Could understanding and aligning your workouts with your menstrual cycle be just the exercise transformation you’ve been looking for? According to Kim Harkness, an Auckland-based personal trainer, by tuning into the unique phases of the menstrual cycle, women can optimise their training, enhance their performance, and feel better both physically and mentally. We’ve all seen the ads. The ones where women confidently run, swim, practise yoga, and play sports with the help of Tampax, Kotex, and other well-known menstrual product brands.
It’s a narrative that’s become part of everyday life for women thanks to the modern innovation of period care products, but should we really be putting our bodies through vigorous exercise regimes while bleeding? Dr Stacy Sims, a renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist specialising in the female body, has authored numerous scientific publications and books on the subject. Her groundbreaking research focuses on how women can optimise their training and nutrition by understanding the unique aspects of their menstrual cycle. Her research shows our focus on the ways women exercise should deal with not only the early follicular (or menstrual) phase but at every phase of the menstrual cycle.
For personal trainer Kim Harkness, who has a Bachelor of Science majoring in physiology, sports science and nutrition, Sims’ research provides an important foundation for the way she trains her female clients in both individual and group tr.
