Feisty Women's Performance

Can the method of birth control you choose affect your physical and sports performance? Turns out the answer is not totally straightforward...yet. But Sara Gross chats today with Allison Campbell who is on a mission to get those answers for active women.

Allison Campbell is a PhD candidate studying female athletes' cardiac structure and function, and athletic performance through different hormonal profiles. This includes puberty, the menstrual cycle, as well as the the effects of different methods of contraception. Through this research, Allison is hoping to provide answers for female athletes to help guide them to choose a method of contraception that is best for them.

Today Allison and Sara discuss:

• Different types of contraceptives available for women
• The difference between hormonal and barrier methods of contraception
• How hormonal contraceptives can affect us as active women
• The social and cultural impact of contraceptives for female athletes
• The link between hormonal contraception and mental health
• Some questions to ask both yourself and your healthcare provider when choosing which method of contraceptive is best for you

As a former collegiate athlete herself, Allison's journey in finding the type of contraceptive that is best for her has lead her down this path to helping other women find answers for themselves as well.

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

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@feisty_womens_performance

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• Bedsider Birth Control Support Network

At Feisty Media, our goal is to help our community understand the benefits of strength training for women at all phases of life because we believe, that once you truly understand the "why," you’ll set that habit and routine for the rest of your life. That’s exactly what Sara discusses today with Dr. Carla DiGirolamo.

Carla DiGirolamo, MD, PhD, is a Double Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Obstetrician/Gynecologist specializing in infertility and menopausal medicine. She is also a CrossFit Level 1 trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach, and member of CrossFit Health. She is a MedFit Care provider and provides weekly workouts and medical updates at her Substack newsletters, Athletic Aging and Performance Edge.

Dr. DiGirolamo is also an expert contributor to our new Feisty STRONG course (the founding cohort is on sale through September 1st). 

Today, she and Sara share their thoughts on:

• Society’s changing views on women and strength
• Overcoming the image of the “prototypical” female in the 1980s
• What CrossFit gets right that other training programs don’t
• The importance of strength training for women in different phases of life, from puberty to postmenopausal, and how that affects their strength training.
• How strength training can help optimize lean muscle mass, protect joints against injury, and prevent injury in teenagers and young women.
• Why strength training makes you better at whatever sport or physical activity you do
• How strength training improves cardiovascular health, particularly in reproductive years

As Dr. DiGirolamo says, “We’re looking at all of these fancy supplements when the answer is right in front of us. You don’t even need an Olympic weightlifting set to do it."

Once you know the "why," then you can learn the "how," and that's where the Feisty STRONG course comes in. This online course not only provides a 16-week training plan, but also provides a deeper understanding of all of the factors that go into strength training. Learn more HERE.

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

We’ve all heard that, as women, we need to start strength training. We need to “lift heavy shit,” as it were, and we need to start as soon as possible.

The problem is, up until now, no one has defined what that even means. Gyms are intimidating spaces that haven’t traditionally been welcome spaces for women, and for decades we’ve been sold a bunch of BS to lift light so that we don’t “bulk up.”

So, where do we begin on developing a Strength program, specifically for women? How can we find a program that is safe, efficient, and effective? The answer? RIGHT HERE. 

Sara welcomes Barbell Medicine coach Cassi Niemann on the show to introduce Feisty’s brand new online course, STRONG. 

The Feisty STRONG course is not just a lifting program. It provides information about goal setting, the physiology of strength training, and how it affects our muscles, tendons, bones, and hormones. 

STRONG is a guide on how to think about our strength program through the different stages of our lives like puberty, midlife, pregnancy, postpartum perimenopause, and post-menopause, and it’s also a guidebook for fueling your lifting program and how to remain injury free.

Today, they answer:

• Why lifting is important to everyone, but especially women
• The strength and confidence boost from lifting heavy
• A proper age to start a proper strength training program
• How to mitigate the traditional barriers to entry, like having "the perfect form" and access to equipment
• How to fit strength training into an already busy training schedule
• The optimal frequency and volume of strength training to affect change
• Key movements of focus when starting a strength program
• Why “specificity” isn’t a huge factor at the beginning

Enrollment for our founding STRONG program starts on August 23rd at: https://www.womensperformance.com/strong

Sarah Spain is a self-proclaimed Feisty advocate for Women’s sports. As a lifelong athlete and sports journalist at Fox Sports, ESPN, and ESPNW for several years, she’s had to figure out how to succeed in a heavily male-dominated space.  

Not surprisingly, that has come with difficult moments and plenty of trolls. She’s been sexually harassed, she’s had to wear sexy outfits with extra cleavage, and she’s been patronized and talked down to. She’s had to “play the game.”

Sarah, fortunately, is also a witness (and an unapologetic advocate) to the massive growth of women’s sports thanks, in part, to her work in the media. 

Sara and Sarah discuss:

• How her interest in comedy led to her sports journalism career and how she still uses humor to her advantage
• Finding ways to keep doing her job in the midst of harassment and being treated differently than her male counterparts. 
• Why we need to keep bringing more diverse perspectives and cultures to sports reporting even though much is still run by white males
• How the younger generation and the proliferation of streaming platforms are huge for growth in women’s sports
• How we can invest more heavily in women’s sports and not simply be "well-intentioned"
• The positive change of finally seeing women athletes as strong and powerful role models as opposed to just infantile girls or sex objects
• Why pushback and opposition are part of the inevitable growth process

The proof of progress is in the growing numbers and followers; however, a wave of popularity always faces pushback and opposition. Our role is to recognize that the work doesn’t stop. 

As Sarah says, we must be grateful and present in the moment that we've earned and worked for, and still make sure that we’re continuing to be proactive.

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

What do athletic performance and entrepreneurship have in common?

Turns out, a LOT.

Sara Gross welcomes athlete and business founder, Carina Hamel to discuss the parallels between high performance and running a business. Carina has been a lifelong athlete, achieving national success as an NCAA Nordic skier at the University of Vermont and as a member of the US World Junior Ski Team.

As a business professional prior to co-founding Bivo, Carina founded a footwear development company that specialized in helping brands from creative direction to manufacturing. At Bivo, Carina is responsible for strategic planning, hiring, community outreach, and more.

Together, as female CEOs, former professional athletes, and parents, Sara and Carina discuss:

• How has an athlete prepared you for the entrepreneurial journey
• How she and her husband developed the idea of Bivo
• A “Day in the Life” as a parent and entrepreneur
• Juggling personal time with work time
• Creating a business plan and strategic plan to grow the business
• Her Hiring Process and how to find the right people
• Learning from her biggest failures
• The 80-20 rule
• How she manages the stress and risk of running a business
• Advice for turning a side hustle into a full-time gig
• Her struggles with motivation or making tough decisions

A great athlete, like a successful entrepreneur, has the ability to create a plan, execute on the plan, adapt when necessary, and trust the process. Equipped with this mindset, Bivo is on course to continue to succeed for years to come.

Learn more at DrinkBivo.com

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

Direct from France, Sara Gross catches up with two females affecting change at the 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Kate Veronneau (Zwift) and Cassondra Spring (Liv Cycling).

The 2nd Annual Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift took place Sun, Jul 23, 2023 – Sun, Jul 30, 2023, an eight-day event that has rapidly become the biggest stage race in women's cycling history and, while there have been iterations of a women’s Tour de France in the past, they have never been as organized, funded, and supported as the event is now. 

In 2022, the Tour de France Femmes staged its first edition in the current format with the support of Zwift as a title sponsor.

As Director of Women’s Strategy for Zwift, Kate Veronneau is often credited for making the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift happen, although she would never say that.

Cassondra Spring is the Global Brand Manager at Liv Cycling, another major sponsor of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Together with Sara, they discuss:

• Behind-the-scenes details and unfolding drama from the event
• Why the female 8-day race format is so dynamic, exciting, and captivating
• The vibe, reaction, and response from spectators and fans on the ground and at watch parties around the globe
• The positive ROI for these companies that go well beyond just increased sales and visibility
• The global excitement of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and how this event is part of an overall wave of popularity in women’s sports
• The pride in working for companies that put women first and how their work has opened doors for more global female participation across cycling and all sports.

The 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift wrapped up on July 30th but there’s no doubt, with leaders like Cassondra and Kate, the impact and results will resonate for events and generations to come. 

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

Sara welcomes Dr. Emma Ross to the Women’s Performance Podcast. Dr. Ross is an exercise physiologist and the Head of Physiology at the English Institute for Sport where she leads a team of sports scientists in their support of British Olympic and Paralympic athletes. 

Through her leadership, Great Britain was described as a “sporting superpower” after the 2016 Rio games, winning more medals than ever before.

Dr. Ross is also a founder of The Well HQ, helping female athletes thrive in health, sport, and life through their online resources, courses, and debut book, The Female Body Bible.

Yes, female athlete research has improved in the last few years, but Dr. Ross continues to push the envelope on how she can increase education and knowledge of this latest research to help coaches, trainers, parents, and athletes take agency for their health and put the research into action.  

Today, she and Sara discuss:

-Their takeaways from the recent Female Athlete Conference

-The intersection and individuality of your menstrual cycle on exercise performance

-What we do know about the role of estrogen and progesterone in the cycles and how this may affect performance

-Hormonal contraception and its potential impacts on athletic performance

-Making informed decisions about your body

-How best to educate female athletes on new research, along with getting this knowledge into the hands of coaches, trainers, and parents

-Creating performance gains from a foundation of health - good sleep, nutrition, proper fueling, and stress management

-The recent release of the Female Body Bible book - what response and impact has it had?

-What’s surprising Dr. Ross in the world of female research these days?

-Why women are often seen as "fragile" to researchers

As she notes, “The fragility is not your body. The female body is AMAZING. The fragility is in the system which has completely overlooked the fact that you need to know about sports bras, menstrual cycles, and pelvic health. It’s important to celebrate the female body and we do that by understanding it better."

The Female Body Bible

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

*Note: This episode originally dropped on March 20, 2023*

Lauren Fleshman has many titles - from being one of the most decorated American distance runners ever to recently releasing her book, Good for a Girl - a New York Times best-seller. But all of this accomplishment doesn't come without difficulty. This week, Lauren gets real with us and shares her experience of disordered eating, motherhood, and mental health.

Discussing the stereotypes placed upon female athletes, Lauren explains why an "ideal race weight" doesn't exist. Further, she and Sara share their experiences of depression, and what it means to find yourself again through movement. Finally, Lauren highlights the importance of confidence for performance and how she’s helping the next generation of women and girls excel.

Follow Lauren on Instagram @fleshmanflyer

Purchase her book at https://www.laurenfleshman.com/

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

*Note: This Episode originally dropped on November 21, 2022*

Intimacy and sexual satisfaction are important factors when discussing women's performance. That's why this week we bring you North America's top sex and relationship expert, Dr. Jess O'Reilly. Sara and Jess discuss all things sex, and how satisfying sex can enhance performance in your daily life.

Jess gives us an outline for how we can discuss sexual intimacy with our partners, and truly get to the root of what we want. With communication at the forefront, Jess gives space for all types of "wants", and provides a non-judgmental and open approach to understanding our deepest desires.

Follow Jess on Instagram @sexwithdrjess

https://www.sexwithdrjess.com/

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

In mid-June, Feisty Media was proud to be a sponsor of the 2023 Female Athlete Conference in Boston, which is the epicenter of academia and research as it relates to women’s performance. 

The self-described goal of the FAC is to close the disparity in research and treatment of female athletes and promote the understanding of female athletes' unique and understudied physiology and lived experience, as well as clinical best practices and interdisciplinary calls-to-action.

Feisty’s own Sara Gross, Kelly O’Mara, and Selene Yeager attended the conference and, today, they share with you some of their personal thoughts and key takeaways from the three-day conference, along with some wish list topics that certainly warrant more discussion and research. 

They recap:

• What we continue to learn about the menstrual cycle and its effects on performance
• How to close the gap between new research and communication to coaches and trainers
• Why we still don’t know enough about nutrition, even with continued research on REDS and LEA (Low Energy Availability)
• Why we need a better frame of reference when describing pain
• The disconnection between body composition and performance

Most agree that we are at an inflection point with women’s sports and performance which is why, now more than ever, it’s important to keep asking the right questions and creating ways to communicate research quickly and efficiently to those up-and-coming performers for years to come.

Read Selene Yeager's Recap of the Female Athlete Conference

Learn more about the Female Athlete Conference

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