Muscle Science for Women

In this solo episode, Ashleigh weighs in on whether or not weighted vests are worth it; she talks about starting a CrossFit support group for folks trying to leave, and answers a question from the podcasts #5 male listener about supporting your partner through tough times.  We hope you find this episode helpful; if you do, please rate/review/subscribe and share it with someone who could benefit! I...

This week is a mixed bag of listener questions: Rachel and Ashleigh discuss ideas about wellness retreats or traveling events; they answer a question from a listener who thinks they're "skinny fat", they talk about what "consistency" really looks like and how to get there, and how we can all learn to work smarter rather than harder on our fitness goals.  We hope you find this episode helpful; if y...

In this episode the ladies talk about "maintenance," - what does it mean, how do you get to maintenance, how do you stay there, how long do you stay there, why is maintenance a good thing and when is it hindering your goals? Why is it so hard to get to and stay there? How do you know if you're really eating for maintenance? If you've been wondering about a maintenance plan, or are thinking you wan...

In this vulnerable episode, Rachel and Ashleigh talk about the intersection of grief and health - it's a topic that we'll all deal with at some point, but isn't often discussed. Behavioural and lifestyle changes can dramatically impact our health in times of acute grief, which can exacerbate the pain we're already feeling. In this episode, the women share personal stories and go over some of the w...

This episode is a deep dive into pelvic health, an incredibly important aspect of overall health, function, and quality of life for women that many of us don't know enough about (and aren't taught). In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel cover: The basic anatomy and function of the pelvic floor The most common pelvic floor issues, from pain to prolapse to incontinence and more Risk factors for pelvi...

This week is another episode of the Healthy Aging Series, and this time Ashleigh and Beth are diving into motherhood, a deeply personal and lifechanging event. They discuss the ways motherhood changed them (and the ways they have stayed the same), the experience of being "older" mothers, the balance of caring for children and aging parents, managing your kids' hormonal shifts at the same time as t...

In this episode, Ashleigh answers listener questions about: -how to work around "limiting factors" like grip strength and weaker muscles when trying to challenge the lower body -can you heal and "tighten" fascia in your stomach and get rid of "mommy pooch" after multiple pregnancies -how to avoid being "skinny fat" when you're looking to lose fat and change body composition -advice for people look...

In this vulnerable episode, Ashleigh shares her pregnancy and birth story from the recent birth of her daughter. She covers topics including: Her symptoms and overall experience during pregnancy, and how it differed from her first How she managed severe pubic symphysis pain, and her experience with pelvic floor physiotherapy All the details of her unmedicated water birth and the immediate postpart...

In this exclusive sneak peek, Ashleigh shares the first full episode of a new series on Healthy Aging she has developed with friend, Carnivore-ish co-author, wellness writer, and chef Beth Lipton. Over the course of seven episodes they dive deep on topics like beauty, motherhood and pregnancy, relationships, nutrition, mental health, and more, all through the lens of healthy aging for women: what...

In this episode Ashleigh talks about a reel of hers that went viral; shows the ladies are binging; advice for a teenager just starting her muscle-building journey; how much organ meat you should be eating to get the benefits; and if it's "normal" to have some net weight gain after a cycle of bulking and cutting. See timestamps added below. Don't forget, we offer program discounts to first responde...

In this week's episode Ashleigh and Rachel answer questions from listeners about: How to best train for symmetry, regarding both strength and esthetics: how do you minimize asymetry and strengthen weak muscles/limbs? Are kettlebells a good tool for strength and hypertrophy? If yes, what exercises do they recommend and if no, why not? Answer questions about progress when training naturally, or drug...

Today is the 100th episode of Muscle Science for Women! We've had a blast learning and sharing our knowledge with each other, and with our listeners, and we appreciate each and every one of you who tune in and spend time with us. On our 100th episode milestone, we're asking you to help us make it to 200 episodes: please, take five minutes today to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast on what...

While we wait for Ashleigh to recover from her second birth, we decided to re-release an episode from before the rebranding of the podcast. Back in 2021, when the podcast was called Muscle Maven Radio, Ashleigh did a long deep dive about her pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience with her son Magnus. If you're pregnant, looking to become pregnant, know someone going through this, or simply lo...

In this episode, Ashleigh and Rachel answer questions about fasted cardio and their thoughts on male coaches who focus on female clients looking to grow their glutes (there are a lot of them!)  Is there evidence that fasted cardio first thing in the morning burns more fat than fed cardio? What's the balance with cardio that optimizes fat loss without adding negatively to your overall stress load,...

Today is another re-release of a popular episode from a while back you may have missed: in this one, Ashleigh and Rachel discuss the nuances between training for strength and training for muscle growth (hypertrophy). These goals can be achieved together, but don't necessarily have to; you can get bigger without getting much stronger, and you can get stronger without your muscles getting much bigge...

Today is a re-release of a popular episode you may have missed with Rachel and Ashleigh all about the idea of "intuitive eating" - what does that term mean, exactly? Is it possible to eat intuitively in a food landscape where hyper-palatable, low-nutrient food is so easily available? How can you listen to your body and still achieve body composition goals? All that and more in today's episode. Sen...

Today the ladies answer questions around the optimal time to work out, how to make the best of a poor workout schedule, and they provide a lot of actionable tips on how to approach binge eating at night and consistent sugar cravings.  That and more - make sure you're subscribed, leave a rating or review, and sign up for notifications so you know when a new episode is available! Send your feedback,...

Today Ashleigh and Rachel talk about the "anabolic window" - what it is, how important is it really, and how you can optimally fuel before and after your workouts to maximize your recovery and your gains. They also dive into the fraught and touchy subject of dieting for a wedding - how to do it safely and healthily, and when is it "too much"? That and more - make sure you're subscribed, leave a ra...

In this episode Rachel and Ashleigh answer a listener question about how they met, and they reminisce about their "origin story" and talk about how they work now as cross-continental business partners. They also dive into some brand new goals they have for themselves for 2025 and how they plan to accomplish those goals, and how listeners can better communicate their goals to their coaches in order...

In this important episode, Rachel and Ashleigh walk listeners through how they can have the "menopause" conversation with their doctor: the information you should have and bring to them, including symptoms and family history (and how to track said symptoms); and why it's important to have more specific goals to discuss than simply "I want to feel better." The ladies also chat about how to find a p...

In this episode, Rachel talks about a camping adventure; the two ladies discuss whether or not there are "ideal rep ranges" for building strength and muscle; they dive into one listener's question about how to train for a marathon without impacting fertility; and, because you can never understand your body TOO well, they talk again about training around your period: should you train differently at...

In the final episode of 2024, Rachel and Ashleigh answer a question about weight loss from a male listener, highlighting some of the differences and similarities men and women face in their struggles to change body composition. The women discuss the accuracy of various body-fat measurement tools, and they also dive into a slightly different take on the age-old question, "how can I train for endura...

Today Ashleigh asks an expert all the questions about red light therapy: Having dealt with health challenges in childhood and early adulthood, Scott Chaverri has always been passionate about all things health and wellness. After earning a BA in Psychology from Cornell University and a MBA in Finance from the Simon School of Business, Scott worked for several Fortune 500 companies, in the business...

Proper gym etiquette (ie, manners and common sense) is so important, but often overlooked - Rachel and Ashleigh get fired up over some of the most egregious issues we see in the gym. They also talk about Mukbang videos (what are they? Why do people like them? What are the health implications)? We talk about whether it's possible (or healthy) to get multiple days' worth of calories in a single meal...

In this solo episode, Ashleigh updates you as she hits the halfway mark of her second pregnancy, including what's different or the same this time around, what's easier and what's more difficult, and anything that's surprised her along the way. She shares info on her supplement routine as well as how she's working out and eating, and her birth plans. She also answers pregnancy questions from listen...