How to exercise on your period
You started highly motivated with your new work out routine. It was going well. Yes your thighs and abs were burning, but hey, at least it made you feel you were doing something right! And then PMS hits…your motivation takes a nose dive…and all you want is eat strawberry cheesecake Ben&Jerry’s under your fluffy blanket crying while you watch Bridget Jone’s Diary for the umpteenth time.
When you finally come out of your “dark” time after menstruation, you feel there is really no point in starting over again. Why bother if you crash and fail every two “bloody” weeks!
And that frustrates the hell out of you, because you’d like to do it all. You want to work hard towards that vision you have for yourself in the future, but you also want to take care of yourself.
But right now it’s not working. It’s either ALL or NOTHING. And it’s f****** exhausting.
And I feel you. I also tried to force my body into this rigid workout routine. Trying to maintain the same level of energy and output every day. And I also failed, big time.
Do I work out or rest on my period?
But in my 6 years as a yoga & movement teacher I couldn’t always lie under a blanket if I wanted to, because I had to teach my classes. And I started noticing, that even though I was consistent in my workouts, my body was not. Something I would do every week would be much harder one week than the other. And sometimes I would have the strength to do something easily and on others days it was like I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day and I just didn’t have the strength.
That’s when I learned that it wasn’t me who was the problem. It was simply my cycle changing and my body asking for different things. That was also when I started to bring more awareness into how I moved my body and how I could support myself better, even if I did have to teach. And since I made my own classes, I could adapt the intensity of my classes and in what way I would participate.
That’s when things started to change, because I no longer had to force myself into a workout. I could honour my body, because now I knew it had nothing to do with me being weak or lazy.
You’re not lazy for not wanting to work out before or during your period
So what if I told you that this is possible for you too. That there is a way to create a work-out routine that works with your cycle - not against it. One that could help you feel healthy, strong and connected to your changing needs throughout the month, even when you are on your period?
Your menstrual cycle isn't something to overcome or push through. It's a source of wisdom that can guide how you move your body and direct your energy. When you align your movement practices with your hormonal changes, you transform what might feel like a limitation into your superpower.
I’ll take you through different types of exercises that will support you in each phase of your cycle. This way, instead of a rigid work out routine that expects you to be like a man, you can start exploring a movement practice that honours your female body and each phase of your cycle. And once you’ve found your Natural Rhythm, your movement practice will no longer deplete you but nurture you.
Exercises during your period
Menstrual Phase | Days 1-5
During your period, your energy naturally turns inward. Your body is literally shedding its lining and that is not an easy thing to do. This isn't the time to push through intense workouts that leave you depleted.
Your body is asking for: Rest, gentle movement, and recovery
Movement practices to embrace:
Gentle restorative yoga or very soft flowing movements
Light walking in nature (10-20 minutes)
Gentle stretching upon waking and before bed
Prop yourself up on some pillows and do some yoga Nidra
Floor-based movements that don't require standing
Deep breathing exercises to ease cramps and tension
Movement practice to try: Sit on your bed in a cross legged position and take 5 minutes to do some stretches and move your spine. Bring your ear to you shoulder, and softly move from side to side. Bring your arms out to the side and then bring your hands together as your round your spine bringing your chin to chest. Then open your arms again as you slightly look up and open up your chest, do this 3-5 times. Place the fingertips of one hand next to you and rise your other arm up as you inhale and then bend sideways bringing the extended arm over as you exhale. Inhale lengthen the arm up, exhale bring the arm slowly down and switch sides, do this 3-5 times as well. Now inhale bringing your arms up towards the sky and as you exhale bring your left hand to your right knee as you twist, keeping the spine long as the right arms drops behind you without leaning back. Keeping the shoulder above the hips. Take a couple of breaths here. Feeling the belly expand and soften. Then inhale, bringing the arms back up and switch sides. Lastly bring the soles of your feet together, grab your ankles and inhale lengthening your spine. As you exhale you softly hinge forward a little bit until you feel a soft stretch and then soften and round you spine. Relaxing the legs, the shoulder, your arms. To close of you can lie down with legs extended or with soles of the feet touching and knees falling out as you place your hand on your lower belly send warmth towards your womb and bringing the breath down towards your womb.
Remember: This is not the time to feel weak or lazy for needing rest. Your body is doing important work, and honoring this phase sets you up for greater energy later in your cycle. Soft movement really helps me with the pain of menstrual cramps, but sometimes I have days it feels better not to move on one or two days, so I don’t. Just know that that’s okay too.
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. 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 losing your productivity and creativity. Click here to read more about the retreat.
Working out after your period
Follicular Phase | Days 6-12
As oestrogen begins to rise after your period, you'll naturally feel your energy and creativity increasing. This is the time to gradually reintroduce more dynamic movement.
Your body is asking for: Exploration, play, and building momentum
Movement practices to embrace:
Dance (freestyle or choreographed)
Vinyasa or flow yoga that keeps you moving and sweating. Focus on playful movement.
Pilates or core-strengthening practices
Light cardio that feels energizing (not depleting)
Trying new workout classes or movement styles
Social movement activities with friends
Movement practice to try: A 10-minute dance party after you get home from work. Put on music that makes you feel alive and move however your body wants to move. This not only shakes off the stress of the day it also brings you in touch with that playful side of you that is most noticeable during this phase of your cycle.
Remember: Your energy is building but not yet at its peak. Focus on movement that energizes rather than depletes you. Notice how your mood lifts when you move in ways that feel good.
Work-Out during ovulation
Ovulatory Phase | Days 13-15
During ovulation, your energy and confidence, and communication skills typically peak. This is the time to challenge your body so it can grow.
Your body is asking for: Dynamic expression, challenge, and connection
Movement practices to embrace:
More intense cardio that feels empowering
Strength training with heavier weights
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) always make sure to calm your nervous system back down, especially after a HIIT training as it heightens your cortisol levels which influence how you feel.
Group fitness classes where you can connect with others
Outdoor activities that challenge you
Movement that helps you feel powerful and strong
Movement practice to try: A 20-minute circuit of body-weight exercises that make you feel strong.
Remember: This phase is short but powerful. Use this natural peak in confidence and energy for movement that helps you feel capable and strong, without pushing to exhaustion.
Exercises before your period
Luteal Phase | Days 16-28
After ovulation, progesterone rises and your energy begins to shift inward again. Depending on your own unique cycle you can feel a strong shift from high to low energy or you can still have some energy and then feel it gradually becoming less as your period comes closer.
Your body is asking for: Softness, going inward, reflection and connection to self
Early Luteal (Days 16-23):
Structured, flowing movement like Pilates
Moderate cardio, because your body is more sensitive to stress and cortisol in the body.
Strength training with moderate weights or body weight.
Vinyasa or flow yoga with more focus on the breath and body, following what feels good to the body
Walking meditations for mind-body connection
Late Luteal (Days 24-28):
Slower, more intentional movement
Yin yoga or longer-held stretches
Gentle walking, especially in nature
Movement focused on releasing tension in your jaw, shoulders, and hips
Self-massage or foam rolling to release physical and emotional tension
Movement practice to try: A 15-minute tension-release practice targeting areas where you hold stress (typically jaw, shoulders, hips). Include gentle self-massage or pressure point (let the foam roller do it’s work on parts of the body that feel extra tense) release with tennis balls or foam rollers. Or lie on your bed and tense up a part of your body as you inhale, hold the breath and tension and then release the tension on the exhale, do this as your work your way up from your feet all the to your face. Lastly do one to three rounds where you tense your whole body and then release it all on the exhale.
Remember: This phase is when many women push hardest against their bodies, including myself, as I don’t want to let go of my high productivity mode and start feeling “meh”. Instead of forcing yourself through intense workouts, honor your need for rest and movement that helps you tune into your body and those emotions that rise up in this time of the month. They come for a reason, so listen to it.
How to start and stay consistent in working out, even on your period
The beauty of cycle-synced movement is its simplicity—it doesn't require elaborate routines or hours at the gym. Here's how to implement this approach:
Track your cycle - Notice patterns in your energy, mood, and physical sensations
Start small - Start with 3x a week for 15 minutes. This feels doable, even when you have a busy schedule, so you’ll be more likely to show up for yourself.
Show up & Listen to resistance - It’s important to show up on the moments you planned so that on the days you don’t feel like it, you get to experience if it’s just a motivation problem or if there is true resistance to movement. Just start and when it goes well you know it was just your head. If you feel resistance, take a couple deep breaths, close your eyes and ask your body : what do you truly need right now? Let it answer and honour it too.
Stay in your lane - Your cycle is unique; honour your personal patterns and don’t compare it to others around you.
Use the Moon - If you're on hormonal birth control or have no cycle do to various reasons, you can use the cycle of the moon to create a cyclical movement practice for yourself.
FEEL - Whether you track your cycle or use the moon cycle, know that everyone is different. It can truly help as a guideline, but always keep tuning into your “self” and your body as well. What you FEEL and need always trumps any guideline or system. That’s what living with your own cycle and rhythm is all about.
When it’s not your period, but other things getting in the way
Let's be real- life gets in the way more often than not. You have long days at work, do groceries, cook for you and or your family and also want to spend time with your family and friends. Life’s unpredictability doesn't always allow for perfectly cycle-synced movement. When this happens:
Plan ahead - Don’t wait till you have the time, make the time by scheduling it in
Prioritize quality over quantity - Even 3 minutes of aligned movement is valuable
Adapt, don't abandon - Modify the intensity or duration rather than skipping movement entirely
Return to you breath - When nothing else is possible, just breathe. You’ll be surprise how a few moments of intentional breathing connects you back to your body.
It’s okay to take rest before and on your period
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.
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. 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 losing your productivity and creativity. You can read more about the retreat here and if that sparked something within you. I invite you to book a free discovery call with me to see if we’re the right fit, you can click here.
