Yes, menstruation is a natural phenomenon, yet it is accompanied by cramps, fatigue, and bloating. Moderate exercise and yoga can lessen some symptoms, but movement may also cause discomfort or overwork your body. So, learning about which exercises or yoga poses to avoid during your periods will help you better stay comfy while maintaining a thoughtful approach to your fitness program.
High-Intensity Workouts
Vigorous exercise, such as other high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or forms of exercise, can be bad for your period, especially on days you have a bad cramp or are exhausted. The bigger workouts need a lot of energy and leave you more killed. Stress hormones — like cortisol — that may increase with intense workouts could also worsen mood swings or discomfort occurring during menstruation.
Inverted Yoga Poses
Yoga poses to avoid during periods that are inverted i.e headstand (Sirsasana), shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) and plow pose (Halasana) are often not avoided during periods. Some of these poses may reverse the flow of blood, which also reverses the naturally downward flow of menstruation, potentially uncomfortable or congestive in the pelvic region. In addition, there are some practitioners who think that inversions interrupt the body energy flow during the menstruation period.
Deep Twists
Abdominal compression happens in deep twisting poses (Parivrtta Trikonasana, Parivrtta Utkatasana etc). The pressure of these poses can add to menstrual cramps and inhibit circulation into your lower abdomen, which may be uncomfortable or even painful.
Backbends
When we do lots of backbends like wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana) or camel pose (Ustrasana) it puts a lot of strain on the lower back and abdominal muscles. If you have lower back pain during your menses, these poses will exacerbate the pain. Beyond this, they can worsen stretching of the abdominal area, which can aggravate cramping.
Abdominal Exercises
Concentrating more on the core, exercises which directly target the abdominal muscles such as crunches, sit ups or leg raises. Other things like these movements can put additional pressure on the uterus and also make the cramps more painful to do. Strenuous abdominal work is best avoided during your period, but there’s nothing wrong with engaging the core lightly.
Heavy Weightlifting
You may feel it is too much work when you have to lift heavy weights as this involves a lot of physical exertion – that’s precisely what you need when you have your menstruation. It also raises intra abdominal pressure which worsens menstrual cramps further. If you want to keep strength training, choose lighter weights or adapt to bodyweight exercises.
Prolonged Cardio
Dehydration and fatigue can occur during menstruation, especially during long duration cardiovascular activities such as running a marathon or simultaneously cycling for a long period. With hormonal changes already making you feel a little bit more tired, during this time it’s wise to listen to your body and back off on the intensity of your cardio sessions.
Why Listening to Your Body Is Important
Menstruation is different with every single person and what feels right for one person will not be right for another. This is a time where you need to listen to your body. If any particular exercise or yoga pose makes you uncomfortable or makes your symptoms worse, you should stay away from it and instead do a more gentle activity.
Another Set to Think About
Above mentioned yoga poses to avoid during periods will reduce pain and discomforts. So if you don’t mind an occasional twinge during your period, carry on with your normal workout but use gentler forms of movement that promote relaxation and reduce the symptoms of menstruation. If none of the above, then it is suggested you walk, do some light stretching, or practice restorative yoga in order to improve circulation and reduce cramping. Fantastic poses for relaxation and tension release are the child’s pose (Balasana), cat-cow stretch (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana), or sit forward and bend (Paschimottanasana) to name a few.
For more detailed guidance on period-friendly exercises, you can refer to Healthline’s guide. More information is available on the American College of Sports Medicine website or The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Make sure that your shoulders are relax throughout — go to check out poses that support menstrual health. Â
Exercise by avoiding those that put too much strain on your body and choosing gentler alternatives instead helps you manage a balanced but healthy lifestyle despite your period. Bear in mind that looking after yourself during your period sets the template for overall fitness.