3 reasons why tracking your menstrual cycle will make you a better athlete
You track your HR? Load on the bar? Carbohydrate and protein intake? But one of the most consistent physiological processes you experience every month? You either ignore it… o
r only pay attention when something feels off.
We are all aware that our menstrual cycle is a monthly occurrence, that is for some a hindrance and for others, a non-event.
Your menstrual cycle isn't something you need to "hack", or completely structure or change your training around. But tracking it to simply create awareness of your cycle - alongside the metrics you already track - can make you a better athlete for 3 reasons:
1.Understanding your body
You will always be doing simple wellbeing and subjective checks throughout the day, and around training. Things like listening to hunger cues, being aware of soreness, checking in with motivation. Or being very aware of feeling flat or demotivated before a training session….and then asking yourself "Why do I feel flat today?"
"Why did that session feel harder than it should?"
"Why am I more fatigued this week?"
Your menstrual cycle can affect all of thes varibales. So tracking it will give you context to those questions. Not so you can blame your cycle for a bad session, or need to bail out because your readiness is lower than you'd like - but so you can recognise patterns over time, and make more informed decisions around training.
Are there times you consistently feel more fatigued? Or weeks where your motivation dips? And times where you feel fast, explosive, stronger or just kinda like, fuck it lets send it? (fuelled by feminine rage)
Tracking will help you UNDERSTAND all these patterns. And te more you understand your own trends, the less emotional and reactive your training becomes—and the more intentional it gets.
2.Empathy around when to push & pull
Many athletes will fall into one of two camps 1. Push through everything, ignore all signals or 2. pull back in anticipation of a bad session or too quickly at the first sign of discomfort. Neither is wrong… but neither are they really ideal. Tracking your cycle helps you build context, so that, instead of reacting emotionally to how a session feels, you start making informed decisions and adjustments based on patterns you've actually seen before.
Instead of:
"I feel crap today, this session is going to suck" or falling for the common misconception of "Luteal phase = pilates and stretching, and Follicular phase = max out"
You get:
"I've felt like this at this point in my cycle before, and I still hit really good sessions"
or "Every month around here, recovery is a bit lower…maybe I adjust expectations slightly"
That's a very different perspective - and outcome, both physically and psychologically.
When it makes sense to pull back (slightly, not completely)
This isn't about skipping training or writing off a whole week. It's about making small, intelligent adjustments that keep you moving forward. And might look like:
Lowering intensity slightly → Instead of pushing to RPE 9, you cap your top sets to RPE 7–8
Reducing volume → Drop a set or two from your main lift and/or accessories → Keep quality high instead of grinding through reps that feel sloppy
Adjusting RPE expectations → That weight that should feel like a 7 but feels like a 9? call it what it is, adjust load, and move on
Modifying range of motion or exercise selection → Swap full ROM squats for tempo / paused work → Power those snatches instead of completing full snatches → Pull from blocks instead of the floor → Choose variations that are less fatiguing (lat pull down vs. pull ups)
Leaning into technique over load → Use the session to focus on technical improvements and refine positions, instead of forcing numbers
You'll also have times when you feel really good and can go for a smartly (and coach approved) placed max out or push your volume a little
You might notice bar speeeeed is up, you're feeling strong, coordinated, switched on and your usual working weights feel easier than expected.
Ooooh yeah, here's your window. Basically do the opposite of the above. Take a calculated max or rep PR…
→ Not reckless. Not every time. But when it aligns with the program and how you're feeling
This is how you actually capitalise on those good days.
The goal = responsiveness and becoming an athlete who can adjust when needed, not get overwhelmed and frustrated by the fluctuations, and push when it counts
3.Better communication
Just like communication with your coach about sleep or stress, knowing how your menstrual cycle may be affecting your physical and psychological wellbeing day-to-day will help you to communicate what and why you need certain things. This will also help your coach to understand when and how to push you to get shit done vs. pull back your training in those times it may be necessary.
Good programming and coaching isn't just about sets and reps, it's about decision-making in real time for the HUMAN. And more information = better decisions.
Plus the more you understand about yourself and your body, the more these conversations become two-way, with information, education and decisions being made and communicated with comfort, clarity, confidence, and respect.
It can be really simple and brief:
"I have my period, so energy is a bit lower this week, but I'm good to train - just flagging it"
"Last few sessions felt harder than expected at this point in my cycle"
"Feeling really good today - happy to push if it fits the plan"
That's it. No need to overanalyse or overcomplicate anything (or be embarrassed (Im here for all the things you think are TMI) about any of the information you deem necessary to share). But this information helps your coach make better calls, and help you get more out of your training long term.
How to track
Simple tracking can be done on an app or in your calendar. Tracking the start and end dates of your period, as well as any trends in your:
Training: strength changes, fatigue or recovery, soreness, readiness, motivation
Mood: changes/swings, energetic, tired, grumpy
Symptoms: low back discomfort, pain, bloating
The bottom line
Tracking your menstrual cycle isn't about limiting your training or avoiding hard & heavy sessions. And it's definitely not about needing a perfectly "cycle-synced" program.
It's about awareness, which leads to better decisions, better communication, and ultimately - better performance. You already track the big rocks… this is just one more (potentially big) data point that helps you make sense of your whole self as an athlete.
Book a FREE 1:1 session with one of our coaches at MWBC. No pressure, no commitment, just a conversation about you, your training, and how we can help you get the most out of it.
—MWBC Coaching Team
