
Women's Performance
Welcome to the Feisty Women’s Performance Podcast where we cut through the B.S. and deliver trusted information from experts who know how to help women thrive.
The sports and fitness industries were not designed for women. And we feel that. Not only has exercise science excluded women from studies but we often receive the message that we don’t belong.
And yet we know our potential is limitless. Time and time again we see women crushing it- in the gym, on the race course and in the boardroom. Despite major data gaps, we are breaking records - Every. Damn. Day.
On this podcast, host Sara Gross offers the tools you need to get the best out of yourself by learning from athletes and experts who are at the top of their game. We aren't afraid to talk about periods, diet culture, sex, menopause, mindset, depression, anxiety, pregnancy and all the messy details.
Listen as we bring you trusted information relating to our four pillars of women’s performance: physiology, nutrition, mental health, and culture.
By taking a female lens on human performance, we can truly unlock our potential.
Latest episodes

Jun 13, 2022 • 51min
Jennifer Pharr Davis - You Are a Part of Nature
If we are talking about Women's Performance, how does hiking 2190+ miles in less than 47 days sound to you? Jennifer Pharr Davis describes herself as a part of nature. Thru-hiking on 6 different continents, Davis has set multiple fastest times on multi-day trails around the world. This week, Sara welcomes Jennifer to the podcast to discuss the drive and grit it takes to wrestle with your body and mind on these gruelling long-distance thru-hikes. At 21, with an Ironman finish under her belt and a history in high-school athletics, Jennifer decided that hiking the Appalachian trail was the next "step" for her. As Jennifer and Sara discuss, it was on this first thru-hike where she realized that her heart was on the trail - and she made sure to centre the rest of her life around it. Sara and Jennifer get real with one another and discuss the power of grit, determination, and the difference between stopping and quitting. Follow Jennifer on Instagram @jenpharrdavis Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

Jun 9, 2022 • 11min
Trailer: IX Voices for Title IX Powered by InsideTracker
Feisty Media Presents: IX Voices for Title IX Powered by InsideTracker. Listen to this trailer, where Sara and Selene tell us what to expect for this exclusive series. To be released on June 16th, just days before the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the series will investigate the ways in which Title IX did and did not represent a cultural shift for women in sport.The nine-episode series will feature in-depth interviews with women who lived through the cultural shift that Title IX represented, including icons like Joan Benoit, the first winner of the women’s Olympic marathon; Marianne Martin, the first woman to win the Tour De France Feminine; Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon; as well as athletic directors and athletes who continue to press for change today.Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

Jun 6, 2022 • 44min
Liz Koch - Maximizing the Efficiency of Movement
As athletes, we are sure many of you have heard phrases like, "push through the pain" or "if it doesn't hurt it's not working". But are these really words to live by? This week, Sara welcomes Liz Koch onto the show. Liz is a physiotherapist dedicated to helping athletes reach maximum efficiency with their movement. However, Liz is not just a physio, she is also a division 1 soccer player, white water kayaker, mountain biker, and coach. Liz is a strong believer that there are right ways to hurt...AND wrong ways to hurt. She shares how in order to maximize the efficiency of your movement, you have to understand what should be hurting, what shouldn't, and why. Finally, in true WPP fashion, Liz tells us how societal messaging towards women hinders proper breathing and therefore affects the efficiency of our training. For more information from Liz visit www.theridelife.comJoin her "Mountain Biking Ladies" Facebook page And, subscribe to her youtube channel Liz's Ride Life Watch Liz's talk at the 2022 Feisty Women's Performance SummitSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

May 30, 2022 • 43min
Annika Naidoo - Building Trust in Your Body with Strength and Yoga
Okay. Take a deep slow breath into your abdomen... Bring your awareness to yourself and to your own breath... This is how Annika Naidoo tells us to begin using breathing techniques to work towards mindfulness. Annika is a master yoga instructor, health coach and mentor, and this week she shares with Sara the tools she uses for self-mastery. Struggling with obsessive training tendencies, an eating disorder, and feeling lost, - Annika went to India. The duo discusses what Annika has learned on her journey to self-awareness. Using yoga as a way to find balance, Annika has learned to find stillness, quiet, and curiosity in her life. Of course, we don't all have time to do yoga every day, but Annika still gives us ways to use the teachings of yoga, to find our "why". Follow Annika on Instagram @themindfulnesscoach_Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

May 23, 2022 • 59min
Jennifer Schmidt - Unlock Your Limitations
Imagine this...you are 14 years old and you start to feel exhausted, nauseous and dizzy, all of the time. The doctors can't figure out why. Finally, a naturopath tells you that your stomach is filled with alcohol. Turns out - an overproduction of yeast in your system has been making you drunk and hungover for an entire year. This is the experience that prompted Jennifer Schmidt, to become a health coach and recreational therapist for athletes. This week, Sara talks to Jennifer about a holistic approach to wellness, and how this approach can help her clients reach peak performance. Tackling mental health as well as physical health, Jennifer deciphers the mindsets that can affect physiology and gives practical techniques to manage the stress involved in sports performance. Jennifer even conducts a mini-session on Sara, to show what recreational therapy can do for athletes.Follow Jennifer on Instagram @ignitehealthcoachingand visit her website at https://www.igniteyourhealth.ca/Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

May 16, 2022 • 57min
Melissa Dessaulles - A Physio for the Embarrassing Things
Why can't we talk openly about our leaking pee and poo? As we know, it is incredibly challenging to find trustworthy information for active women, especially in relation to "taboo" topics. Refreshingly, Melissa Dessaulles says "f*** that" and talks about all things pelvic health. Melissa, aka the pelvic expert, is a physical therapist that focuses on the female pelvic region, especially for perinatal and postpartum athletes and active women.This week, Sara and Melissa discuss the ways women can advocate for their needs as athletes while pregnant and in the years that follow. With so much misinformation and confusion around just how "active" pregnant women really can be, Melissa lays down some tangible ways to uncover what is best for you during your specific pregnancy. AND to top it off, Sara learns how to "hook" her clitoris.Follow Melissa on Instagram @mommyberrieshealth And go here to listen to her podcast, The Pelvic Floor Project Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

May 9, 2022 • 1h
Molly Hurford - Lean Into Your Athlete Identity
Did you think we could cover it all in just one season? I don't know about you, but we have full lifetimes of B.S. to cut through. Welcome to season two of the Feisty Women's Performance Podcast. We are so happy to start this season off with a bang, and that bang is Molly Hurford! Molly is a long-time journalist and outdoor extraordinaire, coaching running, cycling and yoga. She is the author of many books and her most recent series - Shred Girls - is a youth fiction series dedicated to encouraging young women to "shred it" on the bike.This week Molly shares how she got to where she is today, and how bagels and Mountain Dew encouraged her to start her journey as an athlete. She teaches us how to own and fully lean into our athlete identities and the power of positive self-talk. Finally, of course, Sara and Molly talk about the importance of eating the things that feel good for you. Take home message? Trust yourself! You can follow Molly on Instagram @mollyjhurfordLearn more and listen to her podcast at consummateathlete.comFinally, you can learn more about Shred Girls at https://shred-girls.com/Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

May 2, 2022 • 38min
**REBROADCAST** Monica Garrison - Changing the Gears of the Cycling Culture
Each week on the Women's Performance Podcast, we discuss the four pillars of performance, which are physiology, nutrition, mental health, and culture, while recognizing that ultimately, we can't separate one from the other.Today, we take this multidisciplinary approach with activist, entrepreneur, Mom, and cyclist, Monica Garrison. As Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls Do Bike, Monica and her team of "Sheroes" have amassed a worldwide organization of 30,000 members with over 100 chapters in the US and, most recently, in London. While it's wildly important to celebrate the fact that she is helping to get black women on bikes and identify as cyclists, it's equally important to recognize how black women are shifting the culture of cycling for the better. Monica and Sara Discuss:Monica's background as a photographer/videographer and how that influences her work with Black Girls Do BikeCrafting the imagery of BGDBHow they motivate their childrenThe impetus for starting BGDBThe initial response from the industry when she started BGDBWhy it is important to have a space for Women of ColorIssues or stereotypes of black women that most don't seeThe valuable assets black women bring to the cycling culture and industryViewing herself as a serial entrepreneur - even with some failuresHow she finds sponsors and supporters for BGDBPersonal cycling or fitness goalsPressures she feels as the leader of this growing organizationHer vision of BGDB over the next several yearsAdvice for those of us who are trying to shift the culture and create a more inclusive spaceWe must continue to create spaces for underrepresented groups and, with people like Monica, we see a beautiful representation and the power of being that change. About Black Girls Do Bike Founder, Monica GarrisonMonica Garrison is the Founder, Executive Director, and Chief Storyteller at Black Girls Do Bike. She is tasked with fueling 100+ BGDB chapters worldwide and a network of 180+ lady leaders. She believes that the simple act of riding a bike can be a catalyst for wonderful, life-changing experiences for women of all ages. Growing and supporting a community of women who share a passion for cycling is her north star. Sign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

Apr 25, 2022 • 53min
**REBROADCAST** Every Woman Deserves Performance
Every woman deserves performance.We have observed that there is A LOT of B.S. information out there for women coming from the fitness and health industries, which gets even worse as we age. Because of this, we saw the need to bring trusted information to women so we can feel and perform our best. The launch of the Women's Performance Podcast features host, Sara Gross, with three change-makers, movers, and shakers in the women's performance space - Dr. Stacy Sims, Selene Yeager, and Jamila Gale-Agans.They discuss multiple topics around performance and dive deep in order to provide solid information and access to resources for active women, coaches, parents, race directors, and companies.Stacy Sims provides perspective on the biggest changes in her field of research, and what new directions she is seeing that will help women.Selene discusses changes she has seen in the fitness industry and media, and how she vets information when working on an article or looking for a guest on the "Hit Play Not Pause" podcastJamila paints a picture of her time as a US Army Officer and the cultural assumptions she had to navigate in this "culture within a culture."They also provided valuable roundtable insight on questions from both Sara and the live audience, including:What does it mean for you to focus on performance in your life? And, how has it changed through the years?What does it mean to continue to focus on performance as we age?How do history and culture affect our work, research, and performance?Why is it important to look at performance through a variety of lenses?What's the best advice you've received as a performance-minded individual?How do you make strength training fun?How do I know if I need a rest day, or if I'm just being lazy? (spoiler alert: you're NOT lazy)Do you train according to your cycles?What is your advice on recovery?This is our time to learn, grow, and thrive. It’s not about standing on a podium (although some of us will); it’s about being able to do the things we love throughout our life.Why We Started the Women's Performance Podcast By Feisty CEO, Sara Gross, PhDSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/

Apr 18, 2022 • 46min
Holley Samuel, RD, LD, CPT - Finding Value in Your Food
Drumroll please! … It’s the season finale! For this very special episode, we have Holley Samuel on the podcast to teach us how to fuel our bodies for peak performance. But wait, there’s more! Holley is a registered dietician, certified personal trainer, and takes an extremely holistic approach to wellness. She delves into her path to female entrepreneurship, and also - the importance of a well-baked cookie.Sara and Holley talk about their personal journeys with disordered eating, and what diet culture made them believe about themselves. Holley tells us how to create positive attachments to food and see the individual value in all kinds of food - not just the “healthy” ones. As she says, we need to put ALL food on a level playing field.Follow Holley on Instagram @fitcookienutritionAnd visit her website at www.fitcookienutrition.comSign up to Receive The Feisty 40+ Newsletter:https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/Feisty-40-plus Sign up to Receive The Feist Newsletter:https://www.womensperformance.com/the-feist Follow us on Instagram:@feisty_womens_performance Feisty Media Website:https://livefeisty.com/ https://www.womensperformance.com/ Support our Partners:Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code PERFORMANCE at https://www.previnex.com/