Aligning Exercise with Your Menstrual Cycle for Hormone Balance and Empowerment
As women, we’ve all heard the saying “listen to your body.” But in a world that’s constantly urging us to push harder, go faster, and work out like we’re machines, that advice can get lost. Here’s the truth: our bodies are not machines; they are beautifully cyclical, dynamic, and constantly changing. And when it comes to exercise, those changes matter! By aligning your movement and exercise routine with your menstrual cycle (or an approximate 28-day cycle if you don’t menstruate), you can support your hormone health, adapt to your body's needs, and grow stronger both physically and mentally. This approach, known as periodisation, is the practice of adjusting your workout intensity and rest to match the different phases of your cycle. Whether you’re currently menstruating, perimenopausal, menopausal, or have an irregular cycle, you can still follow a 4-week rhythm to optimize your workouts. Let’s break down why this is so important and how you can start periodising your movement today.
Why Periodising Movement Matters: Aligning with Your Hormones
Each phase of the menstrual cycle is driven by a complex interplay of hormones — estrogen, progesterone, and others — which directly affect your energy levels, strength, and recovery. By aligning your workouts with your hormonal shifts, you can work with your body rather than against it.
This helps you:-
Support hormone production: By varying the intensity of your workouts, you prevent overstressing your system, which can disrupt hormone balance.
Promote balance and recovery: Resting when your body needs it leads to better recovery and reduces the risk of injury or burnout.
Maximize adaptation: Periodising your movement allows for more effective growth and adaptation, because change and growth happen when you vary intensity and stress on the body.
The Phases of Your Cycle & How to Move with Them
Let’s explore the different phases of the menstrual cycle, the corresponding hormone shifts, and the best types of movement to support each phase. Whether you menstruate or not, this guide will help you attune to your natural biorhythms and feel empowered in your body!
1. Menstruation (Days 1-5) - Rest and Reflect
- Hormone Snapshot: Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. You might feel fatigued or crave more rest.
- Exercise Focus: During this phase, it’s all about restorative movement. Low-impact activities like gentle yoga, walking, stretching, or simply resting are key. This is not the time to push yourself.
- Why It’s Important: Your body is using energy to shed the uterine lining and reset for the next cycle, so overexertion can lead to exhaustion or even injury. Embrace this time as your body's natural “winter”, a moment for restoration. Even if you’re not menstruating, taking this week to ease off high-intensity workouts will help reset your energy levels and support recovery. Think of this as a mini-reset where rest helps your muscles and mind recuperate.
2. Follicular Phase (Days 6-14) - Build and Energize
- Hormone Snapshot: Estrogen begins to rise, and your energy returns. This phase is all about renewal.
- Exercise Focus: This is a great time to increase strength training and moderate-to-high intensity workouts. Think lifting weights, circuit training, spin classes, or bodyweight exercises. Your energy levels are high, and your body is primed for growth and adaptation.
- Why It’s Important: Estrogen supports muscle repair and recovery, so you can handle more intense exercise. During this “spring” phase, your body is ready to build strength, make gains, and take on new challenges.For those without a cycle, treat this week as your "active growth" phase. This is the time to push a little harder, try new exercises, and increase intensity for greater results.
3. Ovulation (Days 15-17) - Peak Power
- Hormone Snapshot: Estrogen is at its peak, and a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation. This is when you’ll likely feel the most vibrant and energized.
- Exercise Focus: These few days are perfect for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), boot camps, or your most challenging workouts. You’re at your physical and mental peak, so make the most of it with dynamic and fast-paced movements.
- Why It’s Important: With estrogen at its highest, you have the stamina to go hard and fast. Your body can handle explosive movements and cardio better than at any other time of the cycle.Even if you don't menstruate, this phase can serve as a time to push yourself. Whether it's lifting heavier, running faster, or trying a new sport, embrace your body's potential for power and progress.
4. Luteal Phase (Days 18-28) - Slow Down and Prepare
- Hormone Snapshot: After ovulation, progesterone rises, preparing your body for a potential pregnancy. You may notice your energy waning and experience symptoms like bloating or mood swings.
- Exercise Focus: Now is the time to shift to lower-intensity workouts. Pilates, yoga, swimming, and moderate cardio are perfect for this phase. Listen to your body — you may still feel strong at the start of the phase, but as you near menstruation, you’ll want to gradually wind down.
- Why It’s Important: Progesterone has a calming effect, and your body is using more energy to prepare for menstruation. High-intensity workouts can feel more draining now. Think of this as the body’s “autumn” phase, where it's important to conserve energy, reflect, and prepare for rest.For those without a cycle, this is a great week to scale back the intensity. It’s a moment for mindfulness and introspection — think slower movements, longer walks, or meditative yoga.
Periodising for Everyone: Even Without a Menstrual Cycle
What if you don’t menstruate? Maybe you're in perimenopause, menopause, or your cycle is irregular. No problem! You can still follow an approximate 28-day rhythm based on the moon’s phases or simply divide the month into four weeks. Aligning your workouts with a natural cycle still offers the same benefits of hormone balance, better recovery, and optimized adaptation.
Think of it like this:
- New Moon/Menstruation (Week 1): Rest and restore.
- Waxing Moon/Follicular Phase (Week 2): Build strength and energy.
- Full Moon/Ovulation (Week 3): Peak intensity.
- Waning Moon/Luteal Phase (Week 4): Slow down and reflect.
This cyclical approach helps you stay in sync with nature and your body’s biorhythms, whether you’re menstruating or not. It’s a practice that empowers you to feel more connected to your body, and to embrace both movement and rest as essential parts of the same whole.
Movement as Empowerment: Attuning to Your Body’s Natural Rhythm
I’m so passionate about helping women understand and work with their bodies, rather than against them. For far too long, women have been taught to push through, to work out the same way every day, to ignore the signals our bodies send. But when we tune into our natural rhythms, we discover a deeper sense of empowerment, embodiment, and alignment with nature.
By aligning your movement with the phases of your cycle (or the moon’s phases), you give yourself permission to rest when needed and push when your body is ready. This not only supports hormone production and balance, but also helps with muscle adaptation and growth. It’s about honoring the natural flow of life, both within and around you, and celebrating the unique power of your body.
So, let’s start listening to our bodies, moving with them, and embracing the full cycle of change and growth. Whether you’re menstruating or following the moon, remember: your body knows best. Work with it, honor it, and let movement be your path to empowerment.
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