There are a lot of misconceptions out there about whether women should work out on their period or not. Tons of women have asked me,

“But am I allowed to work out on my period?”

“Is it healthy for the body to work out on our period?”

“Will I get injured if I’m working out on my period?”

“Will my period pain become worse if I work out on my period?”

 

Also, some myths such as,

“I have been told these are just the days for us to rest, we shouldn’t do anything.”
“Our bodies are naturally cleansing themselves, so we should not interrupt the process.”

 

And my reaction to this is – HELLS NO.

 

There is absolutely no evidence that suggests anything harmful can happen to you if you work out on your period. We’re well aware that our period comes with signs of tiredness, weakness, lethargy, and pain in our whole body. The list goes on and on.

But – it is important to note that working out on your period is 100% allowed, safe, and doable. No matter what. Of course, it's more difficult for some women to workout than others due to the pain, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. This is highly individualised.

 

For most women, getting in some kind of light workout and movement has proven to be beneficial for many women. It enables blood flow to the rest of the body, helps release endorphins (which are your feel good hormones) and also helps you feel a little more energetic and set a really good tone for the rest of the day.

 

For some women, their period is not at all a hindrance and they continue their lives as is. It's important to note, that there are things that you can do to improve the quality of your life to be able to be untethered by your period.

 

[Read More: PMS Sucks! Here’s How To Get Rid Of It]

 

There’s also some research that explores cycle syncing your workouts.

The first 2 weeks of your period – known as the follicular phase, is when we are the most energetic. This time allows us to do more intense workouts, lift heavier weights, engage in more high intensity activities. And the last 2 weeks of your period – known as the luteal phase, is when our energy is a lot lower and we must tone down our exercise regime.

 

As a fitness coach however, I disagree with this school of thought. I believe the most important thing that you can do is listen to your body. Everybody is built different, and I do not believe in changing 2 weeks of your workouts every month, which is essentially half of your regime for the rest of your life, in order to accommodate your period. Yes of course, there will be days where you will be more tired, there will be days where you will feel more drained than others. But in my professional opinion, cycle syncing should not be a rule of thumb. Listening to your body is key, as every day is a new one.

 

You could live a very healthy and full life, and not let your period get in the way no matter what. I believe in taking each day as it comes, and pushing yourself as much as you can, keeping in mind you have a well-structured workout program that caters to your overall physical capabilities and limitations, regardless of what day of your cycle you are on. There are certain days in the week that you should budget for going hard in the gym, and some days should be more rest and recovery oriented. All of this is cycle independent.

 

If you want more guidance on how to workout to reach your goals, and also improve the quality of your life to ensure your period is as issueless as possible, get in touch to work with us at SAVA!