EP 179: The Most Effective Strength Training and Cardio For Women, & Training Through Menstrual Cycles w/ Dr. Alyssa Olenick

It was great to have Alyssa on the podcast after having her come out to Seattle and do a workshop with myself and Joel on all things cardio. She’s a wealth of knowledge, a training geek like myself, and also an athlete that has achieved some serious goals both in strength training and endurance running.  Dr Alyssa Olenick holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology is a certified sports nutritionist and Crossfit Level 2 Trainer. Alyssa completed her doctoral training in exercise and human metabolism, sex differences and menstrual cycle physiology. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow researching the areas of menopause and metabolism. As a coach she specializes in the areas endurance, strength and hybrid training. She runs her online business “Doc Lyss Fitness” and is a strength athlete, ultra-marathon runner, and all-around fitness lover who is passionate about educating people on science-based fitness to get them into the gyms and on the roads/trails — or often, doing both at the same time!  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: => The biggest misconceptions when it comes to training for women, both strength and cardio.  => Why social media advice can stall results for many women, what to pay attention to. => The reason lifting heavy weights is so important for women and what does “heavy” really mean.  => The 3 most important factors for women when it comes to getting results, and taking care of your health.  => Why “high rep, low weight” lifting many women do is not the best use of time and energy. => The mistakes beginners make in training, the mistakes intermediate and advanced people make in training (that stops results). => The science of why its critical for women to do power and plyometric movements.  => Understanding sex differences in training: tailoring workouts for women.  => What does intelligent cardio training look like for women, how to balance intensity and volume.  => Zone 2 vs High-Intensity-Training: what’s best for women, and how much of it? => Why moderate training at high volumes is what’s stopping your results (and it’s what many women do).  => The myth and TRUTH about women, hormones and strength.  => What changes should you make with strength training and cardio when it comes to menopause.   => The language and communication of coaching when it comes to deciphering misconceptions in women’s training.  => The physiology of the menstrual cycle and how it affects energy, performance, and training. => Organizing strength training, cardio, and nutrition around the menstrual cycle. => Mastering the basics before worrying about “optimizing.” => What is “cycle syncing” and what happens through your cycle with respect to exercise. => Why taking time off training in a menstrual cycle may not be the best idea.  =>  Our thoughts on the commodification of women’s menstrual cycles and how this particular trend might be causing women to move less.  LINKS & RESOURCES: Dr Alyssa Olenick website   https://doclyssfitness.com/ Dr Alyssa Olenick YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/c/LittleLyssFitness?app=desktop Dr Alyssa Olenick Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-messy-middle-podcast/id1528851577 Luka’s Courses and Workshops  www.LukaHocevar.com Luka Hocevar YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ29YcBh-g6onRujX3wD_XA?view_as=subscriber