Mastering Menstruation - An Intro
- Makenna Myler
- Aug 26, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 17, 2022
Ever been killing workouts like Serena, then get destroyed in competition two weeks later even without bleeding? Ever wondered how in the world you were so tough just a few days ago, and feel so fragile today? Ever felt like clawing your male coach’s eyes out for not having the slightest idea of what you’re going through? This is for you.
His First Period
Years ago I went on a date with a guy during my period. I was cramping hard, but I liked him so I went. As he was dropping me off he asked if I was okay, and I launched into a monologue about moon cycles. I was surprised to find him interested. We ran a 30-minute Q/A with incredibly basic questions, then he told me this was his first ever conversation about menstruation. My now husband was 27 at the time.
Crazy that half of all people know next to nothing (#generalization) about something the other half deals with monthly. Frankly, it’s crazier that something that affected my life so profoundly and so frequently was so foreign and nebulous to me as well until two years ago when I finally dug into the pattern, and read Dr. Stacy Sims’ book, ROAR (please read it).
Why So Nebulous?
Did you know that a huge majority of physical-performance research (read: athletes) is done on men? Makes sense, actually. A man’s hormones are basically the same from the time his voice first cracks until he's checking into the senior center. A woman’s change daily. They’re too variable for the average white coat, so researchers have all but given up: cut the numbers down by 20% and call it “woman!”
You Deserve to Know
My intent with this Mastering Menstruation series is to give female runners, (or dancers, cage fighters, volleyball players, and any woman who has ever sweat) a better idea of how to navigate menstruation and physical performance at the same time.
Learn how to master your menstrual cycle, and not only will you be leaps and bounds ahead of your competition who isn’t reading this or anything by Dr. Stacy Sims, you’ll also be a much happier person whose expectations are aligned with reality.
Leave any comment or question below, and I swear I’ll do my best to answer it.
This is such an important and empowering topic! For too long, the natural phases of a woman's cycle have been ignored or treated as a setback, rather than being understood as a powerful tool for athletic training and overall wellness. Learning how to track these phases and master your body's natural rhythms is an absolute game-changer for avoiding burnout and optimizing performance.
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This is such an important and empowering introduction to a topic that many athletes and active individuals are looking to understand better. Providing a clear, supportive framework for mastering these cycles is a fantastic way to help people feel more in control of their own performance and well-being.
Taking the time to learn the "rhythm" of your own body is just as rewarding as getting deeply invested in a long-running Book series, where understanding the background and patterns makes the whole experience much more meaningful. For anyone looking for insightful Books to read that encourage self-awareness and personal growth, this series is a great addition to the conversation. Thanks for sharing this perspective!
This is such an important and refreshing conversation to start. It is high time that the variability of women's hormones is viewed as a blueprint to work with rather than a hurdle for research to ignore. Aligning expectations with the reality of how our bodies function is a complete game-changer, especially for athletes who often feel like they are fighting an uphill battle without knowing why.
Just as understanding these patterns empowers individuals to perform at their best, having access to the right community resources empowers entrepreneurs to thrive. For those looking to support or discover diverse ventures, a free business listing for black owned business is a powerful tool for growth. Utilizing a Business directory submission for black owned business helps…
This is such an important and empowering topic! Understanding the different phases of our cycles is a total game-changer for overall wellness and performance. I’ve found that aligning my self-care routines with these shifts—like focusing on scalp care or incorporating a High Frequency Facial during specific weeks—really helps in feeling balanced and at my best. Thank you for opening up this conversation and sharing such valuable insights!
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