Both too little and too much exercise affect fertility, and the optimal zone is narrower than it looks. The book's ideal is moderate cardio 3 to 4 times a week plus light strength training twice a week, with yoga or Pilates and natural movement every day around it.
Regular exercise at moderate intensity:
The benefit comes from regularity over the long term. One-off tricks do nothing: "jumping rope 100 times speeds up ovulation" is pure folklore. And too much exercise does exactly the opposite of the list above (the signs of overdoing it have their own page).
| Frequency | Recommended type | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 times a week | Moderate cardio (brisk walking, easy cycling, swimming) | 30 to 45 min |
| 2 times a week | Light to moderate strength training | 30 to 45 min |
| 2 to 3 times a week | Yoga, Pilates, stretching | 30 to 60 min |
| Daily | Natural movement (stairs, short walks) | Ongoing |
Source: Map to the Positive, Chapter 24.
Cardio and strength training are the core: 3 to 4 sessions of moderate cardio plus 2 of light strength training is what the book calls ideal. In its 90-day plan, this weekly routine starts in the second month, together with 10 minutes a day of mindfulness or yoga, and stays in place until the end of the 90 days.
The same logic applies to him: moderate exercise helps male fertility, as long as he doesn't overdo it.
There's no evidence that moderate exercise affects fertility in the moment, so you don't need to stop. But try to avoid:
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools you have. 150 minutes a week of cardio plus 2 strength sessions reduce insulin resistance and improve spontaneous ovulation. In some cases it does as much as medication, which is why the book calls it a first-line treatment for PCOS.
Losing 5 to 10% of your body weight can restore ovulation in women with obesity. You don't need to reach an "ideal weight": small losses have a big impact. Combine moderate exercise with dietary adjustment.
Exercise is Chapter 24 of Map to the Positive, in Station III (Optimization), which also covers what to do when your BMI is below 18.5. Around it, the station covers nutrition, advanced supplementation, sleep and stress, his fertility and sex at the right time, then puts it all into an integrated 90-day plan, with moderate exercise built in from the second month.
Take 30 days. If it does not give you more clarity than everything you have read for free so far, ask for a refund and you get every cent back. We cannot promise you a pregnancy. We can promise you will not be guessing.
References: Wise LA et al. Physical activity and fecundability in a North American preconception cohort. Fertility and Sterility, 2012. · Mena GP et al. The effect of physical activity on reproductive health outcomes. Human Reproduction Update, 2019.