Training with menstrual hormonal swings

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May 2, 2024 at 2:41 pm #86867

Miriam
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Hello, I did my transition phase with a break of 2 weeks of not too much training due to sesamoiditis. All better now and hopefully now that I’ve had in both feet thanks to bipartide sesamoid bones, hopefully my body has figured that one out. I am in my week 4 recovery week of the base phase. I planned my weeks around my cycle because I know the week before my period I struggle. I have been listening to my body and have had to make some changes in other weeks. This week when I went to my usual place to do my zone 2 I couldn’t stay in zone 2 unless I was practically crawling up the hill, I am assuming it is a hormonal flux being I am less than a week out from my period. My question is am I going to derail my training by not following the plan completely during this week? Any suggestions? I am definitely feeling myself getting stronger, I still need work in the endurance part, but I am trying to be patient. Also when I look at my hours I am putting in now compared to when I started I feel super proud of myself. Thank you to the whole team!
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Posted In: The Female Uphill Athlete

Keymaster

Jane Mackay on May 3, 2024 at 1:11 am #86873

Hi Miriam,
I am deep in perimenopause and the effects of the hormonal swings are getting more and more severe. Often I’ll have to dial back my training for 2 or 3 weeks or even a month or more. What I can say is 1) Give your body the downtime it needs when the hormones are in full flood, and 2) as long as you stay as consistent as you’re able, you will continue to progress — as you’ve already experienced.

The other thing I would say is that in my opinion, strength training is the most important thing to do your best to remain consistent with. If (when) I have to choose between skipping an aerobic workout or skipping strength, I always choose to do the strength training, even if I can only do half of the programme, because it provides the greatest long-term gains and the loss from missing a strength workout is also greater than that from missing an aerobic workout.

Having to dial back training like this is (immensely) frustrating, and it definitely takes a lot of patience, but our bodies have their own battles to fight and we have to respect that.

I hope this helps.
Jane

Participant

Miriam on May 3, 2024 at 4:37 am #86874

Thank you for the response. That is great information and goes perfectly with what I did yesterday. It was max strength day, I was dragging so I cut it short with 2 sets instead of the 4. It is extremely frustrating, once ovulation day comes it is slowly down hill for the remainder of the month, I like to say I have 2 good weeks a month. But hey being a woman is how I have 2 amazing children, so it is all worth it in the end. Thank you

Keymaster

Jane Mackay on May 3, 2024 at 5:25 am #86875

Yeah, it’s all downhil for me from ovulation onwards too. I have about ten good days each month, and they feel awesome!

I’m glad that helped.
Jane

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