4 Fitness Apps made for Your Menstrual Cycle

Don't you just love cellphones? Normally that would be a sarcastic comment coming from me. All too often I find that technology just gets in the way or is a little sketchy. However, these super computers that most of us keep in our pocket at all times are supposed to be a tool for us to use and sometimes, they really are. Last week I shared with you my concerns about the dangers in women's sports, especially on a developing female body. You can read about that post here. The problems were big and a little overwhelming. Thankfully others have seen the need for resources for coaches, female athletes, and women who want to exercise. This need has been met in the form of books, youtubers, and apps. Times are changing! Today, I will introduce you to 4 fitness apps that are designed with women in mind. Disclaimer: I give my honest opinion about each app listed. I am not affiliated or paid by any of these app developers. I have tested them all and personally paid for any required subscriptions. STRETCHY FIT: Barre and Yoga Costs: $9.99 a month after a 7 day free trial. There is a sale for spring that makes it $6.49 a month. Stretchy Fit is hopefully the future of personal trainers. This app is not specifically made for working out with your menstrual cycle but has the unique aspect of being a fitness app that also has a menstrual cycle specific program in the app. I use this program when I can't make it to a gym class or when I am at a point in my cycle where I don't feel like explaining why I am modifying or skipping entire portions of the workout. I love the way that this app's trainer uses this program to affirm and educate you about your body. I recommend this program for anyone that is new to coordinating your cycle with your workouts, or for those that don't want to have to think about it and follow a plan. FitrWoman Costs: Free This app will always have a place in my heart. After I watched Stacy Sims Ted talk "Women are not Small Men.'', I was desperate for resources on the subject and FitrWoman was exactly what I was looking for. Through tracking your period, the app shows you a brief breakdown of what's happening in your body, what to focus on in your workout, dietary suggestions and more. There are also delicious recipe suggestions based on your nutrition needs. For coaches: FitrWoman now has a paid monitoring platform called Fitrcoach which connects to the athlete FitrWoman app and allows the coach to know where their athlete is in her cycle and what symptoms she has logged. I have not used this program yet but it has the potential to improve the way we coach and support female athletes. Wild.ia Cost: Free Here we have the slightly flashier cycle aware workout app with cool dark colors and inspiring pics. My favorite feature on Wild.ia app is the chart where you can choose the following factors to be monitored at your current point in your cycle: •Kinds of training •Injury rates •Nutrition •Hydration •And more!! There are also suggestions for your workouts and nutrition, and more set up like a checklist. As you log your workout you can see your trends over time. You can also sync your wearable device to the app for more data. There is a paid version where you can get training plans and connect with a coach. Jennis Cost: $3.49 a month after a 7 day free trial. This is the app that I am using the most right now. Jennis is a personalized fitness program that is tailored to the menstrual cycle. It offers training videos that match where you are in your cycle and predetermined rest days already scheduled. This app also shows your trends as you log your workout. One thing that might be confusing is that their phases are labeled as: •Period •Follicular •Luteal •PMS In a world where most of us do not have access to personal trainers or coaches who are informed about menstrual cycles and development, these apps can be a great, affordable tool. I am encouraged to see these resources being provided in a way that didn't exist even a few years ago. Rebecca J. Larson