More Female Strength

033: Our Guide to RPE

May 30, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MB

You’ve heard all about it, so now here’s the More Female Strength primer on the hot topic of RPE, or Rating of Perceived Exertion. If you’ve never used this tool for self-assessment before, we’ll tell you how. If you’re an RPE expert, listen in for an in-depth discussion of what we feel is the deepest and most powerful aspect of using RPE, from a coach and a lifter perspective. Mike Tuchscherer on RPE https://articles.reactivetrainingsystems.com/2017/12/05/how-to-use-rpe-in-your-training-c...

032: Strength Training for Climbers

April 26, 2022 09:00 - 55 minutes - 38.3 MB

It is our thrill to present our conversation with Dr. Natasha Barnes, an accomplished lifter, climber, and rehab coach. We have been fans of Natasha’s for a long time so you can imagine our delight when we learned she is a MFS listener! Our conversation with Natasha covers everything from her professional journey from becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic to her current practice, that she describes as more of a coaching relationship. We talk about her career as a professional climber, how she ad...

031: That One Weird Training Hack

March 28, 2022 15:24 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MB

Our lives are complicated! In this episode we talk about all the tricks and tips we recommend for making training easier: more fun, more incentivized, less complicated, less difficult. If you’ve ever struggled with training consistency, getting your meals in, planning ahead, or getting it done, this episode is chock full of validation, affirmation, and “that one weird trick” that may just be the thing you’ve been waiting for to help you with YOUR biggest hurdle. Connect with us using t...

030: More Than Body Positivity

February 05, 2022 22:56 - 45 minutes - 29.6 MB

In a world where our culture creates strong negative biases against some kinds of bodies, how do we develop a better relationship with our own bodies and reflect that back into the world? Katherine offers us a suggested path toward a more radical mindset, tracing through popular body-positive movements and landing on some practical suggestions for listeners. Connect with us using the links below, we’d love to hear from you and what YOU’D like us to talk about going forward in 2022. ...

029: Change Takes Changing

January 21, 2022 13:19 - 29 minutes - 19.5 MB

After some time off, Katherine & Cassi catch up with each other about what’s been going on and how they’ve changed in both their professional and personal lives. They take a deeper look at what they want to do, what they want to share and what’s really important in the end. “Change takes changing” comes from a beautiful piece by Brian Andreas (https://www.instagram.com/p/CY60Hy7LCUr/). “Change takes time, I said & she laughed. Time takes time, she said. Change only takes changing. But, she ad...

028: Training at Home

March 24, 2020 12:30 - 1 hour - 27.8 MB

Pandemic Edition! COVID-19 had us all staying at home, and Cassi and Katherine are back from hiatus to talk at-home workouts. How to structure them, what equipment you need (spoiler: it could be none at all!) and how to get the support you need for training at home. Links: Washington Post Corona Simulator Bay Strength Lateral Arm Raise Playlist RowReady 6-week Program Get some gear from our Teespring Shop. Then connect with us using the links below - reach out about onl...

027: Gender and Fairness in Sport with Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum

September 23, 2019 09:06 - 1 hour - 38.2 MB

We sit down with Jordan Feigenbaum from Barbell Medicine to talk about his recent article, ‘Shades of Gray: Sex, Gender, and Fairness in Sport,” in which he busts the myth of “biological sex,” describes the relative recency of womens sports, gives a history of gender elegibility testing in sport, and points out where the current rulebooks fail. In short, this issue is full of nuance, and we get into it all! Links: 'Shades of Gray: Sex, Gender, and Fairness in Sport' by Dr. Jordan Feigen...

026: Training Through Pregnancy with Quiana Welch

August 26, 2019 14:49 - 56 minutes - 26 MB

Quiana Welch joins us for a raw, honest conversation about her training and experiences through pregnancy, birth, and beginning her postpartum journey. Quiana is a high-level multi-sport strength athlete, who holds an American record in the snatch, and has competed in Crossfit, GRID, and even womens football. We talk about expectations versus reality, training strategies, racism in healthcare, and being okay getting angry! Quiana gives us the rundown on all the resources that helped her thro...

025: What We’ve Learned

August 02, 2019 18:58 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MB

Cassi and Katherine are back from hiatus and take a moment to share some exciting personal updates! Then we take a look at our growth as coaches over time. We share what we used think was true, and discuss the things we do differently based on what we think is true NOW. Get some new gear from our Teespring Shop. Then connect with us using the links below! More Female Strength Website: www.morefemalestrength.com Instagram: @morefemalestrength Email: [email protected] ...

024: Spice It Up with GPP

March 22, 2019 20:48 - 46 minutes - 21.3 MB

On this week’s episode, we start with a quick discussion of USAPL’s ban on trans athletes, and give you some action items to help make your voice heard. Then we get into GPP: what is it, why do we want it, how do we program for it. Everybody’s training gets into a slump now and then - adding in conditioning and bodybuilding movements is our favorite way to stay entertained and happy under the bar. Cassi’s RowReady Wait List - LAUNCHING NOW! Understanding Energy Systems When you should...

023: Sustainable Goal Setting And the Myth of Maintenance

February 15, 2019 12:38 - 29 minutes - 13.7 MB

Happy 2019! We managed to bypass all of New Year’s Resolution season to drop this episode on you in the doldrums of mid February. Lost some of the sparkle of the new year? No problem. We talk about realistic goal setting - how to align your goals to your real life, so that you can actually stick to them and feel good about it! We also talk about maintenance. Spoiler! It doesn’t exist. Don’t despair, though, we have you covered. Listen to this episode, then go forth and enjoy your thoughtfull...

022: 2018 Year In Review!

December 28, 2018 12:46 - 30 minutes - 14 MB

On our final episode of 2018, we round out the year with some bitching, some praise, some grab bag questions, and we talk about our personal highs and lows and what we are hoping for in the coming year. Thank you for listening, see you in 2019! USAPL Qualifying Totals Crossfit Games now inclusive of trans athletes Get some new gear from our Teespring Shop, including the new Minotaur shirt! Then connect with us using the links below! More Female Strength Website: www.morefemalestreng...

021: Putting In The Reps with Gabby Brost

November 30, 2018 12:43 - 51 minutes - 23.5 MB

Today we sit down with Richmond-based Gabby Brost to talk about her coaching business, GAB Strength, her athletic career, and her approach to life in the gym and as a coach. And of course, we talk about her consistently excellent content creation on Instagram. We also have a couple of fun announcements about upcoming projects and collaborations!!! Caring Choices Fire Relief GAB Strength Gabby on Instagram My Dog Is Judging Things Lift, Lunch & Learn RVA Get some new gear f...

020: Stress Incontinence with Lifting

November 09, 2018 12:08 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MB

Stress incontinence caused by lifting is extremely common, but not part of normal pelvic floor function. Cassi and Katherine start this conversation by discussing their different experiences with stress incontinence, including what they’ve discovered through research and physical therapy, and their strategies for managing pesky pee while under the barbell. Balloon lung model Poise Impressa Pessary Julie Wiebe, PT Meryl Alappattu on The Clinical Athlete Podcast MegSquats Inter...

019: Powerlifting, Inclusivity, and Harry Potter with Adrienne Thomas

October 11, 2018 23:00 - 57 minutes - 26.5 MB

Adrienne Thomas, powerlifter and GWPL Ambassador, sat down with us to talk about the conversations she’s facilitating through Instagram, on how each of us can act to help increase access and inclusion in the fitness community. We also got to talk Harry Potter (#SquatsForSirius)! We’re so excited about this one, so let us know your thoughts! Not All Geminis on Instagram Adrienne on Instagram GWPL B&W Gym Find us online at www.morefemalestrength.com or on Instagram & Facebook @...

018: Catching Up with Emily Socolinsky

September 13, 2018 19:24 - 59 minutes - 27.2 MB

Emily Socolinsky joins us for this lively kitchen sink conversation that includes: back pain, training senior citizens, eating disorders and body image, opening gyms, the Charm City Strongwoman Contest, and the value of strength. Plus, very special guest, Cassi’s dad Doyle Niemann! Five x 3 Gym https://ulmanfund.org/ Charm City Strongwoman Contest Find us online at www.morefemalestrength.com or on Instagram & Facebook @morefemalestrength. Email us at [email protected].

017: Up Your Inclusivity

August 17, 2018 12:15 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MB

A core mission of this podcast is to increase the accessibility of barbells to all people, and especially those who have historically not been included in strength culture. On today’s episode, Cassi and Katherine begin their discussion about what inclusivity means when it comes to gyms, how you might approach inclusivity if you want to change your gym environment, and some ways to be an aspiring ally. We also talk about our queer-ish identities, and the September issue of Vogue Magazine. ...

016: Pain Science, Paleo, and Picking Things Up with Sarah Al-Khayyal

July 20, 2018 11:55 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MB

Being a strength athlete can take many forms, and Sarah Al-Khayyal knows this first hand. She joined us from Reno, where she is the General Manager for apparel powerhouse Doughnuts and Deadlifts, to talk about her journey to the barbell, her experiences managing chronic back pain, and her perspective on maintaining a relationship with strength training long-term. Sarah on Instagram Doughnuts and Deadlifts Sarah’s Pain Science Resources Rori Alter: Progressive Rehab and Strength ...

015: Lifter Spotlight: Vegan Lifter Dayva Sagal

June 30, 2018 13:05 - 40 minutes - 18.5 MB

Our second Lifter Spotlight focuses on Katherine’s lifter, Dayva Sagal, who has developed successful strategies for getting enough protein on a vegan diet. Dayva offers up her own experience as a lifter and shares her favorite vegan protein sources. Also, Cassi recaps Richmond’s Pull for Pride! Cassi on Instagram Katherine on Instagram Richmond Strong at Richmond Balance Bay Strength Pull for Pride The Vegan Lunchbox True Nutrition Edamame Pasta Plantbuilt BananaLifts...

014: “Learning How To Eat" with Kelsea Koenreich

June 15, 2018 11:02 - 48 minutes - 22.1 MB

In our continuing series about food and nutrition for training, we interviewed Kelsea Koenreich, owner of Team Proscience, her Life, Nutrition and Fitness Coaching business. Kelsea joins us for a chat about how she came to be a strength athlete, her approach to nutrition, and how to find balance as her family grows in size. Find Kelsea: Team Proscience website @teamproscience instagram Powerlifting Pregnancy Mamas facebook Find us online at www.morefemalestrength.com or on In...

013: Foods Are Your Friend

May 25, 2018 12:59 - 43 minutes - 19.9 MB

We finally tackle the tricky but simple subject of nutrition and food. For this first conversation about eating and training, we introduce the basic concepts of nutrition, from the most important aspects to the least. We talk about what we actually eat, and what we struggle with when planning our own meals, and our perspectives on how to stay sane and happy while eating to support our goals. Nutrition resources (short list): Renaissance Periodization Barbell Medicine Bay Strength ...

012: The Equipment Episode a.k.a. Accessories!

May 11, 2018 13:56 - 51 minutes - 23.4 MB

The people have spoken: we’re talking about leggings! We’ll give you an overview of the other essential equipment for lifting: what we personally use and what we recommend for our lifters. We talk a lot about shoes, plus belts, sleeves, and the the other bits and bobs you might want to pick up to support your training, and finally, a leggings review. Plus, we tell you what TV we’re obsessing over. Links: Decoding West World Kameron Michaels Muscles To The Masses Bay Strength Shoe...

011: Motivation’s Ebb and Flow

April 20, 2018 11:11 - 33 minutes - 15.3 MB

Motivation is a hot topic in lifting circles because training is so sweet when we have it, and such a chore when we don’t. We get real about what motivation can offer, how to deal when it leaves us, and how to get it back. Plus, lifting in birkenstocks? Totally. And how to add to our Ultimate Deadlift Playlist on Spotify. Links: Sarah Chamberlain’s article in The Guardian Nikki Burman on instagram American Raw Fitness, Gilbert, AZ Deadlift Playlist Collaborative on Spotify Fi...

010: Make Instagram Your Friend

April 06, 2018 15:21 - 47 minutes - 21.7 MB

Cassi and Katherine talk about what makes Instagram so addicting - and potentially harmful. Why do lifters love Instagram? And why do we sometimes feel bad about ourselves after a mindless scroll through our feed? We get into all of this, and discuss strategies for freeing ourselves from Instagram jealousy. Plus, competition recap and some of our favorite social media follows. Find us on Instagram or Facebook @morefemalestrength or email us at [email protected].

009: Lifter Spotlight: Demetra Szatkowski, Fitness Witch

March 12, 2018 11:12 - 37 minutes - 17 MB

When your online trainee comes to visit, what do you do? Interview her for the podcast of course! Coached by Cassi through Starting Strength Online Coaching, Demetra Szatkowski is a lifter, strength coach, pole dancer, and creator of Witches Get Strong. Demetra’s coaching practice integrates strength training according to the Starting Strength model with empowerment and awareness practices that teach women to experience more pleasure in their bodies. We talked with Demetra about her journey ...

008: To Compete, or Not To Compete

February 23, 2018 11:27 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MB

Cassi and Katherine talk about competition, but they start with collaboration. They discuss the value in building bridges between coaches, connecting networks and most importantly, learning from others. Then they break down what it means to be a strength athlete. Who “gets to” compete, the benefit of competition to your training and community, and how you can incorporate some competition into your training even if you don’t want to get on the platform. LINKS: Oakland Strengthlifting M...

007: Feelings, Expectations, and Data, with Dr. Austin Baraki

February 09, 2018 11:31 - 56 minutes - 25.7 MB

In this discussion with Dr. Austin Baraki, we talk about his recent research on the topic of psychosocial influences on training. He tells us what the data says about their effects on performance. We explore how expectations and management strategies can mitigate the effects of Our Feels on our recovery, adaptation, and performance, including some specific strategies coaches and lifters can use to keep training on track in the face of high stress or strong feelings. LINKS: Aches and P...

006: Feelings and Iron with Molly Merson, MFT

January 26, 2018 12:17 - 1 hour - 31.2 MB

Join us in a conversation with therapist and strength athlete Molly Merson, discussing mental health and its effects on our training. We all get The Feels from time to time - what happens when those feels get the better of us, in and outside the gym? How can we as lifters make friends with our mental state, and how can we as coaches better serve our trainees in managing these struggles? We get into ALL of that and more in this episode that includes a glowing recap of USSF Nationals weekend a...

005: The Big Four & Why We Love Them

January 05, 2018 15:01 - 50 minutes - 23.1 MB

Why do we squat, bench, deadlift, and press? How did we chose those exercises, what benefit do they have, and how do we decide how to perform them? In this episode, Cassi and Katherine break down the Big Four barbell lifts, from selection to execution, including some helpful tips on how to approach each lift. Plus, Mail Bag, Awesome Gym Shout Out, and A Cool Thing On The Internet. LINKS: Alan Thrall “Starting Strength Rebuttal” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnNXlXX7-6k&t=1s The Deadli...

004: Our Bodies, Ourselves

December 15, 2017 12:06 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MB

On this freewheeling episode, Cassi and Katherine get deep into the weeds to talk about body stuff - having one, dealing with expectations, saying no to bullsh*t, and of course, how strength can help you be more awesome in your physical existence. We hope this broad and sometimes rambling discussion can spark more conversations, with us, with others, and with yourself. LINKS: Our Bodies, Ourselves, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Bodies-Ourselves-Boston-Womens-Collective/dp/14391906...

003: The One Where We Talk About Ourselves

December 01, 2017 11:43 - 45 minutes - 20.7 MB

Cassi and Katherine dig deep into their personal histories and share their strength training beginnings. We talk about our athletic backgrounds, how we got into this crazy world of barbells, and why we decided to leave our careers to become coaches. We get real about our struggles with other sports and exercise methods, and wax poetic about the benefits of barbells. Katherine manages not to cry, and Cassi manages to talk about Harry Potter. The Hair Incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

002: Start Getting Strong

November 17, 2017 13:25 - 36 minutes - 16.9 MB

In our first full episode, Cassi and Katherine break down the steps you need to take to begin getting stronger using barbells. We talk about what strength actually means, how to choose a program, find a gym, and make gym friends (which is the most important step of all.) We’re throwing all the resources at you, so have a pencil handy, or check out the links below for our quick and dirty primer on how to begin YOUR strength journey. LINKS: Starting Strength Basic Barbell Training, 3rd Editi...

001: More Female Strength

November 10, 2017 05:00 - 6 minutes - 3.05 MB

Coming Soon! Starting Strength Coaches Katherine Bickford and Cassi Niemann offer candid conversations on strength and its culture for the more female lifter. Together these two women will discuss barbell training topics (how to start, what to do, why it's important, etc) with a healthy heaping of perspective, feelings, and humor. Episodes will launch soon so stay tuned and start getting strong!