fitness and body

Before the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) revealed that they planned their 2019 World Cup training (they won, btw!) around players’ periods, the topic of how fluctuating hormones could potentially impact workouts wasn’t talked about much, er, at all.
But when you think about it, the idea makes so much sense that it’s shocking it’s not commonplace. “The way you move and breathe, how your heart beats, and your body’s reaction to exercise varies throughout your menstrual cycle,” says Dr. Georgie Bruinvels,  co-​creator of FitrWoman, the app the USWNT used.

Any woman can maximise her workouts by learning to go with her flow.

Turns out, tailoring your routine to your cycle, a technique known as phase-based training, empowers you to take advantage of your physiology to look and feel your best and to perform at your fullest potential, according to Women’s Health advisory board member Dr. Stacy T. Sims, who’s been researching female athletes for 20 years.
And it’s not just for fitness pros either. Any woman can maximize her workouts by learning to go with her flow. No matter your goals, the right training during specific times of the month will optimise outcomes, says Sims.
The first step? Get to know — like, really know — your cycle. A period-tracking app (there are many; you’ll see) can help you understand each part of it—and how it impacts the body.
From there, use this guide to tweak your get-sweaty routine. You’ll be amazed by how good you feel once things are truly, totally simpatico.
Menstruation: Days 1–5
Right about now (the start of your period), low levels of estrogen and progesterone (plus extra inflammation) may have you feeling pretty unmotivated to get moving, says Bruinvels (womp womp). But it’s actually prime time to build strength and muscle, thanks to relatively high testosterone, Sims notes.
Do whatever workouts feel good.
If you’re craving easy, restorative movement, focus on low-intensity workouts like yoga, Pilates, and stretching during your period, says Bruinvels.
But…if you feel energised, hit the weights and lift heavy, says Sims. In fact, go for loads you can manage for only six reps, tops. (Try five sets of five reps at 80 percent of your one-rep max — i.e., the most weight you can lift for one rep.)
Follicular Phase: Days 6–14
Between the end of your period and about three days before ovulation, estrogen levels spike, which means you’ll have more energy to work out and recover faster. Woo! “Estrogen is associated with feeling happy, engaged, and strong,” says Bruinvels.
Now’s the time to up your training intensity.
If you feel next-level amazing, make the most of it by continuing to lean in to strength training, plus sprints and intense workouts. Now’s the time to bust out that jump rope or join a boot camp class and really push!
READ MORE: “I Worked Out In Reusable Period Panties — Here’s What Happened”
Ovulation: Days 15–23
Things get a little wonky in this part of your cycle. Around ovulation, estrogen briefly drops while progesterone increases. FYI: Higher levels of progesterone can contribute to muscle breakdown, making proper recovery even more important than usual, says Bruinvels.
Stick to steady-state cardio and strength training.
Help your body bounce back by switching to moderate-intensity exercise, Sims says. Swap sprints for easy runs and stick to weights you can lift for eight to 10 reps. If you feel super sore, give yourself an extra day between workouts, Bruinvels adds.
Luteal Phase: Days 24–28
At this point, both estrogen and progesterone levels fall. As a result, PMS symptoms — like irritability and anxiety — start to creep up, while fluctuating blood-sugar levels and inflammation sap precious motivation.
READ MORE: This Is Exactly How Your Period Affects Your Workout
Start winding down your fitness routine.
Since your body isn’t in peak performance condition right now (and you probs don’t have World Cup glory on the line to fire you up), use exercise to reduce stress. Opt for Pilates, yoga, or slow runs.
When strength training, focus on form. Nailing it now will prepare you to load more weight when a new cycle starts, says Sims.
The Best Cycle-Tracking Apps
To create the best routine for your body, you gotta become BFFs with your cycle. These apps can help you log (and decode!) each phase.

Complete with a cycle analysis tool and the ability to predict oncoming symptoms (like cramps), Clue offers an easy-to-digest but science-based view into your period.
Clue

One of the most popular period trackers in the game, this app helps you understand and predict your menstrual cycle, PMS symptoms, and even potential fertility.
Flow

This unique app pairs detailed cycle logging with expert-backed training, recovery, and nutrition advice for ultimate peak performance all month long.
FitrWoman

This first-of-its-kind app uses artificial intelligence to generate a personalised plan (exercise and eats included!) based on the sweat goals and cycle info you track.
WILD.AI

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com 

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While feeling sore after a challenging (or new) workout is totally normal, it’s important to note that not all types of aches and pains are just byproducts of your bod’s natural healing process. One common place this comes into play is with an IT band injury. What is the IT band, exactly? Here’s everything you need to know.
The IT band (a.k.a. iliotibial tract band) is a thick piece of fascia, or connective tissue, that runs from the side of the hip down to the side of the knee, says Bianca Spicer, exercise physiologist and owner of Spicer Fitness and Wellness in Atlanta, Georgia. You can think of it kind of like a rubber band, as it functions inside your body in a similar way.
Whenever your leg moves forwards or backwards from under your hips, like during a stride, elastic energy is stored and then released when the movement is reversed. The IT band ultimately helps your system save energy, especially during a run, according to research from scientists at Harvard University.
Given their starring role in keeping you moving, maintaining healthy IT bands is super important. So is knowing when you’re just achy from a hardcore sprint workout and need to do some extra recovery — or when you’re actually hurt.
Signs And Symptoms Of An IT Band Injury
Because your IT band is such a workhorse, it’s got a higher rate of injury than tissue or muscles you don’t utilize so frequently. That technical term for this is IT band syndrome, and it’s the second most common running injury, according to research from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. Symptoms of IT band syndrome include:
Pain on the outside of your knee
Swelling
Pain when bending your knee
Common Causes Of IT Band Syndrome
Your glute muscles, hips, and hamstrings all run along your IT bands and work in tandem with it to help stabilise your knee. Because of this, after intense lower-body workouts, runs, jump training (a.k.a. plyometrics), or even a lot of brisk walking, the IT band may become inflamed.
In general, there are three usual suspects that cause IT band injuries:
overtraining
overstretching
sitting too much
What To Do If You Think You Have An IT Band Injury
If you’re not sure whether your pain is IT band syndrome, Spicer recommends getting a formal diagnosis from a physical therapist. For mild pain, changes like better form, more rest, and rehab exercises (e.g. strengthening your hips, butt muscles, and outside of your thighs) should help.
One treatment Spicer doesn’t recommend? Foam rolling along your IT band. “You want to make sure you’re foam rolling the muscle,” she says. “The biggest mistake we see with adjusting the IT band is people mistaking the IT band for [muscle].” Since it’s tissue, it doesn’t benefit from this type of tension release. So stick to hitting your quads, hammies, glutes, and inner thighs instead.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com

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