Honestly, I am no expert in Sports Science, neither a professional trainer, but I do listen to my body, and with tried-and-true experiences, I am a big supporter on the ideas of working out during the “menstrual cycle”, or in another word, the Period, PERIOD.
If you are a man reading this, please don’t avoid it, I hope this little sharing would help you to relate and understand the women around you, please support them, both physically and emotionally. Unnecessary misunderstanding or conflicts caused by mood swings will only amplify the small issues, but a big hug and a little cheer solves everything.
So, what are the DOs, DONTs, and Benefits to workout during your menstruation?
- Mild full-body movements like stretching or light cardio helps blood circulation, especially around your pelvic area
- To exercise and sweat helps to release endorphin and uplift your mood, either leading up to or during the menstruation
- A 15 – 30 mins walk prevents you from feeling bloated, as we all know, we eat non-stop one week leading up to menstruation and craves for sugar, however refined sugar is actually inflammatory and increases menstrual pain
- Reduce the amount of workout time by 25% from your usual routine, and swap out all the jumping exercises to slower-and-hold motions to strengthen your core
- Drink as much water as you can and keep hydrated throughout the workout, but to avoid any tea, coffee, or caffeinated drinks; also to avoid cold drinks as you can, but oh well, cheating on a few bites of ice-cream is totally fine!
- Change your pads or tampons both before and after the workout, avoid wearing workout attires that are overly tight or fabrics that are not breathable; shower immediately after your exercise
My favorite workout routine during menstruation is below:
- 10min full body warmup exercise
- 10min workout focused on my arms and back
- 10min workout focused on legs and thighs
- 5 mins Crunch + Hold to keep Abs and Core activated
- Last but not the least, a 10min full body stretching
You may extend the stretching time to up to 30 mins, go slow and easy, or even combine the stretching with breathwork and meditation.
Picture of me in my loose and comfy shorts to workout during that time of the month.
J x
a little twist. 