I recommend every female I work with track their menstrual cycle — not just to understand their bodies better, but to optimise their training and recovery.

Here's why it matters:

• 🩸 Menstrual Phase: Hormones are at their lowest — energy might dip, but some feel good once bleeding starts. Gotta go by feel here.
• 💪 Follicular phase (right after your period): Energy and estrogen are on — it's the perfect time to push it up. We can chase intensity and still recover well.
• ⚡️ Ovulation (mid-cycle): Estrogen peaks and testosterone spikes — most will typically feel strong, sharp, and switched on. PB time (if you feel good).
• 😮‍💨 Luteal phase (before your period): Estrogen dips, progesterone rises. It’s normal to feel more fatigued. Your training should reflect that. Recovery becomes more important.
• 😞 Hormone hangover (right before period): Estrogen and progesterone fall off a cliff. Mood typically dips. Time for some self-love.

Though everyone is different. Knowing your phase and your body helps you adjust your training and expectations — and avoid beating yourself up when you're not firing.

That’s why tracking is important.

But the best tracking method depends on your goal, cycle regularity, and the accuracy you need:

1. Calendar Tracking Apps (e.g. Flo, Clue)

You log your past periods (and symptoms). The app predicts your next cycle (based on averages).

• ✅ Easy, free, and helpful if your cycle is regular
• ❌ Not very accurate for irregular cycles — one study found just ~30% accuracy in those cases