Han's tips for working with your cycle, not against it.
By Hannah McKimm
If you’ve ever felt like one week you’re full of energy and the next you can’t be bothered rolling out your mat, you’re not alone. For women, our hormones play a huge role in how we feel, how we move, and even how motivated we are to exercise. Understanding this can help you work with your body, rather than against it, leading to a more sustainable and supportive relationship with movement.
Our Bodies Aren’t Linear and That’s a Good Thing!
Unlike the more consistent hormonal rhythm that men experience (which resets roughly every 24 hours), women’s hormones follow a roughly 28-day cycle that influences our energy, strength, recovery and even coordination. So it makes sense that your workouts might need to shift slightly throughout the month.
This doesn’t mean you need to completely change your routine or only move a certain way during each phase, but having awareness around your cycle can help you tune in and make better choices for your body.
🩸 Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5)
This is when your period begins. Hormone levels (like oestrogen and progesterone) are at their lowest, and energy can be lower too. It’s often a time when gentler movement feels best, think flowing Pilates, stretching, walking or rest if you need it. Our Stretch and Reset or Pilates Flow categories are perfect!
🌱 Follicular Phase (Days 6–14)
Oestrogen starts rising and so does your energy, mood and motivation. This can be a great time to try new movements, build strength, or lean into more dynamic or challenging classes. You may like to focus on classes on our Pilates Flow and Pilates Burn categories this week or get started on one of our challenges that excites and motivates you.
🌕 Ovulation (Around Day 14)
Oestrogen peaks and you might feel strong, confident and powerful. Take advantage of this window if you feel good, but also be mindful of joint stability — ligaments can be more lax due to hormone shifts. This could be the time that you try a class from our Sweat and Strength category!
🍂 Luteal Phase (Days 15–28)
Progesterone rises and you may feel more inward, heavier or fatigued, especially in the days leading up to your period. You might still feel great in the first half of this phase, but it’s also the time to bring more awareness to recovery, rest and what feels nourishing over what feels intense.
Exercise For Hormone Health
While your hormones affect your movement, it’s also true the other way around — movement positively impacts your hormones.
Regular exercise (especially mindful movement like Pilates) helps:
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Stabilise blood sugar levels
Which is key for reducing PMS, energy crashes and mood swings. -
Regulate cortisol
Gentle to moderate exercise lowers stress hormones and supports nervous system health. -
Support oestrogen and progesterone balance
Which helps with healthy cycles, skin, sleep and energy. -
Improve circulation and lymphatic flow
This supports detoxification and hormone metabolism, especially important in the second half of your cycle. -
Enhance endorphin release
Which boosts your mood and eases period pain or tension.
Try to go with the flow
There’s no need to overthink your workouts or map your entire calendar to your cycle. But when you notice shifts in your energy, your motivation, or how your body feels during certain times of the month, you can simply modify rather than abandon your routine.
Here’s how to support your cycle without losing momentum:
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Keep showing up — just modify as needed.
Maybe you swap a strong full-body burn for a gentle core flow. You’re still building the habit (read my blog about building healthy habits if this interests you). -
Use movement as a form of self-regulation.
If you’re feeling irritable or flat, even a short class can help re-centre and ground you. -
Let Pilates be your base.
Because it’s low-impact and adaptable, Pilates is ideal for every stage of your cycle.
You don’t need to move the same way every week
Your energy will fluctuate. Your strength will too. Some weeks you’ll feel powerful, others you might want to stay closer to the ground. This is not a problem, it’s how we were created.
Movement can meet you exactly where you are. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have for balancing your hormones, calming your mind, and caring for your body throughout every phase of your cycle, and every phase of life.
So listen to your body, honour what it’s asking for and work with it, not against it.
Han x