22: Fascia, Hormones & Training with Laura Philipp

Today’s guest Laura Philipp is a world-class professional athlete who has won 16 Ironman 70.3 races, 3 Ironman races and boasts the fastest Ironman debut time of all time for any woman. Laura was even invited to and participated in the legendary Hawaii Ironman, placing fourth at her first participation. She also has a very special way of training: she bases her training around her menstrual cycle and female physiology.

In this episode, Laura talks with host Katja Bartsch about the benefits of having a natural menstrual cycle without hormonal interference as well as how she first got interested in menstrual cycle-based training and how she implemented certain changes to her lifestyle and training routines to maximize her performance. The two also discuss the ways that hormones fluctuate, how that can relate to training, and the effects of stress on the menstrual cycle.

Listen in as Laura opens up about the research she says is still missing on hormones and training, why she gets most of her injuries in the second half of her menstrual cycle, and how to see your cycle as a gift to work with.

“Many female athletes struggle with their cycle.” – Laura Philipp

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“Sports scientists did consider female hormones to be a confounding variable.” – Katja Bartsch

Show Notes:

• History of sports science and female physiology [4:05]
• The motivation behind menstrual cycle-based training [6:10]
• Tracking and understanding the menstrual cycle [11:01]
• Surprises with fasted training [12:41]
• Looking for environmental hormonal disruptors [13:56]
• Popularity of menstrual cycle-based training [16:14]
• Breaking down the phases of training around the menstrual cycle [23:14]
• Training considerations during the first phase of the menstrual cycle [24:41]
• Ovulation and its effects on fascia, balance and injury [27:28]
• Physical effects of the second half of the menstrual cycle [34:45]
• Nutrition in the second half of the menstrual cycle [39:03]
• Effects of stress on the menstrual cycle [42:27]
• Combatting stressors that affect the menstrual cycle [44:35]
• The future of training based on female physiology [52:55]

Links Mentioned:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Female Health Yoga Teacher Training
• Yoga for Athletes Teacher Training
• Fascia, Hormones & Training Resources Doc
• Connect with Laura Philipp:

YouTube | Instagram | Laura Philipp

“I just felt like I needed to share this with the world because I feel like we are so uneducated on this topic.” – Laura Philipp