Which exercise is best for PCOS?

Exercise is one of the most recommended strategies for managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Not only does exercise help with insulin resistance, metabolic rate, and weight loss (as little as a 5% decrease in weight can help your PCOS symptoms [1]), but it's also a mood booster and reduces the risk of many conditions women with PCOS are more likely to develop.

This article answers:

• Which biomarkers are affected by PCOS?
• What exercise should I do with PCOS?
• What exercise should I avoid with PCOS?

Which biomarkers are affected by PCOS?
 

PCOS can show up in a blood test in many ways. Below, we’ll run through some of the biomarkers you may notice are abnormal if you have PCOS – which can be improved on by exercise [2].

These are:

• Androgens (such as testosterone)
• Fasting insulin
• HbA1c
• Lipid profile (including triglycerides and cholesterol)
• Inflammation markers (such as hs-CRP)
• Hormones such as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)

You can read more about how PCOS can show up in a blood test in our blog.

What exercise should I do with PCOS?
 

In general, any form of movement is good if you have PCOS. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some common types of exercise and how they may affect your health.

Walking

Walking – it might sound simple, but it’s one of the most powerful exercise tools we have. One of the biggest contributors to insulin resistance is a sedentary lifestyle [3]. If you have PCOS, you’ll likely experience higher insulin resistance compared to women who don’t have the condition. Scattering ten-minute walks throughout your day is a low-effort, but effective way to increase your activity.

Inflammation is also common in women with PCOS [4], and walking is an ideal exercise to reduce inflammation. Brisk walks can improve your circulation, and regular walking is a low-impact way to up your exercise. Bonus points if you can walk in nature – reducing your cortisol levels, increasing your vitamin D levels and boosting your mood.

Biomarker benefits: improving insulin resistance, reducing inflammation and cortisol, boosting vitamin D (if outside in the sun).

Strength training

Strength training is great for women, and has so many benefits for PCOS, from boosting your metabolism (and your self-esteem) to improving bone density and insulin resistance. Don’t worry if the thought of barbells is daunting – even bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, and push-ups have these beneficial effects.

Additionally, strength training helps you build muscle. This in turn, helps you burn more calories at rest, which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight, an important symptom reducer in PCOS [1,5].

And if that’s not convincing enough, strength training is also found to be the most effective exercise at levelling out your insulin levels and your free testosterone, two major contributors to PCOS symptoms. Quick – pass the dumbbells!

Biomarker benefits: improving blood sugar levels, balancing free testosterone, improving cholesterol and cortisol.

Cardiovascular workouts

Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is anything that gets your heart pumping [6]. With PCOS, your risk of cardiovascular disease is greater. Aerobic exercise reduces triglycerides and LDL cholesterol which are strongly linked to cardiovascular risk [7,8].

Cycling, swimming, workout classes, jogging, or dancing are just some examples – the most important thing is to find something you enjoy (you’ll be more likely to stick to it). Want to check out your cardiovascular health? Our blog covers all the best blood tests for heart health.

Biomarker benefits: improving heart health, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

High intensity interval training (HIIT)

Life can be busy, and fitting a workout into your already crowded schedule might feel impossible. Enter: HIIT.

If this is new to you, our blog explains some different types of HIIT workouts, it’s all about short bursts of high intensity movement with periods of rest in between. Typically, you only need about 15-25 minutes, but the effects on your body are considerable.

HIIT can raise your levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol [6], improve your insulin resistance and reduce body fat. It’s also been shown to reduce inflammation.

Biomarker benefits: improving inflammation and insulin resistance, raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, lowering HbA1c

Yoga and Pilates

If just reading about HIIT and dancing has you feeling overwhelmed, we’ve got you covered. Yoga and Pilates are beneficial, low-impact ways to move your body, regulate your nervous system, and reduce inflammation [9].

PCOS is often linked with higher cortisol levels, and this in turn can increase insulin resistance and abdominal fat. Soothing your mind as well as your body, can lower your stress levels – plus both yoga and Pilates are a great way to build lean muscle, no weights needed.

Biomarker benefits: lowering cortisol, reducing inflammation, balance androgens

Which exercise is worst for PCOS?
 

There aren’t any particular exercises to avoid if you have PCOS, but there are some training tips to keep in mind.

Avoid overtraining – excessive HIIT workouts every day with no time to recover can cause a spike in cortisol and contribute to menstrual irregularities.

Get enough rest – making sure you have enough time for your body to recover from exercise keeps your inflammation level and stops your insulin and cortisol spiking.

Eat regularly – long sessions of cardio without proper fuel may be detrimental to your cortisol levels and blood sugar stability (our blog about PCOS-friendly foods may be helpful).

Find exercise you love – the worst exercise for PCOS? An exercise you don’t enjoy. Take the time to try new activities until you find one you want to do.

References

1. Barber TM, Hanson P, Weickert MO, Franks S. Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Implications for Pathogenesis and Novel Management Strategies. Clin Med Insights Reprod Health. 2019;13: 1179558119874042. doi:10.1177/1179558119874042
2. Sabag A, Patten RK, Moreno-Asso A, Colombo GE, Dafauce Bouzo X, Moran LJ, et al. Exercise in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome: A position statement from Exercise and Sports Science Australia. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2024;27: 668–677. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2024.05.015
3. Chen M-J, Ho H-N. Hepatic manifestations of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2016;37: 119–128. doi:10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2016.03.003
4. Aboeldalyl S, James C, Seyam E, Ibrahim EM, Shawki HE-D, Amer S. The Role of Chronic Inflammation in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22: 2734. doi:10.3390/ijms22052734
5. Sukhapure M, Eggleston K, Fenton A, Frampton C, Porter RJ, Douglas KM. Changes in Mood, Anxiety, and Cognition with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment: A Longitudinal, Naturalistic Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2022;18: 2703–2712. doi:10.2147/NDT.S385014
6. Wood G, Murrell A, van der Touw T, Smart N. HIIT is not superior to MICT in altering blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2019;5: e000647. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000647
7. Ramezani Tehrani F, Amiri M, Behboudi-Gandevani S, Bidhendi-Yarandi R, Carmina E. Cardiovascular events among reproductive and menopausal age women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2020;36: 12–23. doi:10.1080/09513590.2019.1650337
8. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): what it means for your long-term health. In: RCOG [Internet]. [cited 27 Feb 2026]. 
9. Hafizi Moori M, Nosratabadi S, Yazdi N, Kasraei R, Abbasi Senjedary Z, Hatami R. The Effect of Exercise on Inflammatory Markers in PCOS Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. Int J Clin Pract. 2023;2023: 3924018. doi:10.1155/2023/3924018