Training während der Periode: Das solltest du wissen

If there's one thing that can truly stop you from working out every month, it's your Period with all its accompanying symptoms. It's all too understandable if you don't even want to go to the gym at the first sign and instead want to spend your day in bed with a bag of potato chips and a few episodes of your favorite series. However, this is obviously not very effective in the long term. That's why you'll find out everything you need to know about exercising during your period below.

It depends on how you train

Please don't get us wrong, but the main thing is to get your butt out of bed, because any kind of workout is better than no workout at all, even during your period. And that's not all, because the more intense your workout is, the better it is for you. That sounds quite strange, of course. However, there is a simple explanation for this, as the high intensity boosts the release of happiness hormones such as endorphins. These hormones not only promote general well-being, but also counteract the negative side effects of menstruation, significantly reducing discomfort and possible pain.
Another reason why you should prefer intensive high-intensity interval training to a yoga session is that the sex hormones progesterone and oestrogen have the lowest blood concentrations during your period. This is particularly important due to the fact that your body can store carbohydrates much better in the form of muscle glycogen when the blood concentration of the corresponding hormones is at an average or above-average level.

Cardio training is better than strength training during your period

If your main concern is to ward off the negative side effects of your period, then you should spend significantly more time on cardio training than weight training during your training week. Studies have shown that there is a direct link between aerobic exercise and the onset of typical PMS symptoms. So while regular cardio training has been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms, scientists were unable to find a significant link between anaerobic exercise such as strength training and a reduction in PMS symptoms. As your body temperature is also slightly lower during your period, you are much less likely to overheat during exercise, which means that even intense interval training feels much easier.

Reduce your complaints

Even if you cannot completely eliminate the discomfort of the first few days of your cycle with the help of intensive training, you can still significantly alleviate some other symptoms. For example, increased sweating leads to your body excreting more excess water during your period instead of storing more of it in your tissues. In this context, a study published in the Crescent Journal of Medical and Biological Sciences confirms a significant reduction in unpleasant PMS symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and breast pain through three intensive training sessions per week.

Increased susceptibility to injury is a myth

Many female athletes still assume that training during their period is associated with an increased susceptibility to injury and therefore avoid intensive sessions. However, this is wrong, as studies have shown that the highest risk of injury, which is significantly influenced by hormonal fluctuations, does not occur during your period, but typically in the period between the ninth and fourteenth day of the 28-day cycle. However, this risk can also be reduced by around half through targeted coordination training, so that it is also only in the average range. This means that nothing stands in the way of an extended HIIT unit.
However, you should take a break if your bleeding is so heavy that your circulation is affected. In such a case, high-intensity training sessions are of course poison for your body.

Your performance does not deteriorate during the period

The bottom line is that, with a few exceptions, there is no reason to assume that you will have a worse workout during your period. This fact is backed up by a study by the University of West Virginia, which examined the performance of female runners in the first and second half of their menstrual cycle and found no difference in terms of performance. So, what are you waiting for?