Why timing is everything for women at the gym

WOMEN hoping to get fit this New Year might want to pay particular attention to when they go for their gym sessions, research suggests.

Scientists say women who train harder during the first two weeks of their menstrual cycle build up more muscle than they do in the last two weeks.

The results could prove useful to women hoping to improve the results of their workouts according to whether they want to build more muscle or simply shed pounds. It also suggests professional sportswomen do not necessarily need to worry about their time of the month when competing and can even turn it to their advantage.

The issue was thrown into the spotlight when British tennis number one Heather Watson spoke about how ‘girl things’ had

‘Boosts muscle growth’

led to her first round defeat at the Australian Open in 2015.

Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui said period pain had affected her performance at the 2016 Olympics. But while some women can suffer more pain, dizziness and other symptoms than others, the research from Umea University in Sweden found training hard at this time can help women improve their performance.

Dr Lisbeth Wikstrom-Frisen, who conducted the research with 59 women, said: ‘We demonstrated that strength training during the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle – the follicular phase – is beneficial.’ All of the women took part in high frequency leg resistance training for four months.

One group trained harder in the first two weeks of their menstrual cycle – when women get their period – while a second group trained harder in the second half of their cycle. Dr Wikstrom-Frisen said it was likely that some of the hormones produced during the early half of the menstrual cycle boosted muscle growth.