Two-Score Cycle-Aware Training Check
Score body and mind, adjust today's session, then learn your cycle patterns
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 97%
Rather than assuming every woman performs the same way on the same cycle day, Dr. Stacy Sims recommends a two-part readiness check. Before training, rate physical and mental condition separately from one to ten. If one score is high and the other low, warm up and reassess; if both remain low, convert the session into slower technique or recovery work rather than forcing intensity. Record those scores alongside cycle timing and bleed patterns. Over time, recurring personal patterns can guide when to schedule hard sessions, endurance work, or deloads. Sims also describes broad phase tendencies, but she repeatedly emphasizes individual tracking because cycle length and ovulation vary. Changes in cycle length or bleeding can warrant pausing and seeking appropriate medical advice.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01Use today's condition instead of prescribing effort from a textbook day number
- 02Separate physical readiness from mental readiness
- 03Warm up before deciding whether a low score can improve
- 04Turn repeated observations into personal scheduling patterns
- 05Keep low-readiness sessions useful through technique or recovery work
How to run it
- 1
Score physical readiness
Before the workout, rate how physically capable and recovered you feel from one to ten.
Pro tip Use the same interpretation of the scale each time so trends are comparable.
Watch out A score is a subjective signal, not a medical assessment.
- 2
Score mental readiness
Separately rate focus, motivation, and mental capacity from one to ten.
Pro tip Do not combine the two scores; the mismatch itself helps choose the session.
- 3
Warm up and reassess
When physical and mental scores diverge, complete a thorough warm-up and see whether the lower dimension improves.
Pro tip Make the go-or-adjust decision after warming up, not from the changing room.
Watch out Do not use warming up to override pain or concerning symptoms.
- 4
Choose the session mode
Push when readiness supports it; use technique, mobility, or recovery work when both scores are low. Preserve the habit without forcing the planned intensity.
Pro tip A lower-intensity session can still be productive if its purpose is explicit.
- 5
Record cycle context
Log cycle day, bleeding pattern, the two scores, and how the session felt. Note that a textbook 28-day cycle is not universal.
Pro tip Track changes from your own norm rather than comparing with someone else's cycle.
Watch out Persistent or substantial menstrual changes should be discussed with a qualified clinician.
- 6
Schedule from patterns
After several cycles, use recurring patterns to place demanding sessions and planned deloads more intelligently.
Pro tip Keep the plan adjustable because sleep, nutrition, illness, and life stress also affect readiness.
In the wild
An athlete repeatedly records low physical and mental scores around day 21 of her own cycle. Instead of scheduling intervals on that day, she moves them earlier and uses day 21 for mobility and controlled technique work. She continues tracking rather than assuming the pattern applies every month.
→ Her plan reflects her observed pattern while retaining flexibility for day-to-day readiness.
Common mistakes
Treating day numbers as destiny
Cycle length, ovulation, symptoms, and performance vary. Use broad phase information as context, not an inflexible command.
Ignoring the mental score
Physical capacity alone does not establish readiness for technical or high-intensity work.
Missing changes in your norm
A changed bleed pattern or cycle length can be a stress signal and should not be reduced to a training inconvenience.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for menstruating athletes who notice that energy, focus, heat tolerance, or recovery varies across their cycle.
Not ideal for
It is not a diagnostic tool for menstrual disruption, persistent fatigue, pain, or other medical concerns.
From the transcript
“Physical, how are you on a 1 to 10? Mental, how are you on a 1 to 10?”
“If you go in and you're low on both of them, then it's going to be a technique and recovery day.”
“We're going to start to see patterns across our cycle.”
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