In conversation with Florence Wong - training inline with your menstrual cycle

“Tracking my cycle allows me to correlate training performance to my menstrual cycle. It’s reassurance, rather than a reason to adjust my training.”

Flo is a communications manager, coach and athlete. She has been tracking her menstrual cycle for a few years. Her training programme isn’t specifically tailored to her cycle but she adjusts her training depending on how she’s feeling. Tracking her cycle has helped spot trends, correlate performance to hormonal changes, and learn what to look out for.

Flo’s top takeaways

• Go by how you’re feeling and adjust training accordingly
• Longer aerobic activity can sometimes help alleviate PMS, even if you don’t feel like it

Flo’s weekly training

She has been working with a coach for a year and a half. She trains five days a week, each session being a minimum of 2-hours. Flo suffered from a back injury last year so likes to take time to warm up, take adequate rest between sets and a thorough stretch after. 

Training is at its peak at the moment because she is competing in a pairs competition at the beginning of August. 

Her top three tips for rest and recovery:

• A bath - not too hot, as struggle to sleep after
• Trigger point lacrosse ball rolling
• Walking around

Flo’s cycle