The Whitewater Athlete's Guide to Menstrual Cycles

As a boater, you appreciate the dynamic nature of a river. But do you ever consider the flow of your hormones and how they reflect in your sport?

Just as a river has riffles, eddies, rapids and holes, your physiology is dynamic and constantly changing.

By reading and anticipating your fluctuating hormone levels, you can implement strategies to feel and perform your best in each phase of your cycle. 

Let's take a look at how your menstrual cycle could affect the way you feel, think and perform when it comes to your whitewater sport.

The Menstrual Phase: Go With The Flow

Biologically:

Your sex hormone levels dip to their lowest, and your uterine lining sheds.

Physically:

This can be an excellent phase for athletic events, since your hormones are most biologically similar to that of someone with a penis! However, if you struggle with painful periods or other symptoms, it can be a distraction to you on the river or at camp. You might feel lower energy as your body works hard to get rid of the old and welcome a new hormonal cycle.

Mentally:

Many menstruators find a sense of release and relief with the arrival of their period, and often feel “like themselves” again. This can be a very intuitive time; you’re primed for mind-body connection (if you allow it!). You might be less interested in other people and crave alone time. This is an inward-focused phase.

Whitewater Powers:

• Tap into your strong intuition as you make decisions.

• Enjoy the pleasure of all the senses and sensations of being on the water.

• Feel at home in your body and at peace with saving the big water for later. You’re able to appreciate smaller water and more relaxing, introspective runs.

Whitewater Challenges:

• The shift in hormones can feel a bit disorienting, so your balance and strength might feel off the first day or two of your period.

• Some people “space out” during this phase, making it harder to keep an eye on reading the river.

• You might not feel as stoked about whatever you planned in advance for these days.

Enhance this Phase:

• Reflect on recent trips and find clarity on future goals and dreams.

• Give yourself permission to feel whatever emotions and desires arise.

• Seek alone time at camp and paddle in smaller groups to avoid overwhelm.

• Find time to journal and meditate and use this as a built-in biological reminder to reset yourself physically and mentally.

The Follicular Phase: Choose Your Line

Biologically:

Estrogen and testosterone levels rise as your body moves toward fertility.

Physically:

Your energy progressively rises, and you start to feel higher strength and endurance. You might be able to do more laps or longer runs than in the previous weeks with less recovery.

Mentally:

Your sense of confidence and competence may increase, and you feel more of a pull to spend time with others. You become increasingly social and may feel extroverted and willing to lend a hand around camp. This phase has an outward focus.

Whitewater Powers:

• You find your ambition in sport and feel more confident in your strokes and lines.

• Your brain is primed to be strategic and absorb new information.

• Learning new skills and habits is great here.

• You have the bandwidth to plan future goals and trips.

Whitewater Challenges:

•  If you didn’t give yourself a chance to rest and recover during your period, you might start to feel burnt out.

• Be mindful of scheduling the upcoming weeks; although river commitments might sound appealing now, you might not feel so stoked about them in a couple weeks.

Enhance this Phase:

• Seek out new opportunities and challenges: new stretches of river, new paddling partners, even a new boat.

• Add opportunities for spontaneity and silliness.

• Determine action steps to build your skills in the near future.

• Do the bulk of planning for an upcoming trip.

The Ovulatory Phase: Send It!

Biologically:

Estrogen and testosterone peak, and you reach peak fertility as your body prepares to release an egg.

Physically:

Many menstruators feel good as hell in this phase! Energy, strength and balance peak. You get the urge to push yourself and prove what you’re physically capable of, and it can be hard to sit still.

Mentally:

You enjoy a sense of mastery and confidence and get an itch to push for your goals. You might become a social butterfly and want to meet and spend time with others both on and off the river. If there’s an opportunity, you want to say YES! This is an outward-focused phase.

Whitewater Powers:

• You’re best suited to reach your high-energy goals and seek big accomplishments.

• You might feel your most outgoing and courageous.

• You’re more likely to enter your growth zone and face fears.

• Teaching, communication and sharing with others are heightened skills at this time.

Whitewater Challenges:

• Be mindful of overconfidence. This “high” of the cycle can feel like a drug, so continue to tune into your body and skills to get an honest assessment of what you should aim for this cycle.

• Avoid burning yourself out due to pushing too hard, ignoring self-care or saying yes just because you can.

Enhance this Phase:

• Schedule your most difficult pursuits for around ovulation.

• Add extra social elements to your trips where possible, or introduce your sport to someone you love.

• Fully embrace play and impromptu shenanigans.

• Celebrate your accomplishments.

• Use your communication skills to your advantage.

The Luteal Phase: Eddy Out

Biologically:

Progesterone rises, and your body prepares for potential pregnancy (even if it’s not possible).

Physically:

There’s a gradual decrease in energy as you move away from ovulation. When in balance, the presence of progesterone can keep you calm, but a hormonal imbalance can lead to anxiety, fatigue or PMS symptoms. The few days before your period can feel especially low energy or present annoying symptoms, and you need more sleep and recovery.

Mentally:

The hormonal change between ovulation and the luteal phase brings another huge shift that can feel disorienting and off-putting. Body image and confidence issues may arise due to changes in serotonin. You begin to retreat socially and settle into a slower pace. This phase has an inward focus.

Whitewater Powers:

• Your brain is primed for problem-solving and critical thinking, so you’re a great person to have around while scouting rapids.

• You may find yourself seeking and sharing the truth, which can be helpful in team dynamics.

• If you allow it, you’re able to clearly state your needs, preferences and advice.

Whitewater Challenges:

• Your inner critic comes out to play, and you might find yourself overthinking and overanalyzing both your moves and your interactions with others.

• You might second-guess your lines or generally feel less confident in your abilities as a boater.

• You don’t have the same stamina or enthusiasm as you did earlier in the cycle.

Enhance this Phase:

• Buckle down on nutrition and self-care strategies in this phase to minimize symptoms and negative self-talk.

• Focus on cross-training and physical maintenance instead of building.

• Build in extra time for rest and recovery between trips.

• Wrap up any tasks like gear repair or cleaning.

Top Takeaways:

1. Nothing is wrong with you; you are a cyclical being.

   You can feel great anytime, as long as you plan and prepare in advance to use each phase of your cycle to your advantage.

2. Give yourself permission to feel what you feel physically, mentally and hormonally each day of your cycle-- and honor it!

   You can’t change the river, but you can read it and make the best decisions with the tools you have.

   You can’t change your natural physiology, but you can read it and make the best decisions with the tools you have.

3. Track your cycles!

   The #1 method is fertility awareness charting (learn FAM for birth control here or how to chart for health here), but you can also use a simple tracker (like this one) to find your unique patterns.