Women's Performance

Let's talk about Monday! In our last pre-Olympics episode, Sara and Kelly talk with Caroline Fitzgerald, CEO and founder of GOALS Sports about the business case for women’s sports. Yes, viewership and investment for women’s sports is on the rise, but what does that mean for these athletes getting paid? For potential sponsors? For fans? Even with all the progress that's been made, there's still a massive pay gap between men and women—even in highest-parying sports like tennis and soccer. And, women's sports receive less than 1% of global sponsorship dollars, despite research that shows that sponsors of women’s teams actually see better returns on their investments than sponsors of men’s teams.It's not just the right thing to do; it's good business to invest in women's sport.How do we ride this current tailwind? By creating media coverage and accessibility to unlock increased viewership, investment, and (in turn) increased compensation for the players. By building stories and narratives around these athletes. By eliminating the obstacles and limited resources that prevent female athletes from having the best chance to perform at the top-level. Pay them and let them be the badass athletes that they are. Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

Today, Sara and Kelly turn the spotlight on the Paralympic Games — taking place in Paris just three weeks after the Olympics.With its start as a British rehabilitation event post-World War II, the Paralympics has since turned into a bonafide global sporting spectacle with elite athletes competing in many of the same events as their Olympic counterparts. We're joined by USA Triathlon's Paralympic Program Manager, Lindsey Jerdonek, as well as two USA Paralympic legends, Oksana Masters and McKenzie Coan, who share insights into the challenges, misconceptions, and goals for the continued growth of the Games. The discussion on the past, present, and future of the Paralympics includes:Some of these athletes' personal journeysBuilding a genuine fan base for Paralympic sportsThe classification systems in paratriathlon and other para-sports to ensure fair competitionUnique obstacles faced by aspiring para-athletes, including the lack of resources and the needed equipmentHow do para-athletes even get into the Paralympic pipeline? Creating more exposure, equality, and inclusion for these athletes!As McKenzie Coan says, "Paralympic athletes are the same elite-level competitors, just like our Olympic counterparts, but we just happen to have physical differences."Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

After a holiday break last week, Croissants & Commentary is back to talk about mental health in sports. When we talk about mental health, does that mean optimizing peak mental performance in competition? Does it mean addressing diagnosable mental health conditions, like generalized anxiety or OCR? Do sports relieve or exacerbate these mental health challenges? Or, are all these issues related?To help us figure out what it means to be a mentally healthy elite athlete, Sara and Kelly are joined by certified mental performance consultant, Danelle Kabush, PhD, RCC, CMPC, who has worked with a number of national teams and world class athletes. They discuss:Female athletes and the systemic mental health challenges they faceThe growing awareness and destigmatization of mental health in sportsCommon issues faced by athletes, like confidence fluctuations and performance anxietyCreating a balance between sports and personal lifeThe definition of a mentally healthy athlete in high-performance sportsThe importance of individualized approaches and proactive measures for mental well-beingDr. Kabush also gives listeners some tools and strategies to put in their athlete's mental health toolkit. Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

It wasn’t that many years ago that co-host Sara Gross was told by a coach that to perform better she needed to lean-up and lose additional weight — despite already training huge hours as a pro triathlete. Ultimately, she ended up in such an energy deficit that she collapsed and blacked out on the race course. This happens all-too-frequently across all levels of competition for female athletes, especially at the elite level. In this episode, Sara and Kelly delve into the critical topic of energy availability and fueling for female athletes - including the unique challenges women face. Female athletes are often encouraged to be lean, but not too lean. Muscular, but not too muscular. They should eat, but not too much. These societal pressures too frequently prioritize leanness over health, impacting not just athletes' well-being but also their performance. Additionally, long-term deficits in energy — ie. higher energy output than intake — can have bigger health impacts for women. The Female Athlete Triad, for example, refers to the interconnectedness of menstrual dysfunction, low energy availability, and decreased bone density. As a result, female athletes are much more susceptible to REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) — which can lead to numerous health issues.This week’s expert, Melissa Lodge from the FED Collaborative, discusses these challenges and the consequences of long-term energy deficiency.She also proposes several strategies to mitigate these risks, including: The need for a balanced approach to nutrition that supports both performance and health.A multidisciplinary approach involving coaches, nutritionists, and medical professionals to address the many aspects of underfueling.Continued education and resources around REDs and Low Energy Availability to promote sustainable performance.Standardized screening and assessment tools to detect early signs.The need for protocols and policies within organizations and governing bodies to promote fueling for female athletes.For more guidance, check out Feisty's Fueled educational course.Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

It seems shocking that the 2024 Olympics marks the first time there will be a nursery in the Olympic Village, for mothers competing at the Games. While there has been a huge increase in recent years in the number of elite athletes returning to sport postpartum — and in the resources available to them (thanks to pro moms like Allyson Felix, Alysia Montaño, and Chelsea Sodaro) — it begs the question, "How are we JUST getting here?!"Figuring out how to train (or not) during pregnancy — how often, at what intensity — and what the timeline looks like for moms wanting to return to sport postpartum can be challenging. The research on pregnant and postpartum female athletes has been lacking, and many women face outdated beliefs from doctors and society. That is especially true for moms at the elite Olympic level.Kelly and Sara are joined by Dr. Shefali Christopher PT, DPT, PhD, LAT, ATC to discuss the latest research on training during pregnancy and postpartum, including:How to know you're ready to return to training postpartum?What return-to-sport postpartum guidelines exist for athletes?What recommendations are there for pregnant athletes?Recommended exercises, including lower extremity, core, and pelvic floor workSara also shares her personal experiences of being pregnant as a professional triathlete, along with coming back after giving birth.Not surprisingly, there isn't a "one size fits all" approach — despite what social media might say! — which is why it's important to have a network of support. Factors like childcare, sleep, nutrition, energy deficiencies, and stress all impact a mom's risk for injuries and timeline as they return to training. What else is needed in the coming years to help more female athletes during this stage of their careers?Here is some of the key research on postpartum reutrn-to-sport and training during pregnancy: Medical consensus on how to know when you're ready to return to running postpartum: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/58/6/299Consensus on designing a return-to-run program: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/58/4/183The four-phase approach to postpartum return-to-run: https://www.themotherrunners.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rehabilitation_of_the_Postpartum_Runner__A_4_Phase.3-2.pdfBrain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

Why do we spend so much time talking about the history of women's sports? Because what doctors, coaches, and fans think women are capable of on the track or field changes how women are viewed in all parts of society. Like how women's colleges had mandatory rest days for their female students, because women were believed to be too physically weak to handle the stress of attending school.Today, Sara and Kelly talk about surprising moments in the Olympics that have been lost to misogyny and inaccurate coverage. And, Kelly speaks to Maggie Merton about her new book "Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women."Maggie dives into the history to examine how doctors, coaches, sports associations, and the media fought hard to keep women out of sports. They misreported what really happened, lied about races, and perpetuated medical myths that simply weren't true. But it's time to learn about all the surprising moments you might not have known from the Olympics and the history of women's sports. Like the female athlete pioneers, including: Stamatis Rovithi, who actually ran the marathon at the very first modern Olympics in 1896Diane Leather, who was the first woman to break the 5-minute mileAlice Milliat, who started a separate Women’s Olympic Games Jasmin Paris, who was the first woman to finish the Barkley MarathonsWhere we are now is a product of where we came from, and still shapes things today. Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

“What’s the point of the Olympics, anyway?!” That’s the question Kelly and Sarah look to answer on Episode #2. And how do athletes get to the Olympics. Let's talk all about the Olympic Trials — why is that a uniquely American thing — and the Olympic selection process.At its core, the Olympic Games were developed to improve international relations and promote unity through sport — except, of course, only among men. In some ways, this global celebration of athleticism has turned into a big business that's about competition, medal count, performances, and money. But in other ways the whole point of a Trials process and expanding the Games to new people and new countries was to create a more universal and diverse event that truly reaches everyone.Today, Kelly dives into how we've gotten to this point and describes the complicated and confusing Olympic qualification process, including the many ways countries (and even athletes without a country) can get spots to the Games. Are the Olympics still achieving their initial goal of promoting peace? Do they help or hurt the host city? What's the best (and most fair) way to qualify for the Olympics?Is one of the goals of the Olympics to inspire future generations of athletes? According to Chat-GPT, it is. According to Kelly, not so much. Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

Welcome to a special Feisty series, “Croissants and Commentary - Moments on the Road to Paris,” hosted by Feisty CEO Sara Gross and Feisty's sports reporter & Head of Content, Kelly O’Mara. Over the next seven weeks, they will be counting down to the Olympic Games in Paris — complete with interviews with athletes, coaches, and experts about everything from peak performance to nutrition to all the issues athletes face on the start line. Once the Olympics begin, Feisty Media will be live from Paris recording daily podcasts and content with all the behind-the-scenes scoop.Join us on our Feisty road to the Paris Olympics!In this first episode, as we prepare for the first-ever gender-equal Olympics, Kelly and Sara wanted to start by talking about the current state of women's sports. They look back at all of the moments and milestones that have made this into a movement — from soccer to tennis, cycling and now basketball, women’s sports are building on top of more media coverage, more infrastructure, and more investment. Women’s sports are not an “eat your broccoli” situation. These games and races are exciting! (Don't miss out.)They also speak with Canadian Olympic basketball star, Shay Colley, about what we can do to keep the momentum and enthusiasm going, including investing our time and dollars, watching and supporting women’s sports and our favorite female athletes. That includes at the Olympic send-off game for the Canadian women's basketball team. More coverage leads to more fans, which yields more sponsorship dollars, better contracts, and more media.Sara and Kelly also talk with Shay about what will be different in Paris this year, at this inflection point in the women's sports movement. The biggest change from Tokyo? Fans will actually be allowed at the Games, creating even more support and momentum!  Finally, they discuss the flaws in traditional sports models and how women’s sports don't have to look the same as men's. Women are in prime positions to develop new models and alternative approaches to pay, play, and grow. It’s an exciting time for women’s sports, indeed, so be a part of the many moments that are turning into a MOVEMENT. Get tickets for the Canada women's basketball send-off game and be a part of setting a national home game attendance record on June 26 in Victoria, BC at selectyourtickets.comBrain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/

This episode originally dropped on June 26, 2023Louise Green envisions a world where everyone can achieve their athletic potential regardless of size and, for 17 years, she’s been creating that world for people in larger bodies through her coaching, programming, and education at bigfitgirl.com and the Size Inclusive Academy.She joins Sara Gross to discuss athleticism in a larger body. Weight bias is still so rampant in our culture that it’s normalized, but imagine navigating a world that is not made for you — from small doors and cramped fitness studios, to buff trainers and classes focused only on getting lean and “earning a bikini body.” You’re literally walking into a space where people don’t want to look like you.It’s a traumatic experience, which is why some in larger bodies avoid fitness altogether, especially in public spaces.It’s not laziness or lack of dedication. It’s not an unwillingness to do the work. It’s the impossible task of trying to fit into an unrealistic “one size fits all” standard and this is the cultural divide Louise is working to close. She and Sara discuss:Louise’s personal entry into the fitness space and the stereotypes she had to overcome to be recognizedOur culture’s obsession with thinness Why avoiding fitness is often a trauma responseWhy people in larger bodies are often devalued How she started working with this population and why she feels it’s still important to create safe spacesThe details of developing curriculums for trainers and fitness centers on how to work specifically with larger-bodied athletesIdentifying Body positivity vs. body neutralityOur complicated relationship with the word, “fat” and the value of owning your own languageHow to work with companies and industries in helping them change and expand their offeringsFuture courses, programs, and books to support this audienceAs she says, “If you're hating on yourself all the time, there's no way that you can rise to your highest potential.” This is why she creates programming specifically for women in larger bodies because she undoubtedly believes that anybody and any body can be an athlete. Follow Louise on Instagram: @bigfitgirl

This episode originally dropped on February 6, 2023Okay, y'all. We are sensing A LOT of confusion around female physiology and training with your cycle. That's why this week, we welcome exercise scientist Alyssa Olenick, PhD to clear up misconceptions about female physiology and performance. Alyssa unpacks what the phases of our cycle are, and how we can work to support our bodies during these various phases. And she is clear that no matter what, we are capable.Alyssa shares her "miracle baby" story, which was the first spark for her journey in sport and female physiology. She gives us the details of the new studies on mitigating menstrual cycle symptoms and discusses the negative effects of dieting, the importance of carb intake, and the benefits of caffeine. Finally, Alyssa tells us about the impacts of hormonal birth control on training. Take away message? Don't let anyone tell you that your menstrual cycle is limiting.Follow Alyssa on Instagram @doclyssfitness https://doclyssfitness.com/Brain Power Course Pre-Sale Special: Sign Up for The Brain Power Course Pre-Sale and Take Advantage of the Lowest Price We Will Offer: https://www.womensperformance.com/offers/z6Yj3pHG/checkout 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/