21/02/2025
Did you know that where you are in your monthly cycle has an impact on your performance - you can use this knowledge to your advantage to optimize training results. In the first couple of days when estrogen is low, if you feel crappy, it’s a great time to back off a bit. Then as estrogen rises and you feel more like you, have at it, with enough weight and reps to approach failure.
After the period stops, estrogen and also testosterone continue to rise systemically - you’re at the top of your game in terms of your brain-to-body connection, and the tendons also shorten, meaning your muscles are more stable - so as you approach mid-cycle is an awesome time to go max out on weight (with lower reps) to build your strength!
In week 3 (post-ovulation), we have a brief dip and then again an increase in estrogen, similar to your period week, so you can “go with the flow” in the same way, based on how you feel (pun intended 😛)!
In week four, leading up to your period (or if you are menopausal), you may feel achey/inflammatory, and have sleep disturbance, bloating, brain fog, volatile mood, and even migraines, due to the presence of progesterone without a lot of estrogen. Here it’s a great idea to go lighter in weight, higher in reps (lots of muscle contractions) because our muscle fibers act like pumps to flush out inflammatory cytokines. Above all, it pays to get more in-tuned with what your body is telling you she needs! 💪💗🏋️♀️💃Love you Lionesses! 🫶
Source: Stephanie Estima, DC, FMCA Coach Talk podcast, episode 118
Do you notice ebbs and flows in your performance that correlate with your cycle?
