Move Like a Woman: Exercise Routines for Every Phase of Your Menstrual Cycle

by Sylvana Janssen

If you’ve ever pushed through a high-intensity workout during your period and ended up feeling more depleted than energized, you’re not alone.

Modern fitness culture often praises consistency, hustle, and “no excuses.” But Ayurveda offers a gentler, more personalized approach; one that honors your cycle, your constitution (dosha), and the shifting energy of each phase.

When you align your movement with your menstrual cycle, you’re not just respecting your body, but you’re supporting hormonal balance, mental clarity, glowing skin, and graceful aging. Let’s explore how to exercise in a way that feels good, gets results, and supports your natural radiance through every phase of your cycle.

The Menstrual Phase - Rest, Reflection and Repair

Dominant dosha: Vata

This is your body’s sacred moment to pause, when the uterine lining sheds and your energy draws inward. Vata dosha, made of air and space, governs this phase. It’s light, subtle, and mobile, just like your body’s current state.

How to move:
During this time, think of movement as medicine, not performance. Gentle, grounding movement can help relieve cramps and support blood flow without taxing your nervous system.

Best practices:

• Restorative yoga: Supported poses that promote stillness. 

Think bolsters, blankets, and long holds. These supported poses promote deep stillness and gently stimulate circulation in the pelvis without depleting your energy. Even 15 minutes can help regulate Vata and calm the nervous system.

• Gentle stretching or yin yoga: Focus on hips and lower back

These areas often hold tension or stagnation during menstruation. This kind of movement helps reduce cramps and supports apana vayu, the downward-moving energy responsible for elimination.

• Slow walks in nature: 15–30 minutes max, preferably in the morning light

Aim for 15–30 minutes at a relaxed pace, ideally in early morning light to help balance your circadian rhythm and stabilize cortisol. Walking (dare I say barefoot) on earth, like sand, grass, or forest trails, is especially grounding for Vata, and emotionally soothing.

• Breathwork (pranayama): Nadi shodhana, bhramari, or deep belly breathing

Practices like nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), bhramari (humming breath), or slow, diaphragmatic breathing help ease anxiety, balance prana, and promote clarity. Just 5–10 minutes can re-center your mind and support hormonal balance through nervous system regulation.

Doshas in the spotlight:

• Vata: Prioritize warmth and stillness. Skip workouts if you’re fatigued.
  

• Pitta: Avoid pushing through and remember: rest is productive. Cool compresses or rose tea can soothe irritability during this time.
  

• Kapha: You may feel the urge to move, so honor that, but avoid overexertion. A brisk walk or gentle bike ride is plenty.
  
  

Follicular Phase - Rebuild, energize, explore

Dominant dosha: Kapha

Estrogen begins to rise, and your body starts to feel stronger and more stable. Kapha dosha made of earth and water, dominates this phase. It’s moist, heavy, and steady. Emotionally, this is a time of optimism and curiosity. Physically, you’re ready to reintroduce movement with more structure.

How to move:
This is a great time to explore new routines, set intentions, and build consistency. Your endurance improves, and inflammation is low.

Best practices:

• Strength training: Bodyweight, resistance bands, or light weights

Use bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or light to moderate weights to rebuild physical strength and confidence. This is a Kapha-dominant phase, so you’re naturally more grounded and resilient. Training now supports metabolic balance, improves insulin sensitivity, and builds lean muscle, setting the tone for the rest of your cycle.

• Hiking or cycling: Moderate pace, ideally outdoors

Engage in movement that connects you to nature and keeps your breath flowing. A moderate pace helps circulate lymph and clear lingering stagnation from the menstrual phase. Outdoors is ideal: sunlight regulates melatonin, while fresh air balances Kapha's heaviness and awakens the senses.

• Vinyasa or flow yoga: Smooth, energizing sequences

Smooth, rhythmic movement paired with breath supports circulation, stimulates digestion, and enhances mental clarity. This is the time to explore dynamic sequences since your body is more open to movement, and your mind is more adaptable to new routines.

• Dance, barre, or Pilates: Build strength and joy

This is your playful, exploratory phase. Dance and barre ignite joy, strengthen the core, and help keep Kapha’s inertia in check. Pilates, especially mat-based, builds stability and supports ojas, your radiant energy reserve, while toning muscles with grace.

Doshas in the spotlight:

• Vata: During this phase, anchor your energy with repetition. Avoid erratic or overly intense routines.
  

• Pitta: You're likely energized, but remember to stay hydrated and avoid overheating.
  

• Kapha: This phase is your sweet spot. Use this stable energy to commit to new habits or exercise plans.
  
  

Ovulation Phase - Peak, perform, connect

Dominant dosha: Pitta

Estrogen and testosterone surge during ovulation, making this the most energized, social, and physically capable part of your cycle. Pitta dosha, fire and water, rules here, which means you’re more competitive, focused, and driven.

How to move:
Now is the time to challenge your limits, push your performance, or try high-intensity styles. Just don’t overdo it.

Best practices:

• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) or Tabata: (if you’re Pitta-dominant, keep it short!) 

Your strength, stamina, and cardiovascular capacity are at their peak during ovulation. HIIT and Tabata-style workouts are effective now, but if you're Pitta-dominant, keep sessions short (20–30 minutes) to avoid overheating or excess internal fire. Follow with a gentle cooldown and hydration to support recovery and maintain hormonal balance.

• Power yoga or hot yoga (cool down properly afterward)

The body's natural flexibility and circulation are strong here. Power yoga supports your desire to move with purpose and clarity, while hot yoga can feel deeply cleansing, if followed by cooling rituals like cold showers, peppermint tea, or a rosewater spritz to regulate Pitta heat.

• Running, boxing, or spinning

This is your time to push a little harder, test your limits, or set personal records. These high-intensity modalities are great for releasing built-up energy, promoting cardiovascular health, and giving Pitta types a focused outlet for their inner drive. Just be mindful not to overtrain, restorative practices are still important throughout your cycle.

• Group fitness classes for fun and connection

You’re more social, magnetic, and expressive now. Group workouts like barre, dance cardio, or bootcamps combine performance, connection, and fun. They also tap into the community-oriented, heart-centered energy of this phase, which is essential for balancing the competitive edge of Pitta with joy and playfulness.

Doshas in the spotlight:

• Vata: Energy may feel high, but recovery is slower. Prioritize cooling down and grounding.
  

• Pitta: This is your peak, but watch out for competitiveness or overheating. Favor shorter sessions and focus on recovery, for example some coconut water post-workout.
  

• Kapha: You may feel extra motivated so ride that wave! Mix cardio and strength for best results.
  
  

Luteal Phase - Reflect, stabilize, prepare

Dominant doshas: Kapha → Vata

The luteal phase begins with stable Kapha energy and ends with rising Vata. Progesterone rises to prepare the uterus, and your body starts turning inward again. This is when PMS may appear, especially if there's imbalance.

How to move:
Early in this phase, you may still feel motivated. Toward the end, it’s time to wind down and turn to nourishing, slower movement.

Best practices:

• Low-impact strength or Pilates

In the first half of the luteal phase, when Kapha is still steady and grounded, low-impact strength training or mat-based Pilates supports stability, lean muscle maintenance, and metabolic rhythm. Focus on controlled, intentional movement that builds heat without overstimulating the nervous system. This helps regulate progesterone and supports healthy blood sugar levels—key during this hormonally sensitive time.

• Yoga nidra or gentle yoga

As you move closer to menstruation and Vata begins to rise, prioritize inner quiet and restoration. Yoga nidra, often called yogic sleep, deeply resets the nervous system and enhances sleep quality. Gentle yoga poses, especially forward folds and supported hip openers, ease premenstrual tension, soothe the belly, and invite emotional release.

• Walking or elliptical

Light, rhythmic movement like walking or a low-resistance elliptical session keeps circulation flowing and prevents Kapha stagnation without spiking cortisol. Aim for early morning or late afternoon walks in calming environments, which help ease irritability, balance melatonin, and calm the premenstrual mind.

• Foam rolling, stretching, or mobility work

This is the ideal time to slow down and care for your joints, fascia, and connective tissue. Foam rolling increases lymphatic flow and relieves built-up tension. Stretching, especially through the lower back, hips, and thighs, supports downward-moving energy, preparing your body for a smoother flow.

Dosha guidance:

• Vata: As this dosha rises toward the end of the phase, favor rhythmic, repetitive movement and early bedtimes.
  

• Pitta: Avoid pushing through irritation or stress. Add breathwork and grounding meditations.
  

• Kapha: Keep your circulation moving with a consistent low-intensity routine. Don’t let sluggishness take over.
  
  

What If You're in Perimenopause?

In perimenopause, cycles often become less predictable, and doshic imbalances (especially Vata and Pitta) tend to increase. This is when it becomes even more vital to move cyclically rather than rigidly. Listening to your body and adjusting your movement daily is more important than following a set routine.

If your cycle is irregular, follow the moon phases or tune into energetic shifts:

• New moon: Menstrual/rest
  

• Waxing moon: Follicular/build
  

• Full moon: Ovulation/perform
  

• Waning moon: Luteal/reflect
  
  

Why Cyclical Movement Matters (Especially for Hormonal Balance)

Your body is not the same every day of the month. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all ebb and flow, affecting your mood, skin, metabolism, and performance. Moving in harmony with these rhythms helps:

• Reduce PMS symptoms
  

• Stabilize mood and improve sleep
  

• Prevent injury and burnout
  

• Support metabolism and healthy weight
  

• Enhance fertility and reproductive health
  

• Slow the aging process by minimizing stress load
  
  

Ayurveda teaches that over-exercising, or pushing through exhaustion, weakens ojas, your vital energy. By aligning your workouts with your cycle, you conserve that energy and allow the body to rebuild and glow from the inside out.

Ready to personalize your wellness routine?

Discover how to truly listen to your body’s changing needs with a personalized approach to nutrition, movement, and daily rituals. Inside The Art of You, your complete personalized lifestyle guide, you’ll find a full yearly calendar of tailored routines that align with your cycle and dosha, designed to help you balance hormones, heal your gut, and restore lasting energy and radiance from within. 

Start here