How to Exercise During Each Phase of Your Menstrual Cycle

table of Contents

Exercise during menstruation

Exercise during the follicular phase

Exercise during ovulation

Exercise in the luteal phase

General tips

If you have a period, you may have experienced some negative side effects. Symptoms like constipation, fatigue, and emotional distress can disrupt your life and make one week of the month (give or take a few days) feel especially daunting.

Although we usually refer to the days of bleeding as the menstrual cycle, the menstrual cycle actually refers to the entire process that takes place over 28-29 days, counting from the first day of one period to the next day. .1 This time frame may vary from person to person and may be influenced by many methods of birth control.

There is no medical reason to avoid working out during menstruation or any other phase of your cycle, in fact, exercise can be beneficial in alleviating some common symptoms, such as constipation. However, hormonal changes occur within the body, which makes it easier to do certain types of exercise during different phases of the month.

Emi Gutgold (she/her), personal trainer (NASM CPT), Barry's instructor, and Pilates instructor (PMA NCPT) explains, "Because hormones affect our overall sleep, appetite, stress, and energy levels, they can certainly have an impact on training.

The four main phases that occur in the menstrual cycle are menses, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Due to different hormone levels in each phase, it is beneficial to adjust your exercise routine accordingly. Working out affects your hormonal balance, and the added purpose of those workouts can help you lean into the stage your body is currently feeling.

Exercise during menstruation

Menstruation—when you have your period—is the stage of the menstrual cycle when you actually shed the lining of the uterus. It lasts about three days to a week. Although it is a phase of the cycle, studies have shown that exercising during menstruation can lead to painful periods.

It can be difficult to follow an exercise routine during this phase, as your progesterone and estrogen are at their lowest levels and energy and motivation are low. Exercises that rely on fast-paced, cardio activities or heavy lifting.4

That doesn't mean you can't still get the most out of your workout. Consider low-intensity cardio, yoga, pilates, light sculpting, swimming, or a casual bike ride. Even walking for your period can be beneficial.

Exercise during the follicular phase

Since it starts on the same day as your period, the follicular phase actually coincides with your period at the beginning. However, it continues after the bleeding phase until ovulation. This stage involves the stimulation of multiple hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and luteinizing hormone.

Most importantly, for physical activity, the follicular phase is when your period ends and hormones stimulate the ovaries to produce follicles, which causes estrogen levels to rise and thus energy to increase.3

"When you're in the follicular phase of your cycle, you can increase the intensity," says Amy. Thanks to the infusion of estrogen and energy, the follicular phase is the best time to tackle high-intensity exercise like HIIT, weight training, and cardio activities like running, dancing, and boxing.

Exercise During Ovulation

The ovulation phase is a short window, about three to five days in the middle of your overall cycle. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the surface of the ovary as a result of high levels of luteinizing hormone. Disintegrates.

During ovulation your energy and stamina are likely to be closer to the follicular phase because you are still experiencing high levels of estrogen and you can still participate in high intensity activities such as kickboxing, running and rowing.

If you experience painful bloating or ovulation during this phase, you should adjust your exercise routine accordingly.

Exercise During the Luteal Phase

The luteal phase is the longest phase of the menstrual cycle and lasts about two weeks. At this stage, the follicle that releases the egg from your ovary turns into a structure called the corpus luteum, which releases progesterone along with small amounts of estrogen to maintain the lining of the uterus.7

During the first half of this phase, you may still feel close to the peak energy levels of the follicular phase, but this will begin to decrease in the latter half. Increased progesterone can actually cause some people to feel tired.

Amy recognizes this sentiment: "Usually, in the luteal phase, it's recommended to step back from training and focus on adequate recovery."

Studies suggest that during this phase, the increase in body temperature affects exercise. An older study suggested that the mid-luteal phase was associated with increased cardiovascular strain and faster fatigue in people doing long endurance training, especially in hot conditions; However, this is unlikely to affect average physical activity.8

Likewise, a 2020 study showed that increased body temperature during this phase can affect running performance.9

None of these studies rule out cardio exercise or running during the luteal phase, but it is more difficult than during the follicular or ovulatory phases. Instead of pushing yourself too hard, following a low-impact exercise routine like yoga or swimming may be more comfortable and more beneficial for your body.

General tips

Amy advises, “If at the end of the day, you're feeling strong enough to push through a tough workout, but you're looking at a cycle tracking app that tells you to be more gentle, don't skip it. If cycle tracking is important to you, focus more on recovery than anything else. You can work out all you want, but if you don't get enough recovery, your hard work will be wasted.

Ultimately, tracking your cycle will help you get more in touch with your body, which will guide your exercise decisions. You may find that your hormone levels are more energetic than expected at one point or more sluggish than usual at another, and you can plan your exercise routine accordingly.

Here's Amy's overall advice when it comes to exercising based on your menstrual cycle: "My general philosophy as a trainer is to listen to your body. Hormones play a role in exercise, but unless you're training for something specific, you don't have to factor in your cycle if you don't want to! For some of my clients, the best time around their menstrual cycles is Training helps them feel more empowered about their health goals.

Feeling in control may be one of the most beneficial advocates of this strategy, and if it fuels your overall fitness journey, it's a valuable tool.

A word from Verivell

Learning about your body is a helpful way to guide you into activities and habits that support the phase you are experiencing. That being said, it's critical to listen to your body during all four phases of your menstrual cycle. If an exercise causes you severe pain or discomfort, stop.

If you experience irregular, prolonged, or painful periods, whether or not you think your workout plan is to blame, you should talk to a healthcare provider.