
It is proven that aligning training sessions with the menstrual cycle improves team performance and reduces injuries.
I have collaborated with journalist María Cendrero in a very special article by MagasIN on women, sport and menstruation.
We highlight that the ovarian cycle is not just the week of menstruation, it encompasses a hormonal process and an entire period of 21 to 30 days. Therefore, adapting team or individual exercises to it provides a lot of benefits for women. However, due to myths about menstruation and the invisibility of the female figure in different sports, this initiative has never been the order of the day.
But this reality is changing!
Emma Hayes, coach of Chelsea Women’s football team, set a milestone when she announced in 2020 that she would adapt players’ training to their menstrual cycle. She was blunt: “I am a coach in an industry where women are treated like little men”. After putting her fist on the table, Hayes made visible something that can really help improve the performance and success of female athletes.
Let’s accept that we are women, that we have a cycle, let’s take it into account and plan accordingly. This is the only way to make the most of our potential!
If you are interested in reading the original article (in Spanish), click HERE.