Your period is a natural part of your cycle, but all these changes in your energy, mood and motivation, make it hard to stay consistent. In this article I’ll show you exactly how to workout while on your period. And why taking rest does not make you lazy or undisciplined - and could actually be the secret sauce to you thriving in your movement practice.

You started strong..

Your new workout routine made your butt, thighs and abs burn, but it also gave you that satisfying feeling of “I’m doing something right.” Then PMS hits. Your period arrives. And suddenly your motivation’s vanished. Leaving you curled up under a blanket, binging strawberry cheesecake ice cream and Bridget Jones reruns.

Sound familiar?

This is the cycle so many women get caught in - starting fresh, then crashing every two weeks.

Why is it so hard to workout on your period

In my 7 years as a yoga and mobility teacher,
I didn’t always have the luxury of lying under a blanket when I wanted to -
because I had to show up and teach.

And over time, I noticed something:
Even though my workout routine was consistent, my body wasn’t.

Some weeks, the same movements felt light and fluid.
Other weeks, they felt impossibly heavy - like I’d smoked three packs of cigarettes overnight and all my strength had vanished.

That’s when I realised: the problem wasn’t me.
It was my cycle shifting - my body asking for something different.

If you’re still wondering whether you’re the problem every time your motivation and energy disappears - you’re not. It’s NOT your fault. You’re not lazy. You’re not undisciplined. You’re just not meant to move the same way every single day.

Circadian vs Infradian Rhythm

We’ve been taught by society that consistency should look the same every day.

This is a lot easier for men than for women. Men and women both follow a circadian rhythm - your internal 24-hour clock. But women also experience an infradian rhythm, which is, yes you guessed it, your menstrual cycle. Which lasts on average 28 days - but can vary in length for each woman.

So when all you need to worry about is your daily 24 hour rhythm, it’s a lot easier to show up as the same you than if your hormones change throughout the month, leaving you with different energy levels and moods almost every week.

You are not the same every single day

And when you expect yourself to be, move and feel the same every day, you’re setting yourself up for feeling like a failure. Because you AREN’T the same woman every single day.

But here’s the good news. Once you start honouring that changing cycle. You can change you rigid work out routine to a movement practice that actually supports you in each phase of your cycle. Allowing you to move your body anytime, even on your period.

And it starts with accepting that consistency might look different for you, because of that cycle. Because you period is just one of four phases - menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal phase. But today we’ll focus on your period.

Movement during Your Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5): Inner Winter

This is when your energy naturally turns inward. Your body is literally shedding its uterine lining - a process that takes real energy. So if you feel tired, heavy, or low during your period, that’s not weakness. It’s biology.

Your body is asking for:
- Rest
- Gentle movement
- Recovery

Yoga is a perfect movement exercise to do during your period — **Movement practices to ease painful periods**

**What it looks like**
- Gentle, restorative yoga
- A short walk in nature (10–20 minutes)
- Gentle morning and evening stretch rituals
- Yoga Nidra with pillows
- Floor-based movement like mobility
- Deep, slow breathing to ease cramps
**Practice to try**
Sit on your bed in a cross-legged position and take 5 minutes to move your spine. Add simple stretches, gentle side bends, and a few soft twists. Finish by lying down with your hand on your lower belly, breathing warmth and softness into your womb space.

What to avoid on your period

- High intensity training
- Endurance training
- HIIT

This is not the time to “push through.” Your body is already doing important work. Honour this phase and you’ll feel stronger later in your cycle. That doesn’t mean you can’t train. It just means to listen to what feels good instead of burning yourself out.

You’re not lazy. You’re cyclical.

The Secret Sauce

Movement during your period isn’t about pushing. It’s about presence. When you align your movement with your cycle, you stop fighting your body and start working with it. You learn to move based on what you feel - not what the calendar says. And that changes everything.

What can shift when you stop forcing and start listening?

Less menstrual pain like cramps, headaches or extreme tiredness
- More energy in your follicular and ovulatory phase
- Less intense PMS before your period
- The ability to take rest and have a good cry without feeling guilty about it
- Making movement fun again, a form of self-care instead of punishment
- Being kinder to yourself, because you now know your body needs different things in each phase

Yin Yoga and breathing is great for relaxing the body while on your period

It’s okay to take rest

In a world that encourages constant productivity, listening to your body's changing needs is a revolutionary act. By aligning your movement with your cycle, you're not only taking care of yourself - you’re also breaking free from systemic patterns that disconnect women from their bodies' wisdom.

The result isn't just better physical health - it's a profound shift in how you experience your relationship with productivity, rest, and your own innate power. And that is the difference between a workout routine you have to force yourself through and a movement practice that will last.

Your menstrual cycle isn't an obstacle that keeps you from being productive and healthy while you work towards those visions you have for yourself in the future. It’s a monthly opportunity to practice honoring different aspects of yourself, so you can support yourself in the best way in each part of your cycle, whether that is being super productive or taking time to rest and restore. It’s not either or. To become the woman you envision yourself to be in the future, you need to start nurturing her NOW.

Want to learn more?

If you need more guidance with finding your Natural Rhythm and are ready to transform your relationship with your body and productivity, I’d like to invite you to my Natural Rhythm Retreat in October in the South of Spain. A 5 day transformative experience with 7 other women to help you break free from exhausting patterns that keep you stuck in all or nothing and embrace your cycle as your superpower.

📅 October 1–6, 2025
📍 Private villa near Granada, Spain
💸 €1,399 (shared) / €1,799 (private)
🥗 All-inclusive: movement, workshops, meals, nature, connection

So you can start taking care of yourself again in a way that there is time to move your body, cook a home made meal and enjoy a book, without feeling guilty or falling behind. You can read more about the retreat here.

And if that sparked something, I invite you to book a free discovery call with me to see if we’re the right fit, you can click here to send me an email and we’ll schedule a call.

XO

Selina

How to Exercise on Your Period Without Forcing Yourself to Push Through