Feisty Women's Performance

Imagine a world where we leverage AI to solve problems in human health, propel human performance, and close the gender gap in research. Thanks to Dr. Silvia Blemker, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia, and her team at Springbok Analytics, that is happening at a rapid pace. Dr. Blemker and her team are changing our understanding of muscle repair and how to stop muscle degeneration - something we all need as we age.

As a founder of Springbok Analytics, Silvia uses AI-powered technology to deliver detailed insights for muscle health, performance, and longevity across both males and females, advancing medicine for all and finally closing the gender gap that is prevalent in scientific research.

Today, Silvia discusses her current research projects, how sex differences affect every part of our body, how AI is creating rapid change for women’s health and sports performance, and most importantly, why women have better calves (you can’t argue with science!)

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

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Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

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Are you feeling some post-race or post-season blues? Perhaps you've come off of a big event or a long season and you feel...well...sad, a little lost, rutterless.

Feisty Media has teamed up with the Vinfast IRONMAN for this education session on how to handle the post-race blues, a normal occurrence among endurance athletes. 

Host Sara Gross welcomes an expert panel to discuss:

• Signs of the post-race blues
• Why this happens after a major event
• Suggestions on how to honor your body and mind in this transition period
• How to discern if you need outside help
• Activities to consider during the off-season
• Going into the new year with a fresh batch of Mojo!

Experts include:

Dr. Erin Ayala - @erineayala and @skadisportpsychology

Marilyn Chychota - @marilyn_chychota or https://www.marilynchychotacoaching.com/ 

Jennifer Vollmann - @jennifervollmann or https://www.findingendurance.com/

Follow Women for Tri for more inspiration and information on training and racing IRONMAN 70.3 and IRONMAN distances.

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

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Caroline Shannon and Ali Brauer were experiencing national success in triathlon and were on a rapid upward trajectory in the pro ranks. They sought out an elite-level coaching program to foster their athletic growth. This new program included a full-time training environment (or DTE) where athletes live and train together on a daily basis. It sounds exhilarating, doesn’t it? Eat, sleep, and train under the guidance of an expert coach and supportive squad?

But what was at first exhilarating, quickly became poisonous.

Today, Ali and Caroline share their story of what can only be described as living and training in a toxic and abusive training environment.

Both recount experiences of extreme gaslighting, food restriction, verbal abuse, manipulation, and egregious abuse of authority.

They discuss what that looked like for them, how they handled it, and the physiological and emotional repercussions they have suffered. They both also share why they stayed at the time and how the healing process has continued since they left. Most importantly, they talk about signs and red flags of an abusive coaching relationship and empower listeners to trust their instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, it simply isn’t.

Knowing this and taking action to leave the relationship may just save your life and your career. As Caroline and Ali can attest, you can emerge and start to heal.

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Orca: Use the code FEISTY15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

Can you believe it? We discussed tampons and periods LIVE from the Main Stage at the Vinfast IRONMAN World Championships!!

Yes, that's right. In conjunction with the historic all-womens IRONMAN World Championship race in Kona, Feisty Media hosted three different panels relating to female athletic performance.

In this session, Feisty Media host, Selene Yeager, welcomed a panel of experts on harnessing your female physiology, both physical and psychological.  

In addition to understanding your body and seeking professionals who understand female athletes, the panel also discussed the mental aspects of racing as a woman - from battling imposter syndrome to developing a mental race strategy for the best performance on race day. 

The expert panel included:

Erin Carson: 

Erin is a Health and Human Performance Specialist and Owner of ECFIT Performance Strength, NSCA - Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Erin has also been awarded USA Triathlon Strength Coach of the Year.

Erin has been a strength coach for many well-known stars of endurance sports, including Miranda Carfrae, Kara Goucher, Abby Stevens, Flora Duffy, and 4 out of the top 5 women at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Finland were ECFIT Athletes!

Lynda Rowan:

Lynda started as an Event Director for triathlons and, inspired by the finish line excitement, she decided to try the sport herself and ended up with a podium finish in one of her early attempts. The rest is history as the story goes! As a dual citizen Australian and American, Lynda has competed in all distances: Sprint, Olympic, 70.3, and Ironman. She represented USA and Australia at ITU World Age Group Championships and has been a coach for 30 years.

Megan Tobin:

Megan is a multiple IRONMAN 140.6 and 70.3 finisher, 70.3 World Championship qualifier, and marathon swimmer. Megan coaches for TMT Coaching and the non-profit One with the Ocean. She also coaches for both Golden Gate Triathlon Club and the SF Triathlon Club. She is a certified short-course and long-course triathlon specialist and lives in Boulder, Colorado where she is also a women’s specific training program specialist.

Follow Women for Tri for more inspiration and information on training and racing IRONMAN 70.3 and IRONMAN distances.

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Orca: Use the code FEISTY15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

This week, during a special educational session at the Vinfast IRONMAN World Championship, Feisty Media hosted a panel discussion on the main expo stage on Mental Strategies for Race Day.

The panelists did reference the World Championship; however, these mental strategies are applicable to any major race or endeavor.

• How to handle race day nerves
• How to stop "self-sabotaging"
• What to do when things go awry
• Tips for staying "in the moment" on such a long day
• Turning weaknesses into superpowers

The expert panel was led by Feisty CEO, Sara Gross and featured:

• Craig Alexander, 5x World Triathlon World Champion, founder Sansego Coaching
• Lauren Vallee - Clinical Counselor and USAT L2 Coach, Valiant Endurance
• Michelle Simmons - Head Coach, Team BSC Triathlon
• Anne Robie, Executive Coach, Darshan Leadership Consulting

Follow Women for Tri for more inspiration and information on training and racing IRONMAN 70.3 and IRONMAN distances.

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Orca: Use the code FEISTY15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

Athletes understand they need to incorporate strength training into their endurance programs, but are often at an impasse on how to execute.

Is sport-specific strength like swimming with paddles, and doing big gear work and hill repeats enough to “check the box”? Or, should an athlete carve out time for gym-specific work like deadlifts and squats? If so, when and how much?

To piece together the puzzle of combining strength training with endurance training, Sara Gross welcomes performance coach, Marilyn Chychota, to the Women’s Performance Podcast.

Marilyn has an exemplary career as both a professional athlete and coach. She's an Ironman winner, state champion in cycling and powerlifting, and also a competitive crossfitter. She develops personalized coaching and training plans for athletes through her business, Marilyn Chychota Coaching, and was instrumental in helping Sara Gross win two Ironmans.

Today, Sara and Marilyn unpack the mixed messages that are prevalent when it comes to combining strength training and endurance training. 

They discuss:

• Knowing the strength needs for different sports and matching those to the goals of the athlete
• Some of the outdated myths of strength training - it will make you slower, bigger, etc.
• Different categories of strength training and knowing which moves and styles are best for personal goals
• How every plan should be athlete-specific; there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to strength training
• Accounting for overall Training Stress (TSS) when it comes to developing a strength training routine so that it enhances performance, and doesn’t inhibit progression
• Importance of strength training as we age
• How natural strength, body type, and past training experience affect a strength program
• The differences between open-chain and closed-chain exercises and how they relate to an athlete’s goals.
• Understanding the impact of strength training on endurance athletes' nervous system and hormones, impacting recovery
• Putting it all together on the schedule — how and when to schedule strength around a busy endurance training schedule. 

A well-planned and well-executed strength plan will optimize an athlete’s performance in their sport, but it needs to be comprehensive and highly individualized based on the athlete’s goals, recovery, and balance between other sports. 

“Learning new things is probably the most important thing anyone with confidence issues should do.”

This is a quote from today’s guest, Michèle Letendre, six-time CrossFit games athlete and coach of some of the fittest people on earth. 

Michele owns Deka Comp where she coaches amateur and elite athletes alike, including Patrick Vellner, who was recently crowned the 2nd "Fittest Man on Earth" at the 2023 CrossFit games.

As Michele discusses, the concept of the “fittest on earth” is rooted in the CrossFit methodology, which emphasizes performing well across various tests, rather than specializing in one specific area. 

Today, she and Sara discuss:

• Michele’s personal transition from water polo player to competitive CrossFit athlete
• Types of negative experiences or pushback she has received as a woman in coaching
• Qualities she sees in performance-minded athletes
• The Importance of intrinsic motivation in the pursuit of excellence
• Qualities of good and bad coaches 
• How she learns from her athlete's feedback
• The massive progression and growth of women in CrossFit
• Building confidence through weightlifting and learning new skills

Strength training can boost confidence by making you feel good about yourself and giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Needless to say, coaching in this arena requires competence, confidence, and creativity and Michele Letendre thrives on all three. 

Learn more at: https://www.dekacomp.com/

Follow Michele on Instagram: @dekacomp

We’ve been told for years that 120-150 minutes a week of moderate exercise is not only good for our physical health, but also our mental health. 

So, more exercise must provide more mental health benefits, yes?

No, says the research.

Here to dig into this topic is Jill Colangelo, a writer and researcher who studies the relationship between mental health and ultra endurance sport. Jill is currently a Research Affiliate in the Department of Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Bern and writing mental health-focused articles at Triathlete Magazine and across Outside Media.

Today, she and Sara discuss the delicate balance of mixing ultra-endurance training and mental health and ask, "Do the positive effects of exercise stand up through volume and intensity?"

They cover:

• The type of person who tends to get overtrained
• Drawing the line between healthy and unhealthy
• The concept of having an off-season and why it’s vital to health
• What should your mindset be when it comes to exercise?
• What do we mean by “ultra-endurance culture?”
• The pitfalls of glorifying and mythologizing ultra-endurance athletes as “heroes”
• Jill's work in the world of social media and mental health
• What do you wish people knew about mental health?

As Sara says, “At the end of the day, people go through a lot worse than running a marathon and we have to ask who are the true heroes. Jill’s research is extremely helpful and relatable and I think we can all learn from her wisdom.”

Jill Colangelo's Website

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Orca: Use the code FEISTY15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

A lot of female athletes suffer from low energy availability and RED-S which stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. In fact, one study showed that 41 to 47% of female athletes have problematic low energy availability. That means almost half of us are not performing at our best because we aren’t eating enough.And, yes, eating disorders and disordered eating play into this equation, but we also understand that it’s sometimes just hard to eat enough calories to support the massive energy output with training volume and proper timing.

To bridge this awareness gap, Sara Gross welcomes Pippa Woolen Peters and Holly Brooks from Project RED-S. Project RED-S is the digital clubhouse for RED-S awareness, prevention, and support. As it says on its website, Project RED-S is, “A place where people of all ages, genders, abilities, and activities can come together to learn how to prevent or overcome Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. A place to pursue peak performance in a healthy body and mind. Where, instead of winning at all costs, it’s about winning without compromise.”Project RED-S takes an athlete-to-athlete approach to their education and resources because both Pippa and Holly have had their own life-changing experiences with RED-S.

They discuss:

• The implications that low energy availability has had on their personal and professional lives
• How to recognize and address red flags of disordered eating in athletes
• The difficulty in determining when an athlete’s dedication to their sport crosses the line into disordered behavior, such as obsessive clean eating or an excessive focus on performance
• The pressures to conform to a certain body type in sports and the need for more diverse role models
• Why initiatives like Project RED-S focus on “the long game” and not short-term results and gratification
• How to determine your body’s needs and rebuild trust in yourself

From personal stories to support, science, and mentorship, Project RED-S is an all-inclusive resource for helping athletes “nourish to flourish.”

Join the Feisty Winter Training Programs:

https://livefeisty.com/training/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter: https://livefeisty.com/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Support our Partners:

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo Fitness Products at: https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/0GAByR

Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Orca: Use the code FEISTY15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

This episode originally debuted in May 2023.

Since Title IX passed in 1972, there has been extraordinary growth in women’s sports and performance. 

However, for decades, athletic research primarily conducted on males has simply been applied to women, and as we’ve discovered, when the standard of performance is based on that one type of person, it skews our understanding of what is considered “normal physiology.”

Christine Yu, author of the new book Up to Speed - The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletics speaks with Sara Gross about the future of research on women athletes. 

As Yu says, “Women and female athletes need specific research that reflects their personal experience to provide appropriate and specific guidance from nutrition and injury prevention, to customized training, and even clothing and gear.”

So, what reputable science and research is out there for performance-minded women? And, how can we apply good science to our lives in order to boost performance and remain healthy for years to come?  

Sara and Christine discuss this and more, including:

• Why females have often been considered “messy” and “poor subjects” when it comes to research studies on athletics 
• The impact good (and bad) research can have on female athletes, especially when it comes to longevity in sports and overall health
• How more female scientists and researchers are asking the right questions and leading the way to close the gender gap in research
• What surprised Christine the most when researching and writing the book?
• What angered her, and what has she applied any of the good research in her own daily life?

Maya Angelou once said, “When you know better, you do better.” Yu’s book provides an understanding of how we go to this point and, thanks to the vigilance of others, how we are starting to do better.

Order Up to Speed - The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletics 

Follow Christine on Instagram: @cyu888