Keep on exercising during your period

Keep on exercising during your period

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It has been a week since Heidi, along with Jeff, started her
fitness program at the Quantum Athletic Club in Menara Imperium,
Kuningan, South Jakarta.

B.J. Habibie was still riding high as president when Heidi
last visited a gym, so the head of fitness at the Quantum, Diding
Winardi, started her out on the stationary bike and treadmill and
threw in a series of abdominal workouts (without equipment) on
the first day.

"Well, that was a piece of cake," Heidi said, after she'd
managed to finish the exercises without any problem.

The next day, there was no bike so she jumped on the treadmill
for the next 30 minutes, at various speeds and inclines.

Although it was exactly the same as on the first day, Heidi
felt faint.

"Whoa! I think I'm gonna die," she thought.

Diding felt no pity for her. After asking her to do some
stretching, he ordered Heidi to join the aerobics class.

"Just 20 minutes, and then we're going to do some weight
training," he said.

What?

And so, in the name of Linda Hamilton, Heidi joined the class
with aerobics guru Esther Suwito.

Sweating and out of breath, Diding then gave her some exercise
for her abdominal and legs.

Heidi finally managed to complete the two-hour exercise, but
she was wondering what it was that had weakened her stamina.

And then she remembered. She was having her period.

It was the first day of her menstrual cycle this month. The
first two days tend to be sort of painful, with stomach cramps
and nausea.

When she told Diding, he said that doing exercise when
menstruating shouldn't pose any problems.

"It depends, though. Some women just can't do anything at all
while having their period. But, basically, it's not a problem,"
he said.

"Perhaps you just shouldn't do too many exercises that cause
contractions in your abdominal area."

So, how do athletes deal with the demands of performing while
they are having their period?

Harly Ramayani, a former competitive diver and now a coach,
said she understood that the first days of a woman's period could
be difficult.

"The first two days of the period are usually the most painful
for some women, physically and emotionally, and there is a high
blood flow, so I give them days off," she said, adding that the
athletes could not wear tampons or sanitary napkins when diving.

"In the water, it won't be a problem. But when they wait for
their turn to dive and the blood flows, it won't be comfortable.
They usually just go to the bathroom."

However, she said, the athlete must not think of menstruation
as an obstacle to their training.

As for competition, Harly said they usually contacted a doctor
one or two months in advance to ask for medicine that could delay
a period or bring it on quicker.

Top badminton player Lidya Djaelawijaya, meanwhile, said that
she never went to a doctor for medication because she was afraid
of the side effects.

"Yes, a period can be painful sometimes, but we have to be
able to face it. I reduce some of my exercises, especially weight
training, but the rest of it is the same," said Lidya.

"For competition, I usually take painkillers and some
traditional herbs. But, once, my period affected me so much that
I lost the match."

According to Carmen Jahya, a physician who chairs the sports
commission at the National Sports Council (KONI), every woman
experiences different problems during menstruation.

"But, basically, it's not a problem to do any sport at all.
It's up to us as to whether we make it a problem or not. I often
dived during my period and nothing happened. When I was still an
athlete, I usually broke records when I got my period," said the
former discus athlete.

It is also fine, she added, to do exercises that cause
contractions in the abdominal muscles.

"Taking medicine from a doctor to delay one's period is also
OK, but it has to be really well planned," Carmen said.

Back to Heidi, at the gym again, doing the treadmill as usual.
Instead of aerobics, she has been ordered to join the Taebo
class.

"Now THIS is fun," she thought as she kicked, jumped and
punched, imagining a backstabbing colleague and an annoying ex-
boyfriend as she went through the moves.

But, at the end of the class, she checked her weight, and was
left in a funk as the needle did not shift at all from the point
it was at when she was measured at the beginning of the program.

"Guess I still can't wear my old tight T-shirt yet," she
sighed.