Your Cycle, Your Workout: Let Your Hormones Be Your Guide
Ladies, do you have those moments of the month where you feel unstoppable, ready for a long walk, followed by a gym or yoga class, full of energy?
And do you also have those moments where even getting out of the the house feels like torture, and the only exercise you can think of is walking from the kitchen to the couch?
Well, this is totally normal and no need to feel guilty anymore : ) . All those fluctuations inside of us are happening , hormones, nervous system, emotions, shifting like the tide.
Since I have been practicing yoga since 2013, I have heard all sorts of opinions:
Some teachers would tell women to rest completely during menstruation (I had one teacher who would literally tell you to leave the class immediately if you had your monthly visitor).
Others say gentle movement eases cramps; some allow only walking. So yeah, a bit confusing…
Let’s explore in more detail what actually makes sense, phase by phase.
The Four Phases of Your Cycle & How to Exercise + Yoga Accordingly
Here is a phase-by-phase breakdown, what your hormones are doing, how your body might feel, and what you can do to support yourself:
The Four Phases of Your Cycle + Best Workouts & Yoga Flows
1. Menstrual Phase
Hormonal state: Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. You may feel tired, sluggish, and more sensitive to pain.
How to move: Gentle yoga such as restorative or yin flows, soft forward folds, or hip openers. Try poses like Supta Baddha Konasana, Child’s Pose, or simply go for a quiet walk.
Support tip: Use gentle pranayama (like alternate nostril breathing) to calm your nervous system and support rest.
2. Follicular Phase
Hormonal state: Estrogen starts to rise again. Energy, mood, and motivation increase.
How to move: Great time for moderate-to-high-energy workouts — strength training, dynamic yoga flows, or longer cardio sessions.
Support tip: Build up gradually and enjoy exploring new routines.
3. Ovulatory Phase
Hormonal state: Estrogen peaks and testosterone gives a boost of confidence and strength.
How to move: You can go for peak performance now — HIIT, strong vinyasa or power yoga, running, or weight training.
Support tip: Warm up properly, hydrate well, and listen to your body’s signals even when you feel strong.
4. Luteal Phase
Hormonal state: After ovulation, progesterone rises and estrogen slowly drops. You may notice fatigue, bloating, or mood shifts (PMS).
How to move: Lower the intensity — choose steady cardio, pilates, mobility work, yin or restorative yoga.
Support tip: Try Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) or gentle twists to release tension and support relaxation.
Why This Cycle Syncing Helps
Hormones don’t only govern reproduction, they affect energy metabolism, muscle recovery, mood, and how your body responds to exercise.
Aligning your workouts with your cycle means you take advantage of your natural energy peaks (like during ovulation) and allow your body to rest when needed (like during menstruation or the luteal phase).
That means less burnout, fewer injuries, and more consistency over time because you’re honoring who you are each week, not forcing a one-size-fits-all routine.
Yoga Poses & Practices by Phase
Easy Recap :
Menstrual phase: yin stretches, restorative hip openers, gentle forward folds. Let your body rest and release tension rather than pushing.
Follicular phase: dynamic flows, standing balance, more challenging asanas, building strength and confidence.
Ovulatory phase: more energy, so go for full flows, arm balances, inversions (only if your body feels ready!), power asanas.
Luteal phase: gentle exercises, mobility, yin or restorative yoga, hip opening to release emotional storage
My experience + message for you
When I was in amenorrhea, I was pushing myself all the time. Intense workouts, clean diet, no indulgences. I denied my feminine rhythms, thinking productivity and control were the answer.
It took time to slow down, to notice how my body changed each week. Once I started listening, adapting, and respecting my cycle, everything shifted.
Movement became supportive instead of exhausting. Yoga became a place of alignment instead of pressure.
If you’re going through irregular cycles or hormonal imbalance, know this: you don’t have to fight. You can flow, with your body, your rhythm, your phases.
Tips to Begin Cycle-Syncing with Exercise & Yoga
Track your cycle for a few months and note how you feel energy, mood, physical symptoms.
Plan workouts or yoga flows corresponding to your phase (rest, build, peak, recover).
Allow flexibility, some days you won’t feel like following the pattern and that’s okay too.
Celebrate your strength, and give yourself permission to rest when your body needs it.
With love and rhythms,
Audrey 💛