Menstrual cycle guide and tips for polers

If you are someone who experiences a menstrual cycle (or want to help someone who experiences the menstrual cycle), you are probably aware that it affects your energy level, mood, and cravings.

This inevitably affects your pole training. Let’s first take a look at what is happening at all of the phases of the cycle to understand our experiences. It is also important to remember the cycle lasts through an entire month and is not just the time of menstruation.

The cycle phases

The follicular phase (days 1-13)

The egg matures inside the ovarian follicle. This makes follicle stimulating hormones rise, and estrogen levels are at a high. During this time, energy levels and overall focus are at their highest.

Ovulation (around day 14)

An increase in luteinizing hormone and estrogen helps the ovarian follicle release an egg cell down the fallopian tubes into the uterus. You probably feel cramps, higher body temperature during this time.

Luteal phase (days 14-28)

The follicle produces progesterone and triggers the uterus to build up a lining for a potential pregnancy. You might be feeling continued mood swings and specific cravings. Energy levels can be down at this time, as well.

Menstruation (starting day 28)

When the egg is not fertilized, the lining in the uterus is shed. You may experience cramps, bloating, and fatigue during this time.

Everyone’s specific experiences will be different, and each cycle you experience can be different. I recommend tracking symptoms over the course of the cycle. This helps you be mindful of how you feel at certain times of the cycle. But don’t worry; despite all the discomfort you might feel, there are some things to keep in mind that can minimize the ickiness.

Allow your physical activity to decrease when you have low energy. This doesn’t have to look like sitting on the couch all day, but you might not feel like doing a complete ab workout when you’re cramping, and that is okay! Plan on having extended stretching sessions for the whole body and do a few that will open the pelvic floor. Pelvic rolls and deep breathing will help those muscles relax because they are doing a lot of contracting during the menstruation. This may be a good time to fit yoga poses into your training.

When it comes to eating, don’t skimp on quality whole foods to give your body what it needs. When you experience cravings, your body is telling you it needs something (but preferably not the highly processed foods we often first think of). During the times your body is creating or shedding the lining of the uterus, that takes a lot of energy! Making sure your meal has a balance of carbs, protein, and unsaturated fats will help your body through this process. One trick with carbs is to have the amount of grains, starches and fruits on your plate that would fit in your cupped palm. The protein on your plate should fit into your open palm. Eating around an extra 200 calories a day is beneficial during these times.

Again, we are all different, so being mindful of how you feel after eating certain foods will help you feel satisfied and not additionally bloated and crampy. Overall, less-processed is best because these foods will mitigate inflammation and provide antioxidants.

I think we can all agree menstrual cycles suck, but it can be less-sucky!

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Jamie Thompson-Griffin

Jamie Thompson-Griffin is a life-long dancer, and fell in love with pole in 2019. She has since become an instructor and a certified Sports Nutrition Coach through NASM. She now owns her own pole dance studio in Dallas, called Self Alchemy Studio, and provides sports nutrition coaching. Reach out for her services, as they can be done in-person or virtually!

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