Five exercises you should be doing during your period

Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui’s name was frequently in the news during the recent Rio Olympics, but not for her outstanding performance in the 4x100 relay medley. Instead, the 20-year-old received a virtual standing ovation when she told CCTV news her period had started the night before, leaving her feeling weak, and unable to swim as quickly as she had hoped.

While not the first to mention her period in post-competition reflection, Yuanhu’s frank admission does shrug off any taboos regarding period-talk and raises the question: what exactly are the best exercises to do when you’re surfing the crimson wave?

Staying regularly active is one of the best antidotes to PMS and period-related complaints, but if you’re in pain or too tired, taking a break from working out to relax and maybe watch a season (or two) on Netflix is ok too.