--- title: Follicular phase workout plan: what to do and what to skip description: A follicular phase workout can handle more intensity and volume than other weeks. Here's what the research says about training, mood, and energy. url: https://niyora.com/cycle/follicular-phase-workouts/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Your cycle](https://niyora.com/cycle/) - Best workouts for the follicular phase Follicular phase # Best workouts for the follicular phase A follicular phase workout can be as intense as you like. There's no strong evidence your body needs to go easier this week, and mood tends to be more favorable now than during your period or the days before it, though perceived effort during a workout doesn't reliably change by phase. Updated 14 October 2026 Niyora editorial Moderate evidence Follicular phase Days 1 to 13 Where this sits in your cycle - Period - Building - Ovulation - Luteal - PMS window ## At a glance - Perceived exertion doesn't change by cycle phase, so a follicular phase workout will feel about as hard as it does any other week. - Cortisol runs a bit higher in the follicular phase than the luteal phase, but this hasn't been shown to require a different workout plan. - Anger, anxiety, and low mood were lower mid-follicular than during menstruation or the late luteal phase in one 17-woman trial. - On a low-energy day, scale back the intensity rather than skip the session entirely. - Research on elite athletes hasn't found a reliable performance pattern by cycle phase, so there's no single best follicular phase workout for everyone. ## Strength of evidence Moderate evidence - None - Limited - Mixed - Moderate - Strong Based on RCTs and systematic reviews on perceived exertion, cortisol rhythm, mood during exercise, oxidative stress, and elite athlete performance across cycle phase. ## What workouts are best in the follicular phase? The follicular phase runs from the first day of your period until ovulation. Estrogen is rising through this window, and cortisol tends to run a little higher than it does later in your cycle, based on a meta-analysis of 778 women (Hedges' g 0.13) [2]. That difference hasn't been shown to require a specific type of workout. A systematic review of elite athlete performance looked at 218 studies and found only seven that had rigorously tested whether performance changes by cycle phase, with no consistent pattern across them [7]. What seems to matter more is how a workout feels, not what phase you're in. A review covering 160 women across 17 studies found the rating of perceived exertion, how hard a session feels, doesn't reliably change across the menstrual cycle [3]. A hard interval session will likely feel about as hard in your follicular phase as it does any other week. Good options for this week include: - Strength training or lifting heavier sets - Interval or tempo cardio - A new class or sport you've wanted to try - Longer outdoor runs or rides This is also a reasonable week to introduce a new variable, like added load, a new class, or a longer distance, since you're not working against the mood dips that tend to show up closer to your period. Read more about [what happens in the follicular phase](https://niyora.com/cycle/follicular-phase/) if you want the full hormone picture. ## Should you exercise less in the follicular phase? No study here suggests you need to hold back. In one trial, 17 women did 30 minutes of self-selected treadmill exercise during menstruation, mid-follicular, and late luteal phases. Anger, anxiety, and negative mood before exercise were significantly higher during menstruation and the late luteal phase than mid-follicular [5]. Across several studies, measures of exercise capacity itself stayed steady regardless of cycle phase: - Self-selected exercise intensity and heart rate during a workout [5] - Plasma malondialdehyde (a marker of lipid oxidation) after a 30-minute moderate session, which showed no difference by phase, though some glutathione markers did [1] - The overall metabolite response to a bout of resistance training [6] Follicular-phase women did show their own baseline pattern in circulating extracellular vesicles and the largest short-term microRNA response to a single resistance workout, but this wasn't tied to a clear difference in how the body adapted overall [6]. If you want the underlying hormone timeline, our page on [hormones in the follicular phase](https://niyora.com/cycle/follicular-phase-hormones/) breaks down how estrogen and cortisol move together across this window. **None of this points to a reason to go easier this week.** If your schedule allows it, mid-follicular is one of the more cooperative weeks to train at a higher intensity, simply because mood and motivation tend to be steadier here than right before or during your period. ## Does exercise help PMS mood? Exercise in the follicular phase won't erase PMS later in your cycle, but the trial above found anger, anxiety, and negative mood were lower mid-follicular than during menstruation or the late luteal phase [5]. That makes this week a reasonable one to build a routine you can keep during the days before your period, since motivation and mood both tend to be steadier here. None of this means the week before your period is something you caused, or that skipping a workout then means you're falling behind. Mood changes before a period have a physical basis, covered in more detail on our pages about [mood in the follicular phase](https://niyora.com/cycle/follicular-phase-mood/) and the [luteal phase that follows it](https://niyora.com/luteal-phase/). Niyora is a PMS and PMDD support app. If the same argument or low mood keeps coming back each month, its Moon feature lets you write down what happened, see it from another angle, and draft a reply you can hold onto before you send it. In the moment If a fight or a low mood keeps repeating each month, Niyora's Moon lets you write what happened, see another angle, and draft a reply before you send it. ## What if you have no energy in the follicular phase? Early follicular days can overlap with the tail end of your period, when energy may still be low even as hormones start to rise. There's no rule that this whole phase has to feel energized. If a session feels heavy, treat that as information, not failure. Perceived exertion doesn't reliably shift by cycle phase [3], so feeling that way probably reflects sleep, stress, or life rather than where you are in your cycle. On a low-energy day: - Lower the intensity instead of skipping entirely. A short walk or an easy spin still counts. - Move your hardest session to a day later in the week when you have more in the tank. - Protect your sleep. In normal cycles, LH pulses late in the follicular phase tend to occur around brief wake moments and are less frequent during REM sleep [4]. There's no research suggesting you need a set number of workouts this week to get any benefit. Consistency over months matters more than any single session. Trust what your body tells you on a given day over what the calendar says this phase is supposed to feel like. ## How should training change across the cycle? If you train every week of the year, it helps to know what the evidence actually supports, and what it doesn't. It's less than most fitness content suggests. A review of elite athlete performance found only seven well-designed studies, out of 218 screened, that tested performance across cycle phases, with no consistent pattern of better or worse performance by phase [7]. Here's what the current research does show: | Phase | Key finding | Evidence strength | | --- | --- | --- | | Follicular | Cortisol tends to run higher [2]; anger, anxiety, and negative mood tend to be lower than during menstruation or late luteal [5] | Limited | | Ovulation | No workout-specific findings in this body of research | None | | Luteal | Cortisol tends to run lower; anger and negative mood rise late in this phase [2] [5] | Limited | | Menstrual | Anger, anxiety, and negative mood are also higher here [5] | Limited | None of this means you need a different training plan every week. It means some weeks may feel harder emotionally, not just physically, and that isn't a sign you're doing something wrong. This page focuses on movement, but the same idea applies to food: there's no special diet this phase requires, just enough fuel for how hard you're training. To see where you are right now, try our cycle phase calculator, or read the full breakdown of the [four phases of the menstrual cycle](https://niyora.com/cycle/menstrual-cycle-phases/). Niyora's estimated PMS window can flag the days your mood is more likely to dip, so you can plan harder sessions for the days before it. From the research library ## Research on exercise 410 studies in the library look at exercise in PMS and PMDD. They were published from 1984 to 2026, and each one has a short summary of what was tested and found. 410 studies, 1984 to 2026 How strong the studies are Strong study design 21 Moderate study design 157 Early or limited evidence 232 - [Cohort study, 2026Do sleep, exercise, and diet quality affect period pain, heavy bleeding, and PMS in midlife?Women with poor sleep regularity and low moderate-to-vigorous activity had more painful and heavy periods and more PMS. Diet quality showed only a small effect. These are associations, not proof of cause and effect.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/associations-between-physical-activity-sleep-patterns-and-diet-quality-and-2026/) - [Randomised trial, 2026Does yoga or Pilates help reduce PMS symptoms?Yes, both yoga and Pilates improved PMS symptoms compared to control, with yoga being more effective. Yoga significantly reduced blood pressure and heart rate, and improved breathing and mood.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/comparative-effects-of-yoga-therapy-and-pilates-training-on-cardiopulmonary-2026/) - [Randomised trial, 2026Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS?Both aerobic and resistance exercise reduced anxiety and improved emotional control in women with PMS. Resistance exercise was superior to aerobic exercise for reducing anxiety.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/effects-of-aerobic-vs-resistance-exercise-on-anxiety-reduction-and-emotional-2026/) - [Systematic review, 2026Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms?Yes. These techniques reduced physical symptoms like pain and fatigue, and emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression. However, the evidence is still limited.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/mindfulness-and-relaxation-based-interventions-for-premenstrual-syndrome-a-2026/) - [Randomised trial, 2026Does yoga reduce PMS symptoms?Yes, yoga significantly reduced PMS severity, pain, and improved blood markers while the control group showed no changes.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/yoga-reduces-premenstrual-syndrome-symptoms-and-modulates-hormonal-and-2026/) - [Randomised trial, 2025Does caloric restriction and aerobic exercise improve PMS symptoms in obese women?Yes, when combined with medication, caloric restriction and aerobic exercise significantly improved PMS symptoms, reduced weight, and improved stress and reproductive hormones over 12 weeks.Strong study design](https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-caloric-restriction-and-aerobic-exercise-on-premenstrual-syndrome-2025/) ### Clinical trials - [Aerobic Exercises Versus Sub Occipital Myofascial Release on Memory Function in Females With Premenstrual Syndrome.Opening soon, Egypt](https://niyora.com/research/trials/aerobic-exercises-versus-sub-occipital-myofascial-release-on-nct07684495/) - [Moderate Aerobic Exercise for Managing Menstrual Cycle SymptomsRecruiting now, United States](https://niyora.com/research/trials/moderate-aerobic-exercise-for-managing-menstrual-cycle-nct07084714/) - [Effects of Somatic Movement Therapy vs Core Strengthening in Premenstrual SyndromeRecruiting now, Pakistan](https://niyora.com/research/trials/effects-of-somatic-movement-therapy-vs-core-strengthening-in-nct07642232/) [See all 410 studies on exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/) ## Questions people ask What exercise is best during the follicular phase? + The best follicular phase workout is whichever one you'll actually do and enjoy, strength training, intervals, running, or a new class. No high-quality study has found a specific type of training the follicular phase requires, and research on elite athletes hasn't found a reliable performance pattern tied to cycle phase. Do you need to exercise less in the follicular phase? + No evidence suggests exercising less in the follicular phase. In one trial, women's self-selected intensity and heart rate during exercise didn't differ by cycle phase, while anger and anxiety ratings were higher during menstruation and the late luteal phase than in the mid-follicular week. Does exercise help with PMS? + Exercise during the follicular phase won't stop PMS symptoms later, but mood tends to be more favorable mid-cycle, which makes it a reasonable week to build a habit. If PMS mood swings return each month, tracking them with an app or a notebook can help you see the pattern. Why does a workout feel just as hard no matter the cycle phase? + A systematic review of 160 women found the rating of perceived exertion during aerobic exercise doesn't reliably change across the menstrual cycle. That means a hard follicular phase workout will likely feel about as hard as the same workout would in your luteal phase or during your period. Should training change across the menstrual cycle? + For most people, no major change is needed. Reviews of elite athlete performance have found only a handful of well-designed studies on cycle phase and training, with no consistent pattern of better or worse performance in the follicular, ovulation, luteal, or menstrual phase. ## Sources - 1. [Effect of exercise during the follicular and luteal phases on indices of oxidative stress in healthy women](https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199903000-00009), Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 1999 - 2. [Higher Circulating Cortisol in the Follicular vs. Luteal Phase of the Menstrual Cycle: A Meta-Analysis](https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00311), Frontiers in endocrinology, 2020 - 3. [Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Perceived Exertion During Aerobic Exercise in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38659609/), Journal of women's & pelvic health physical therapy, 2024 - 4. [Influence of Sleep Stage on LH Pulse Initiation in the Normal Late Follicular Phase and in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome](https://doi.org/10.1159/000488110), Neuroendocrinology, 2018 - 5. [Psychophysiological Responses to Self-Selected Exercise Intensity Over the Menstrual Cycle: A Randomized Crossover Phase Trial](https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2022.2036316), Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 2023 - 6. [Varying Influence of Menstrual Cycle Phase and Hormonal Contraceptive Use on Resistance Exercise-Induced Circulating Extracellular Vesicle and Metabolite Signalling](https://doi.org/10.1002/jev2.70244), Journal of extracellular vesicles, 2026 - 7. [The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Elite Athlete Performance: A Critical and Systematic Review](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.654585), Frontiers in physiology, 2021 Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗ On this page - [What workouts are best in the follicular phase?](#what-workouts-are-best-in-the-follicular-phase) - [Should you exercise less in the follicular phase?](#should-you-exercise-less-in-the-follicular-phase) - [Does exercise help PMS mood?](#does-exercise-help-pms-mood) - [What if you have no energy in the follicular phase?](#what-if-you-have-no-energy-in-the-follicular-phase) - [How should training change across the cycle?](#how-should-training-change-across-the-cycle) - [Research](#research) - [Questions](#faq) Niyora PMS & PMDD support For the hard moment before your period. Private, no account. [Get it on iPhone](https://apps.apple.com/app/niyora-pms-emotions/id6764561688) ## Keep reading Condition The luteal phase: what's happening in your body and mood Cycle guide The 4 phases of the menstrual cycle Cycle guide The follicular phase: what happens and how it feels Cycle guide Follicular phase symptoms: what to expect Cycle guide Mood in the follicular phase: why it happens Cycle guide Follicular phase hormone levels and what they mean Cycle guide How your menstrual cycle affects your mood