Sports And Menstruation: Exploring Indigenous Knowledge
Female martial artists, as with all serious female athletes, have a distinct advantage over their male counterparts in one very crucial area: The menstrual cycle .” This monthly occurrence provides a window into the functioning of the female body. The smooth functioning of the cycle and periods indicates smooth functioning in many internal dynamics of the body. Sharp cramps, excessive bleeding, and inconsistent or missed periods can be an indication that the body is not functioning at its peak performance. The biggest concern is amenorrhea, or lack of a period. Many women athletes can train hard enough to create this situation. Some female athletes even use this as an indicator of whether or not they are tough enough or training enough. Amenorrhea is actually an indication that you are training too hard, and you are starting to do damage to your body. Men do not have this obvious signal, and are more prone to overtraining to the point of permanent damage.” – David Bock , a teacher o