reduce weight weights by increasing the number of repetitions
exclude abdominal exercises or choose the simplest
exclude such basic exercises as squats, leg press, deadlift
perform more isolating exercises
increase rest time between sets
drink more water
In conclusion, I want to say that only your well-being can give the correct answer to the question “is it worth exercising during menstruation?” You should not go to training if you are really ill – this will not give an effect.