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Exercises to avoid during periods
Regular exercise is beneficial for your body and your mind. In fact, there’s no scientific reason you should skip out on your workouts during your period. Nair says you should continue with exercise, but reduce the intensity, especially if you’re feeling fatigued. You can vary your workouts, take more time to recover, and honour what your body is capable of.
Here’s what to avoid –
1. Intense cardio
Doing intense cardio can often result in heavy menstrual flow and may lead to extra stress on your mind as well as your body.
2. Heavy weight training
If you are experiencing menstrual cramps from the very first day, avoid weight training for the first two to three days, depending on your flow and pain, says the expert. Give your body time to recover and do not indulge into any kind of exercise if you feel fatigued.
3. Inverted yoga poses
Most of the yoga moves are fine to do during your period. But inverted yoga poses that involve standing on your head should not be done during this time. Shoulder stands, headstands and plough pose are especially a big no-no during this time. Standing on your head can lead to vascular congestion in your uterus, which results in excessive menstrual flow, says Nair.
4. Avoid squats and cramps
Women with pelvic pain should not perform squats, as it may cause discomfort. Also, if you have severe cramps, doing crunches may make you feel more uncomfortable.
5. Jumping and high-intensity exercises
It is also advisable to avoid exercises that require intense or prolonged bouts of activity if you experience fatigue. It will drain you faster and increase your menstrual flow.
