If you’re a woman who works out, or a man who associates himself with women who work out, you need to read this. PERIOD.
 
See what I did there? Feeling uncomfortable? That’s okay. You’re allowed. Talking about the curse has been taboo for a long while. I’m here to tell you we need to talk about the ups and downs of the female hormone cycle, though, because most of us would benefit from a more thorough understanding. Not talking about it and pretending it doesn’t make a difference isn’t working too well, because guess what? IT MATTERS.
 
Sisters, let’s have a show of hands: how many of you have gone into the gym feeling great, like you’re really going to have an awesome workout— maybe even lay down a PR— and then everything just feels H E A V Y and you just don’t have the steam you usually do? OR, you’ve gone into the gym feeling fierce and happy, caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, thought something mean and shitty about yourself that you just can’t get out of your head, and instead of having a great workout you end up dripping angry tears all over your barbell? Your menstrual cycle might not be wholly responsible for those day-to-day changes in your mood and physical performance, but it is definitely a factor.
 
Gender aside, everyone has low-energy days, but if you’re a woman, chances are good that when that happens, you’re a) within a few days of starting your period, or b) right smack in the middle of ovulating. Our monthlies can mess with our physical and mental performance in a myriad of ways but there are strategies we can employ to minimize the flames and wreckage.
 
I recently had a conversation with a bunch of male trainers and coaches, most of whom professed to specialize in training women. When the subject matter turned to shark week, most of them started squirming like worms on hooks. I didn’t bother to change the subject, though. I think that if you work with women (or train with women or have wives or mothers or sisters or daughters or female friends or whatever) you need to have some understanding of what happens to our bodies. And, trainers and coaches, if YOU are the one to demonstrate that you know something about what happens to your female clients’ bodies every month, and can be somewhat mature and sympathetic about it, your female clients will thank you. Trust me.
 
Menstrual cycles are like snowflakes—no two are the same. They vary just a little bit (or a lot, sometimes) from month to month and from woman to woman. On average they last about 28 days, so we’ll speak to that average as we go through what happens one day at a time and have a look at what each phase means as far as training is concerned. These are generalizations and not medical advice so please, if you have concerns about what’s going on in your body, talk to your doctor.
 
Days 1-3 (Menses, Follicular Phase): Hormone levels drop like they’re hot and the blood and tissues lining the uterus start to break down and shed. The muscles surrounding the uterus can cramp and cause significant pain and/or discomfort. Bleeding is usually the worst in this phase.
 
The first three days of your period are not going to be awesome workout days. The hormones that keep us energetic and mentally balanced have peaced out. Iron levels have dropped and electrolyte levels are sometimes a little off which can cause cramping in the extremities. This is not to say that you shouldn’t work out during this phase. On the contrary, working out will ease physical pain or discomfort from cramps or headaches. That said, this is not the time to go after PRs. Have a look at your training cycle. If you have key workouts with big numbers to hit. you may want to make some adjustments. Otherwise, work up to about 85 to 90 percent, stay hydrated, and be nice to yourself.
 
Days 4-6: Bleeding lightens and most women start to feel markedly better. Estrogen levels (which bottomed out in days 1-3) start to turn around and our hemoglobin levels start to return to normal. We feel more energetic and optimistic. We can start pushing a little harder in the gym, which is a relief after the last few days of feeling like our undercarriage will turn inside out if we put out maximal effort! Usually there is a big change in vaginal PH levels around days four or five, which means that yeast infections are something to watch out for, especially in women who are on the move all the time. Slipping into clean underthings after a hard workout is always good but is extra important right about now.
 
Days 7-12: The follicular phase starts to wrap itself up. By now bleeding has stopped and estrogen levels are on the rise. Welcome to the luteal phase, where our bodies are preparing for pregnancy: the uterine lining starts to thicken again and the ovaries are preparing to release an egg for fertilization. Hormonally, this is smooth sailing time: estrogen is still rising steadily and testosterone is staging a comeback. We’re feeling sane, strong, and optimistic. As long as you’re healthy and rested, you should have pretty close to peak performance in the gym over this whole week.
 
Days 13-15: Ovulation! Right in the middle of your cycle, your ovaries release a new egg into the fallopian tubes. When you ovulate, you might experience some twinge-y cramps or some spotting because life is just that rude sometimes. If you’re trying to get pregnant, now is the time. Also, if you’re looking for a PR, your body should be primed for it—so if it’s in your program, you can put the pedal to the metal!
 
Days 16-18 (Luteal phase): That new egg is just hanging out waiting to be fertilized. Estrogen is still high and progesterone will start to rise as well. With the appearance of progesterone in our systems, brain fog and forgetfulness can get worse. Be mindful in the gym. Focus on control and maintaining the mind-muscle connection, keeping one rep in the tank at the end of every set. You will want to train to failure especially if your athletic performance was amazing just a few days ago, but resist! At this point in our cycle we are at our most injury-prone. PMS is right around the corner, and if you can’t train because you’re injured, you will not be a happy camper. Be conservative so that you can maintain consistency.
 
Days 19-22 (Luteal phase): Danger, Will Robinson! PMS is starting. For the love of goats and all other bearded creatures, do not get on the scale right now; it will ruin your day. Thanks to a sharp rise in progesterone, our bodies will retain more water than SpongeBob Squarepants. I’d say don’t sweat it, but sweating is your friend—it will help you shed that extra water and give your mood a boost at the same time, and you’ll be better equipped to outrun the zombies when they come. Make sure you get a wide variety of mineral sources in your diet and drink lots of water.
 
Days 22-24: Estrogen levels will start to drift down and progesterone is at its peak. PMS-related bloating and moodiness are at their worst. Take extra care to look after recovery and nutrition if you’re training hard; your body needs it. Be kind to yourself and keep tissues handy in the gym just in case you start playing the comparison game in your head or the pressures of trying to be all things to all people get to be too much— stress may start leaking out your eyeballs.
 
Days 25-28: Period’s coming any day now—cramps and headaches and brain fog, yay! Our estrogen and testosterone levels are headed to the basement and progesterone is also on its way down. You may feel like your energy and drive are Just. Not. There. And that’s okay—stick to the program, do your best, and if that means just showing up, that is good enough! This is not the time to change goals or make any big decisions. Hang in there and in a few days you’ll feel better.
 
It’s important to note that everyone’s experience with the menstrual cycle is different and there are no hard and fast rules. Some women are incapacitated for a couple of days every month and some lucky girlfriends have no side effects whatsoever. Age also plays a role; the closer you are to menopause, the worse the side effects of menstruation tend to be. Medications, birth control choices, and other health conditions can also bring about major changes to the menstrual cycle (or eliminate it altogether). Again, talk to your doctor if you have concerns!

And as always, you can never go wrong by getting good sleep, employing stress management strategies, staying hydrated, and eating your vegetables.