Episode
What Colorado Springs Women Need to Know About Optimal Exercise and Recovery At Altitude
- Published
- Jul 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2146
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/7815f39e
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Summary
Only 6% of exercise science research is done exclusively on women, so most of the training advice you've been handed (looking at you, TikTok) was never built for your body. This week Carly sits down with Dr. Marissa Baranauskas, exercise physiologist at UCCS and lead investigator at the 6% Performance Lab, to fix that. Fair warning: this one's for the women. If you run, climb, ski, or grind the Incline year-round in Colorado Springs, this episode is packed with practical, do-it-at-home science on how your cycle, altitude, fueling, and hormones actually shape your training. (Guys, you can listen too, you'll just learn why she gets to skip the second hike.) In this episode: Why "general" training advice isn't female-specific, and what to do about it How your menstrual cycle phase can affect recovery, energy, and performance week to week The study showing women's recovery lagged a full day after hard intervals, and when to back off Why women desaturate at altitude (hello, 6,000+ ft) and how respiratory muscle training helps Losing your period is NOT a badge of honor: amenorrhea and the warning signs to catch early At-home hormone monitors (like Mira) and why drugstore ovulation sticks fail active women Low Energy Availability, explained (and how to spot underfueling without a lab) Perimenopause & menopause: why to prioritize intensity and strength training as you age Timestamps: 00:00 – Meet Dr. Marissa Baranauskas + why this episode is a little different 01:00 – The 6% problem: research isn't built for women 02:42 – How your cycle phase shapes workouts, energy & recovery 05:26 – The study: why women's recovery lagged after hard intervals 07:49 – Training at altitude: desaturation & smaller airways 11:00 – Respiratory muscle training strategies 12:32 – Losing…