If you’ve ever wondered why some days you feel like crushing a workout and other days you
can barely get through a warm-up, your hormones might be the reason. The menstrual cycle
isn’t just about re-populating the earth, it’s a rhythm of hormonal changes that affect energy,
recovery, strength, and even injury risk. By tuning into your hormonal cycle, you can use this
to adjust how you train to potentially make exercise more effective and less of a chore.

Phases of the Menstrual Cycle and Exercise

1. Menstrual Phase (Day 1–5 – your period)
   This is when bleeding starts, and both oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. It’s
   common to feel more tired, crampy, or just flat. High-intensity workouts might feel harder
   than usual due to the hormonal impact on efficiency in using energy sources such as carbs.
   If this impacts you, it may be helpful to stick to lighter movement such as walking, mobility
   work, yoga, or light resistance training as you may feel these are more manageable and help
   to maintain your motivation.
2. Follicular Phase (Day 6–13, after your period and heading into ovulation)
   As oestrogen rises, energy levels often climb and don’t be surprised if your mood improves
   as well. This is usually the time when workouts feel easier, recovery feels faster, and you
   might notice more motivation to push harder. This might feel like your ‘sweet spot’ for
   movement. It’s a great time to tackle heavier strength training, interval sessions, or skill-
   based workouts when focus and power are high.
3. Ovulation (Around Day 14 – mid cycle)
   At ovulation, oestrogen peaks and progesterone kicks in. This hormonal surge can bring a
   sense of strength and vitality, making it an ideal window for more challenging workouts. The
   catch (because there always seems to be one….)?? Higher oestrogen can increase joint
   laxity, which may increase your risk of injury. For example, the research shows there is a
   slightly higher risk of ACL injury during this time. This doesn’t mean you need to avoid
   training (or playing sport!), but focusing on good technique and controlled strength work can
   help protect you. If you play dynamic sports, such as soccer, including strength training
   (particularly earlier in life) has a protective role by thickening ligaments – so get on board the
   strength train if you are not already!
4. Luteal Phase (Day 15–28 – leading up to your next period)
   Progesterone dominates in this phase, and body temperature rises slightly. Some people
   experience bloating, fatigue, or mood fluctuations, which can make high-intensity training
   harder. Your body tends to rely more on fat for energy during this time, so steady-state
   cardio and moderate resistance training might feel better than heavy lifting or explosive
   movements.
   Listening to your body, adjusting training expectations, focusing on moderate-intensity
   sessions, and prioritising recovery strategies can go a long way in this phase.
   Perimenopause, Menopause, and Exercise
   As hormones shift during perimenopause and eventually decline in menopause, energy and
   recovery can change too. Lower oestrogen affects muscle, bone, and joint health, and
   symptoms like poor sleep or hot flushes can make exercise feel trickier.

The good news? Exercise is one of the best tools for managing this stage of life. Strength
training helps protect muscle and bone density, cardio keeps the heart healthy, and balance
and flexibility work to maintain mobility for day-to-day life. The key is to stay consistent but
flexible in what you do on the day, some days you won’t feel like lifting heavy, so go lighter.
Other days a walk or mobility focus may be the better choice. Listen to your body and pay
attention to your energy levels to assist in movement selection.

So what to do with this information?

Hormonal changes influence performance, recovery, and injury risk but don’t let that stop
you from challenging yourself or exercising. Knowing how the hormonal changes impact you
might just help you understand why some days exercise can feel like an insurmountable task
and other days it feels like a breeze. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Don’t just
fall into the trap of going with the motions with your movement and exercise, as for many
women this becomes old pretty quickly and you’re more likely to experience injury, fatigue
and/or give exercise up altogether. By adjusting your exercise to your physiology (in this
case hormonal impacts) such as maximising energy during high-hormone phases, pulling
back when fatigue or discomfort is higher, it will help you to stay motivated and active
throughout life.