Wellness

How to Sync Your Workouts with Your Cycle for Maximum Benefit

August 25, 2021

Learn to work with your body’s natural rhythms for optimal results

It’s crazy to think that it was only a couple of years ago that I started to understand the full concept of a women’s cycle. Of course I knew women had a period once a month, but that’s all I really knew about the changes that happen every month. (And if this is currently you, absolutely no worries – I got you).

While many of us think of our monthly cycle as simple ‘on our period’ or ‘off our period’ there is actually SO much more going on, and once we understand the hormonal changes our bodies go through throughout the month, we can actually use that knowledge to our benefit.

I’m personally thrilled that P.volve is making syncing your cycle to your workouts SO easy & accessible with their new Phase & Function program, which works WITH your body’s natural rhythms to get the most of our workout. If you’re not familiar with P.volve, check out this post on why I love it, and I’ll get into the details on their new Phase & Function below!

Okay, first, give me the cliff notes on the stages of a woman’s cycle

Okay, so you can think of your cycle as 4 distinct phases: the Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory & Luteal Phases.

[1] Let’s start with what we all know, the menstrual phase. Simply put, this is when we’re bleeding on our period. The first day of your period is counted as Day 1 of your cycle. Hormone levels are lowest across the board in this phase.

[2] Next we have the follicular phase – this when the uterus begins creating follicles, and preparing for the release of an egg. Estrogen begins to rise and is the dominant hormone in this phase. The follicular phase is typically from Days 5-12.

[3] The ovulatory phase is when ovulation happens, which is the release of an egg. In the ovulatory phase, estrogen peaks, along with luteinizing hormone. The ovulatory phase is typically from Days 13-16.

[4] Finally, we have the luteal phase. This is the phase post-ovulation, where the body prepares for pregnancy, if fertilization happens. Estrogen is low, and progesterone is the dominant hormone for this phase. The follicular phase is typically from Days 17-28 (assuming a 28 day cycle).

(Image via P.volve)

Alright, so what does this have to do with working out?

Actually, way more than you’d think! Unlike men, who’s hormones stay fairly constant throughout the month, women’s hormones change significantly throughout their cycle, and these hormonal changes affect how our bodies respond to everything from exercise, to stress, even to different foods!

[1] Menstrual Phase – With our period active & low hormone levels, our energy is often lowest during this stage. This is a perfect time to slow down, focus on recovery, stretching, and gentle movement. I love yoga, walking, P.volve stretch classes & light core work in this phase.

[2] Follicular Phase – With estrogen and testosterone on the rise, our bodies are primed for movement & building muscle, so lean into higher intensity & strength-based workouts. Higher estrogen also comes with increased ligament & tendon laxity – meaning a higher chance of injury – something to keep in mind working out during this phase!

[3] Ovulatory Phase – With our hormone levels at our highest, this is when our energy levels also peak. It’s the perfect time for high intensity workouts – think HIIT, cardio, circuit training! It’s also the time we tend to feel most social & outgoing – our body is always trying to get that egg fertilized after all 😉

[4] Luteal Phase – With estrogen dropping, and progesterone taking over, we have a major energy shift in this phase. You can think of progesterone as the ‘chill’ hormone, which is a good thing, but many women tend to have lower than optimal progesterone levels (often a result of stress), that can result in the classic ‘PMS’ & moodiness. Progesterone also naturally reduces our insulin sensitivity, so although PMS can cause carb cravings, it’s not the best time to reach for the sugar! When it comes to workouts, think lower intensity & lower impact – I love all of P.volve’s functional strength focused workouts in this phase!

P.volve’s Phase & Function program takes the stages of our cycle into account in the most thoughtful, intelligent way I’ve ever seen done before. As a P.volve member, you have full access to their Phase & Function program – you simply log a few basic details (the first day of your last cycle & your typical cycle length), and P.volve automatically adjusts your workout plan based on the phase of your cycle. And what’s more, the program actually educates you on that phase of your cycle, and explains why you’re doing a specific workout in that cycle phase.

I love that P.volve’s Phase & Function Program was developed in partnership with OBGYNs, RDs, and Health Coaches to take a holistic approach to cycle-syncing. Beyond workouts, they offer mindfulness guidance to take advantage of your hormone fluctuations throughout the month and find the best way to approach your career, sex and more. They also offer nutrition tips for each cycle stage, including phase-specific food lists and recipes to properly fuel your body in a way that matches your hormones.