075 Talking About Older Females Lifting Heavy Sh*t with Dr Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf
Aug 11, 2024
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Dr. Sarah Court is an advocate for heavy lifting among older women, while Laurel Beversdorf specializes in strength training for this demographic. They discuss the transformative power of strength training, particularly for women during menopause, emphasizing its benefits for bone density and overall empowerment. Their conversation tackles cultural misconceptions around weightlifting and the negative media narratives that perpetuate fear around exercises like deadlifts. Listeners are encouraged to embrace strength training as a core element of health and well-being.
Celebrating the 75th episode, the podcast emphasizes its significant growth impact on the healthcare community focused on pain and rehabilitation.
Dr. Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf advocate for older women lifting heavy weights, focusing on enhancing bone density and challenging traditional gender roles.
The importance of fostering a supportive community to help women overcome fears and misconceptions about strength training is a central theme.
Deep dives
Milestone Achievements in Podcasting
The podcast episode celebrates reaching significant milestones, including the 75th episode and surpassing two million downloads. These achievements highlight the growth and success of the podcast, surprising the host who initially did not anticipate reaching such numbers. The host acknowledges the support of the audience, humorously suggesting that a large portion of the downloads may be from family. This moment of reflection serves as a reminder of the podcast's impact on the community it serves, particularly healthcare professionals focused on pain and rehabilitation.
Importance of Female Representation in Strength Training
The discussion highlights the necessity of promoting strength and conditioning within the female population, especially emphasizing the need for female advocates. The guests, Sarah and Laurel, share their efforts to counteract the prevailing myths around women lifting heavy weights. Their initiative includes a course that encourages women to engage in resistance training, particularly focusing on bone density for aging females. This approach seeks to create a supportive community while subverting traditional gender roles associated with fitness activities.
Shifting Perceptions on Strength Training
Many women hold misconceptions that strength training is dangerous or that it will lead to unwanted muscularity. The guests aim to reshape these beliefs by emphasizing the benefits of heavy lifting for overall health. They argue that strength training is essential in preventing age-related conditions, such as osteoporosis, and improving quality of life. Their message aims to inspire women to challenge societal norms and feel empowered through their physical capabilities rather than restricted by their appearance.
Addressing the Barriers to Entry
A significant barrier to women engaging in strength training is a fear of injury or lack of confidence in their abilities. Through their course, the guests provide education and support to help women navigate these fears. They emphasize that being part of a community can alleviate the intimidation often felt in traditional gym environments. By fostering an inclusive atmosphere where women feel safe to learn and grow, the program aims to increase participation in strength training among females.
Critique of Misleading Health Narratives
The conversation critiques the misleading narratives propagated by influential figures in the health and fitness industry regarding movement and pain. It discusses the implications of fear-mongering around exercises like deadlifts, which is counterproductive to encouraging physical activity. The guests assert that focusing solely on avoiding pain can prevent individuals from experiencing the health benefits of exercise. They advocate for a more balanced view that celebrates movement as a crucial component of long-term health and functionality.
In this episode of the NAF Adam talks with two of his favorite people from across the pond in the USA and the hosts of his new favorite podcast Movement Logic and thats Dr Sarah Court and Laurel Beversdorf
They discuss their work on promoting heavy lifting in the older female population and their recent excellent breakdown of Stu McGills recent podcasts