The luteal phase is an ideal time for high-intensity workouts like boxing, running and group fitness classes; but be mindful that ovulation decreases neuromuscular control which could hamper performance during exercise.
Studies conducted in 2019 also demonstrate women experience a decline in exercise tolerance and difficulty thermoregulating during this week, so it would be prudent to reduce intensity levels and prioritize recovery-oriented exercises like walking.
Strength Training
The luteal phase can be an excellent time to try high-intensity workouts like strength training and HIIT. But due to shifting fluid, body temperature and metabolism levels during this phase, maintaining energy can become harder; leading to greater fatigue from exercise as well as greater sensitivity to pain when exercising in hot and humid conditions. Female athletes with endurance goals should make sure their training plan adjusts appropriately during this phase.
At its peak during the luteal phase, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels will make your workouts feel even more intense. Furthermore, protein catabolism – in which your body breaks down muscle for energy production – peaks during this period, making it imperative that enough protein be provided as energy sources during this phase so as not to risk lean muscle mass loss.
For women who are eumenorrheic without using oral contraception, research conducted on strength training during the luteal phase revealed that higher volume and resistance-training exercises produced greater increases in strength, muscle fiber diameters, nuclei-to-fiber ratio, as compared to lower intensity/lower rep strength training regimens. Still, it is recommended to stick to regular strength-training routines during this stage and choose exercises you find most comfortable.
As your body enters the follicular and ovulatory phases, its metabolism slows slightly while resting cortisol levels decrease, potentially decreasing how many calories you burn when exercising. Women training for endurance events should focus more on endurance workouts during this phase to ensure adequate energy reserves are available for their event.
At times of increased glycerol metabolite and decreased fatty acid availability, exercise may become difficult to perform at full strength. Engaging in some low-intensity cardio such as walking or yoga may help maintain sufficient energy for physical activity during these phases. It’s essential to stay hydrated during this phase as dehydration can contribute to feelings of bloat, hunger and brain fog; therefore it is key that women drink plenty of water throughout this phase and limit consumption of sugary drinks.
Cardio
At this phase, your estrogen and progesterone levels should be at their peak to induce ovulation, giving your energy and stamina the best chance of reaching their fullest potential. Cardio is ideal during this time. Closer to ovulation as progesterone increases and muscles fatigue – however if you tend to PMS symptoms it might be wiser to reduce or forgo strenuous activity during this period such as running or intense cardio exercises.
One study indicated that during the luteal phase, your body breaks down protein by siphoning amino acids from skeletal muscle tissue to build endometrial lining, an action known as protein catabolism that leads to lean muscle loss. While this occurs both at rest and while exercising hard during this period, training hard during this stage could make maintaining strength gains even harder.
Additionally, your metabolism slows during this phase and your blood glucose and liver glycogen levels fall, meaning fewer calories will need to be burned for energy. Furthermore, resting cortisol levels drop, an important hormone for performance.
However, now is not an advisable time to attempt new PRs or challenge yourself in your workouts. Due to an increase in estrogen production during this period of time and around ovulation, injuries are more likely and ligaments could loosen further, increasing flexibility while making it harder for bones to hold joints together securely.
Furthermore, your body temperature can also increase during this phase and lead to faster fatigue while exercising in hot or humid conditions – this is particularly relevant for athletes whose performance depends on muscle output or VO2max levels.
Yoga
At this phase of your cycle, you are nearing the end of the follicular stage and approaching ovulation. While your energy may increase significantly during this phase, don’t push yourself too far. If you prefer high-intensity exercises like HIIT or weights training for weight loss, now may not be an appropriate time to experiment with something new or try hard; low intensity workouts such as walking, yoga or Pilates could be better suited.
Yoga helps improve muscle suppleness and joint flexibility while simultaneously increasing strength, balance, and flexibility. Furthermore, it can reduce stress levels and promote relaxation – studies have demonstrated this benefit among women who practice regularly – particularly as studies indicate improvements in overall fitness including reduction of cortisol (the stress hormone) secretions.
When adding yoga to your luteal phase workouts, make sure your instructor has knowledge of your medical history and any conditions such as back problems, heart disease or high blood pressure that could make certain poses or movements unsafe for you. They must know which poses or movements could pose risks – this is particularly important if you suffer from conditions like back issues, heart disease or high blood pressure.
Your muscle endurance should increase during this phase of the cycle; however, it’s important to remember that progesterone can cause laxity in tendons and ligaments which could result in injuries if you aren’t careful. World-renowned exercise physiologist Stacy Sims states that during luteal phase progesterone can steal amino acids from skeletal muscles to help construct endometrial lining, making you less capable and increasing risk of injury.
Yoga can help improve coordination and balance during the luteal phase by training proprioception (the ability to sense where one is in space) as well as visual system functions (another aspect of balance).
As part of your luteal phase regimen, it’s also wise to drink plenty of water and consume complex carbs, leafy green vegetables and fruit – this will help decrease bloating and PMS symptoms.
Pilates
During the Luteal Phase, your body produces progesterone to thicken the lining of your uterus in preparation for pregnancy. Unfortunately, during this phase your energy may begin to diminish – thus necessitating scaling back your workouts and social schedule until after ovulation has taken place.
Your heart rate tends to remain elevated during the luteal phase, making it challenging to reach your targeted workout heart rate zone. To avoid overexerting yourself and risk overworking yourself, focus on lower intensity cardio exercises like running or cycling as well as adding yoga or Pilates into your routine – these workouts will help improve strength, flexibility, and balance without overworking yourself.
At this phase, it’s still beneficial to perform moderate-intensity weight and cardio workouts; however, you should begin modifying them so they’re lower impact and intensity levels or switching entirely to lower impact movements. Also consider including recovery-focused workouts like walking or yoga for added boost.
The final part of your menstrual cycle, the luteal phase begins after ovulation and continues until menstruation (menstrual bleeding). Since estrogen and progesterone decrease during this phase, PMS symptoms and reduced energy may arise; to combat these problems it’s wise to focus on low-impact strength and recovery workouts while prioritizing restful restful sleep.
One study demonstrated how Pilates helped women reduce menstrual cramping and improve quality of life during this stage. Researchers observed a decline in VAS scores (a commonly used measure of pain severity) by over 4 cm after just one session – well exceeding any minimum clinically important difference, or MCID threshold for menstrual cramps.
Pilates can not only help to increase strength and fitness levels, but it is also a form of mind-body exercise which can teach mindfulness. Pilates requires participants to stay present in the moment while learning how to move with all parts of their bodies at once; such awareness is critical in keeping balance and coordination intact as it reduces injuries risks; additionally its calming effect may help improve mood while decreasing stress during luteal phase pregnancies.
