people who menstruate They are well aware that there are periods in their cycle when they have more energy to exercise. However, for others, the last thing they feel like doing is lifting a dumbbell or actually getting their body off the couch. So in recent years, it has become fashionable to TikTok and other social networks – a routine known as Cyclic synchronization.
It mainly consists of order trainings throughout the whole Day 28 of the menstrual cycleusing the days with the greatest loss of energy and fat, and leaving the days when our battery is low as rest. Cycle synchronization can also be applied to other aspects, such as nutrition. But by focusing on exercise, which is the most viral part of this routine, we see that there is a solid scientific basis behind it.
There are numerous studies that talk about how energy changes during each phase of the menstrual cycle. This is due to hormones, and understanding this is very useful as it helps to determine which days are best strength, aerobic, or relaxation exercisesUnfortunately, all that glitters is not gold.
This sounds great, and it would be if all menstruating people had identical 28-day cycles with identical variations in hormones on each day of the cycle. But that’s not the reality. Hormonal levels vary greatly from person to person, or even within the same person, from cycle to cycle. One month’s cycle may be longer than the next. All of this makes it very difficult to calculate the best time to exercise and train. may be counterproductive. Let’s see why.
The phases of the menstrual cycle help us understand cycle synchronization.
Typically, cycle synchronization procedures are divided in the same way as the menstrual cycle: into four phases. These are menstruation, follicular phase, ovulatory phase and luteal phase.
Although the cycle begins on the first day of menstruation, to understand the evolution of hormones, we can start with ovulation. This is the phase in which the egg is mature enough to be fertilized. comes out of the ovary and goes down to fallopian tube, where it remains awaiting the arrival of sperm. During this phase, progesterone levels, which had been at their lowest, begin to rise, while estrogen levels, which had just peaked, drop slightly but remain elevated. For their part, FSH and LH reach a peak that helps the egg continue to mature. At this stage, the layer lining the uterus, called the endometrium, begins to thicken in case it needs to accommodate the embryo.
As soon as ovulation occurs, luteal phase in which progesterone levels continue to increase until they peak. While this is happening, estrogen levels remain quite high. For their part, FH and LH begin to decline. The ovarian follicle from which the oocyte was released degenerates and forms what is known as corpus luteum. Fertilization has not occurred and the body is already preparing for menstruation. All hormones begin to decrease.
Menstruation begins when all the hormones of the cycle reach a minimum. The endometrium will no longer be needed, so peels off, causing the typical bleeding. This is where a new cycle begins as soon after this, estrogen levels begin to rise during follicular phase, until reaching the peak after which ovulation occurs.
What can we do at each stage?
Research conducted on exercise during the menstrual cycle shows that the luteal phase is an ideal time for both strength and resistance exercise. This is because progesterone and estrogen levels are quite high, which means a significant increase in energy. Moreover, it turns out that these energy concentrations They will help you build more muscle and lose more fat.
In the follicular phase, the indicators are also good, although not as good as in the luteal phase. However, during menstruation these hormones are decreasingtherefore fatigue increases and energy decreases. In addition, it is more difficult to create new muscles. And all this without counting on mood swings and menstrual pain. So now is the perfect time to opt for light exercise such as yoga or to engage in rest and recovery sessions.
A Typical cycle synchronization procedure it would be like this:
- Days 1-7 (menstruation): Rest or light exercise, such as walking or yoga.
- Days 8-13 (follicular phase): There is already a little more energy. Start introducing strength exercises and light walking.
- Days 14-15 (ovulation): This is the best time for intense and long-lasting activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
- 16-28 days (luteal phase): You can continue with intense exercise at first, but gradually move on to swimming, walking or yoga.
The cycle synchronization is too good to be true
Cycle synchronization exercises are designed to 28 day menstrual cycleHowever, an estimated 45% of menstruating people have 7 day fluctuations in the length of their cycles. For example, some people menstruate every 25 days, while others have to wait until day 32 or 33. This will upset all previously calculated patterns.
On the other hand, we have seen that exercise choice is largely determined by hormone levels. especially estrogens and progesteroneHowever, there are many factors that can alter these levels, from genetics to stress, which means that the same person can experience large variations from month to month.
Therefore, the recommendation of experts is to listen to the body. We will see for ourselves when we feel more or less energetic, and we will be able to decide which exercises best suit this. Otherwise, we may end up resting when it is not necessary and overexerting ourselves when the body can do no more. Cyclic synchronization can give us some ideas, but not enough to strictly follow it.
Source: Hiper Textual
