Ever wonder what the impact of your cycle can look like on your training routine?
Train with your hormones, not against them!
Understanding your cycle and hormonal changes can be a game changer for your fitness journey. Have you ever felt like you’re struggling to keep up, or struggling to lift the same amount of weight you did recently? You’re not alone; This can be a common thing for women to experience.
Menstrual Cycle
During the first half of your menstrual cycle (follicular phase), rising estrogen levels can support energy, strength and endurance. This makes it an ideal time to push a little harder. This would be a good time for strength training, HIIT, heavier lifts or more intense cardio.
During the luteal phase it can be just the opposite. Your progesterone levels start to peak while estrogen drops. This often brings fatigue, bloating, decreases performance and may have you feeling weaker and like your endurance has dropped. During this time, shift to moderate or light strength training, pilates, yoga or steady-state cardio.
During the menstruation phase rest and light movement are key. Rest, active rest such as walking, mobility work and stretching.
Menopause
As women approach menopause, training may start to look a little different again. Fluctuating or declining estrogen and progesterone levels can impact muscle mass, energy and recovery. Resistance training becomes more important to support bone density and muscle retention. Listen to your body and adjust your workouts accordingly. Some examples would be full body strength training 2-3 times per week. This can include lowimpact cardio, balance and core exercises and or yoga and mobility work. Just 2-3 times per week of resistance training is enough to help maintain muscle mass, support joint health, and even boost your mood! It’s not about just staying fit, it’s about staying strong and resilient!
Nutrition
Nutrition can be even more important than usual during these times. Hormonal shifts effect energy, mood and cravings. Focus on whole foods rich in nutrients. Also prioritize protein to support muscle recovery. Hydration and sleep are also a crucial factor for overall health, recovery and hormone balance.
So, listen to your body and adjust your routines accordingly to train smarter, not harder. Happy Training!
References:
Ayers, M. (2024, January 4). Do female athletes perform worse during their periods?: How the menstrual cycle impacts athletic performance. Natural Womanhood. https://naturalwomanhood.org/menstrual-cycle-athletic-performance/ Mishra, N., Devanshi, & Mishra, V. (2011). Exercise beyond menopause: Dos and don’ts. Journal of Mid-Life Health, 2(2), 51. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-7800.92524
16 & 23, 5:30PM - 7:30PM
YOUR TRAINER: DON JOHNSON
Spring Circuit
Cardiovascular Workout of the Month
Jacque Albro - Fit Pro
Spring doesn’t just bring showers and flowers – it also brings a new energy to us as humans! As the day becomes longer so does that chance for us to get in all those sunny rays and weather is no longer our barrier but our advocate! However, no matter if you get outside or jam out inside, this non-equipment workout will help you build that good spring sweat!
Warm Up (5 minutes)
• 30 sec each
• High Knee March
• Arm circles forward and back
• Step Touches
• Torso Twist
• 1 min
• Jog or brisk march
• 30 sec each
• Jumping jacks or low-impact side steps
Main Circuit (20-25 minutes)
1. Skaters : side-to-side leaps, reaching for opposite toe. (Option: side-to-side step, single leg squat.)
2. Mountain Climbers : fast alternating knee drives to chest. (Option: slow and controlled knees.)
3. Jump Rope : with or without an actual jump rope.
4. High Knees : proud chest with shoulders back, drive alternating knees up as fast as possible. (Option: Keep one foot planted with no jump as you drive knee to chest.)
5. Burpees : squat, jump to plank, jump feet back in, stand. (Options: Step out.)
6. Side Lunge Pulse + Pop Up : 3 pulses in a side lunge, then hop or rise to center.
7. Squat + Twist Punch: squat down, then punch across the body on rise up
8. Fast Feet : light, fast feet – hit the deck on your own call. (Option: squat touch on your own call.)
Cool Down (9 minutes)
• 1 minute each: – Gentle March
– Forward Fold
– Figure Four
– Quad Stretch
• 5 minutes of Deep Breathing
Demonstrated by Jamie Brook.
Demonstrated by Charla Brearley.
Demonstrated by Tabitha Bury.
Pelvic Floor Health: Untuck Your Pelvis
Fit Pro Tip of the Month
Nadine Corda - Fit Pro
If you have been engaging in practices such as Pilates, yoga and other movement modalities, then you may very well be familiar with some of the benefits of aligning your pelvis in neutral during activities of daily living. Benefits include better digestion, more productive breathing, and the shock absorbing qualities that a neutrally aligned pelvis brings to the spine. But did you know that the health of your pelvic floor, for both men and women, benefits too? In a neutrally aligned pelvis the pubic bone, and the shape of the pelvic floor muscles provide support for the pelvic organs. This includes the bladder, rectum, and in females who have not had a hysterectomy, the uterus. If you aren’t used to a neutrally aligned pelvis it can feel very foreign, as though you have a giant peacock tail fanning out behind you! One of the Peak Fit Pros can help you fine tune this alignment during a private training session if you need guidance on finding neutral.
When the pelvis is held in a tucked position the pubic bone is lifted up and cannot provide support to the pelvic organs. Furthermore, the pelvic floor muscles are meant to be in a dome shape, but when the pelvis is in a tucked position the pelvic floor muscles are forced into a hammock shape. This hammock shape strains the pelvic floor muscles because they are actually meant to be able fluctuate between active engagement and passive relaxation while in their natural dome shape. In a worst case scenario this constant strain leads to prolapse of one or more of the pelvic organs. Sounds scary, I know! Not to worry, you have the power to correct any habitual tucking of the pelvis you may be doing during activities of daily living.
Right now, while reading this article, check in with your alignment. Are you sitting slumped in a chair with a tucked pelvis? Are you standing and reading this on a handheld device with your head bent down, and your pelvis tucked? If you noticed yourself in a tucked pelvis position then that is an indicator that you have some homework to do! Postural vigilance is what it takes to build good alignment and posture habits in your movements of daily living. Check in with your alignment about 20 times per day, and correct yourself whenever you realize you are tucking your pelvis. Eventually it will become second nature to align your pelvis in neutral.
Understanding what a neutrally aligned pelvis feels like in your body and putting that into practice throughout your day is one of the best things you can do for the health and longevity of your pelvic floor health.
