Those of us who have regular periods will often find that our energy levels fluctuate throughout the month. As hormone levels change according to the different phases of our cycle, so does our speed and power – and that means our physical capacity for exercise.

One week, you might find yourself pushing way beyond what you thought possible: running faster, lifting heavier or balancing for longer. The next, every step or lift might feel like you’re moving through treacle. 

During that part of your cycle, even the journey to the gym will feel like a huge challenge, and that’s perfectly normal. But what if you could unlock the power of your cycle to time those killer workouts with when your body is feeling most powerful?

Personal trainer Alana Lawes at The Barn Bootcamp is a firm believer in adapting your exercise routine to your cycle. It all starts with knowing and tracking your periods; the key, Lawes believes, is understanding how your own body works.  

She tells Stylist: “The more we understand our ‘normal’, our patterns and how we usually feel at certain stages of our menstrual cycle, the more we can work with it, rather than feeling as though it is working against us.”

The menstrual cycle is split into four stages: menstruation (the bleed), the follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase. At each stage (roughly lasting a week), your hormones fluctuate. And that has a knock-on effect on your energy levels, motivation and strength.

Everyone’s cycle will be unique, and the length of each phase may vary. In general, however, it’s common for to feel more energised during the follicular phase.  

The follicular phase begins around the penultimate or final day of your period. Research shows we usually experience a higher increase in muscle strength during this time compared to the other three phases. As such, it’s the perfect time to stretch yourself and attempt for a new fitness PB.

“Energy is high, cardiovascular function and bone health are potentially at their highest [during the follicular phase],” Lawes explains. “Some research says you adapt better to strength and conditioning here, so are likely to feel good during sessions, recover well and feel strong when lifting.”

Stick to your regular exercise routine, but try to go up a weight size for your usual exercises, or aim to run a slightly faster split during this time. It’s all about leaning into your body’s natural inclinations – making tiny tweaks to reap the most reward.

Alongside a ‘stronger’ phase of your cycle, there will also be times when you feel less able to complete your usual sets with the usual weights. For most people, this noticeable dip will occur the week before you period (the luteal phase).

That’s the point in the month when you’re most likely to experience PMS symptoms like headaches, mood swings, bloating, cravings and discomfort.

“This potentially will have an impact in the gym and might mean that the usual weight you are using feels much harder than the week before, or you may feel like you need longer between sets to recover,” says Lawes.  

However, she encourages gym-goers to keep training throughout this more challenging phase, as it can be a time to test your physical and mental strength. 

“If we understand that our menstrual cycle might be responsible [for the drop in strength], it helps us move away from internal negative dialogue,” Lawes says.  

“It can go from, ‘I am so weak, I can’t do this, I’m really bad at this’ to ‘this is the phase where I feel my weakest, so it’s OK that I can’t lift my usual weights – just being here and doing what I can is great.’”  

Once we start to acknowledge the role our cycles play in our energy, we can start to build real routine. That luteal week is the perfect opportunity to programme in a ‘deload week’, where you reduce weights or the volume of sets. It might also be the week that you carve out an extra rest day. Who knows, maybe your luteal phase will become your favourite week of the month. 

There’s a misconception that being on your period should mean reducing workout load or avoiding strenuous exercise. While some of us undoubtedly struggle with cramps and need rest, movement can also help ease period symptoms. 

Lawes suggests trying to keep your routine as similar as possible to the rest of your cycle, but adjusting the intensity of the workout.

“Use weights that are challenging but doable, have more rest time, reduce work time but try to keep moving,” she says. 

“Movement, for many people, can help alleviate cramps and back pain experienced during PMS and menstruation. It can aid digestion which can be a little funky during that time too – hence the bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea many experience.”

It’s important to know what’s normal pain for your period too, as extreme pain could be a sign of a medical condition such as endometriosis or PCOS. If you feel up to exercising, fab. But if you really don’t have the energy to move or you’re in too much discomfort, it’s worth chatting to your GP.

Images: Getty