Football
My Cycle & My Game
Understand it. Track it. Learn your pattern.
Your menstrual cycle can influence how you feel, but there is no single performance pattern that fits every player. Use the phases to understand the biology. Use your own tracking to understand you.
Day 1 is the first day of your period. Real cycles are not four equal quarters, and they can vary from month to month.
Menstruation
Oestrogen and progesterone are relatively low. You may have bleeding, cramps or fatigue, or feel completely normal.
Follicular
Oestrogen generally rises as your body moves towards ovulation. Some players feel good here. Others notice no difference.
Ovulation
An egg is released. Oestrogen is relatively high before changing again. Injury risk cannot be predicted from ovulation alone.
Luteal
Progesterone rises after ovulation. Some players notice premenstrual symptoms later in this phase. Others notice very little.
Useful things to track
- Bleeding
- Pain
- Energy
- Sleep
- Mood
- Training feel
- Recovery
- Niggles
Sources: England Football Female Health Hub; UEFA Consensus Statement on Menstrual Cycle Tracking in Women's Football, 2025; Stacy Sims, The Evolution of Menstrual Cycle Training, 2025.
LTM football education resource. Educational information only. Not medical advice.