What is the right way to exercise during your critical days?

Sometimes, even after missing one or two workouts, it’s hard to get back on track. So what to say when you have to give up exercising for almost a week. Some girls find it physically difficult to exercise on critical days, and some believe that it is harmful. Together with experts, we understand whether this is true and how to properly adjust the load, so as not to overwork.

fitness trainer

Many girls use their periods as an excuse to “stab” training. I often hear: “You can’t train in any way!”, “This is our legal weekend from fitness!” In fact, periods are not considered a contraindication to working out.

Is it safe to exercise on critical days?

Menstruation really does not impose strict prohibitions on exercising. But you should be even more careful than usual with your workouts.

certified trainer in Pilates, yoga and women’s body practices.

It is possible to exercise during the critical days. But here it is important to rely primarily on your sensations and avoid excessive loads. The female body during these days is tuned to relaxation and cleansing.

The first two days of the cycle, as a rule, the most intense. And it is at this time it is desirable to be careful and avoid, if not at all, then at least forceful physical exertion. And if you are not ready to give up sports, choose something that promotes relaxation and peace, such as yoga, Pilates or stretching.

If we talk about professional sports, then here the male laws reign: train and win. But, as far as I know, the issue of women’s health and changes in the regulations to take into account the peculiarities of the female body is being raised more and more often today.

How does training affect your health?

During menstruation, light physical activity, on the contrary, can be beneficial and relieve unpleasant symptoms.

According to fitness trainer Olga Novikova, exercise:

• reduce painful spasm;
• improve the digestive tract;
• contribute to a more comfortable feeling during menstrual bleeding.

What loads will be useful in the critical days, and which should be excluded?

If you are not engaged in sports professionally, but train for yourself, it will be enough to reduce the load by 25-50%. Instead of 10 kilometers run only five, instead of 20 squats do 10. And then even from high-intensity loads such as tabata, interval training, Crossfit and sprints will not have to give up.

Olga Novikova

fitness trainer

Pilates and stretching can be practiced without restrictions. But there are certain exercises that I do not recommend, as they can provoke a reverse flow of blood and endometrial tissue particles from the uterine cavity. So the risk of developing gynecological diseases increases.

The trainer recommends to exclude:

• inverted asanas in yoga;
• exercises on the lower abs;
• abs exercises with the head below the feet;
• gluteal bridge;
• leg press.

When is it a good idea to cancel a workout?

Of course, every body is different and critical days are different for everyone. Some do not show any symptoms at all, and others suffer from severe pain for several days. In this case, sport is on the back burner.

Fitness trainer Olga Novikova believes that skipping training is justified if:

• menstruation is very painful (severe pain in the lower abdomen and back);
• there are changes in the course of the cycle;
• there is nausea and dizziness;
• very heavy discharge;
• headaches;
• low blood pressure;
• there is a strong feeling of weakness, drowsiness, fatigue.