Advertisement
A 21-Minute Strength & Cardio Workout For Your Follicular Phase
Tuning in to your body's natural cycle can be such a powerful strategy for optimizing your well-being—and that includes your menstrual cycle (you can read more about that here). As a lead trainer at P.volve, I'm here to share some insights into exercising for your cycle, based on P.volve's Phase & Function program, created along with our clinical advisory board of doctors, nutritionists, and more.
Previously, I shared the best way to work out on your period—now, we're going to address the follicular phase, which comes right after menstruation. At the beginning of this phase (right after your period), your hormone levels start low. But then, as it goes on, estrogen and testosterone start to rise—that equates to more energy and improvements in mood.
During the follicular phase, I would recommend alternating your workouts between strength training and cardio. Just be mindful of your form and alignment—as some research suggests, muscle and tendon injury may be more common during the late follicular phase compared to the follicular phase1.
To optimize everything happening in your body during this phase, try out this follicular phase workout, which combines a bit of strength and cardio. All you need is a light set of weights and gliders (or small towels). Let's get started!
Workout Summary
- Time: 21 minutes
- Equipment: Light weights
- Instructions: Follow along with the video, and move from one exercise to the next as indicated. For the movement demonstrations below, complete for 60 seconds, repeating on both sides where necessary.