Working Out & Your Cycle: How to Stay Consistent Throughout the Month

As women, our bodies go through hormonal fluctuations every month that can impact energy levels, strength, and endurance. Understanding these changes and syncing your training with your cycle can help you stay consistent, optimize your training, and make progress without burnout.

This blog post will break down how your hormones shift throughout a 28-day menstrual cycle and provide training recommendations to help you make the most of each phase.

Cycle Syncing: Understanding Your Body’s Rhythm

Your hormones fluctuate throughout the month, affecting your strength, endurance, and recovery. Learning what your body is doing at each stage can empower you to adjust your training rather than forcing yourself through workouts that don’t feel right.

This guide explains:

• Which hormones peak and drop at each phase
• How these changes affect your performance and energy levels
• What training modifications can help optimize your workouts

Since every woman’s cycle is different, these insights are for educational purposes and should be adjusted based on your personal experience.

Menstruation (Days 1-5): The Low Energy Phase

What’s happening?

• Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest levels.
• You may experience fatigue, cramps, and weakness.
• Endurance and strength may feel lower than usual.

How to Adjust Your Training:

• Reduce workout volume (3 sets instead of 4).
• Opt for lighter weights or bodyweight exercises.
• Increase rest periods (90 seconds instead of 60).
• Focus on form and mind-muscle connection.
• Lower intensity (work at 6/10 effort instead of max effort).

Listen to your body—rest if needed!

Follicular Phase (Days 6-10): Energy Returns

What’s happening?

• Estrogen starts rising, while progesterone stays low.
• Energy levels begin to improve.
• Strength and endurance start returning.

How to Adjust Your Training:

• Resume your normal training volume.
• Increase weight loads to moderate/heavy.
• Stick to your regular rest periods and intensity.
• Start challenging yourself with higher effort sets.

Follicular Phase (Days 11-14): Peak Energy & Ovulation

What’s happening?

• Estrogen is at its highest, with a small testosterone boost.
• You feel your strongest, most energized, and motivated.

How to Adjust Your Training:

• Increase weights or intensity for strength gains.
• Shorten rest periods to push limits.
• Great time to hit a PR!
• Incorporate high-intensity workouts (HIIT, sprints, heavy lifts).

✨ These are your "golden days" for performance—take advantage of them! ✨

Luteal Phase (Days 15-21): Things Start to Slow Down

What’s happening?

• Progesterone increases, while estrogen slightly dips.
• You may feel strong but notice endurance dropping.

How to Adjust Your Training:

• Maintain reps and volume.
• Slightly reduce weight load if needed.
• Keep regular rest periods, but allow for longer breaks if necessary.
• Focus on maintaining good form and controlled movements.

Luteal Phase (Days 21-28): Fatigue Creeps Back In

What’s happening?

• Progesterone peaks, leading to increased fatigue.
• Mood swings, bloating, and lower energy may appear.

How to Adjust Your Training:

• Shift to higher reps with lighter weights.
• Reduce sets to avoid over-fatiguing yourself.
• Lower weights if strength feels reduced.
• Consider programming a deload week (lighter workouts or active recovery).

Final Thoughts: Training Smart Through Your Cycle

Understanding how your hormones impact performance can help you work with your body, not against it. Instead of feeling frustrated when energy dips, adjust your workouts to match your cycle.

👉 Have you tried cycle syncing with your workouts? Comment below and share your experience!

💪 Follow @getmovingwithjen for more women’s fitness tips!

References: 

1. Office on Women's Health. "Physical Activity and Your Menstrual Cycle." WomensHealth.gov
2. PubMed. "Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Exercise Performance." PubMed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3. Cleveland Clinic. "Nutrition and Exercise Throughout Your Menstrual Cycle." Health.ClevelandClinic.org
4. HealthPartners. "How Tracking Your Period Can Help Improve Athletic Performance." HealthPartners.com
5. National Institutes of Health (NIH). "The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Athletes' Performance." PMC.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov