BB5 Episode 7: Joanne Lam

Please note that this podcast and the advice given are meant for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.

Host Mary Kimball first met Joanne Lam during QuidCon in 2021, a virtual event that US Quadball and Major League Quadball hosted during one of the waves of COVID lockdowns. She led a great home workout session. She started following Joanne online, and came to really admire her approach to training, especially foundational exercises that prepare the body for movements commonly found in a sport like quadball.

In the interview, we discuss what kind of fitness and health care professionals can help athletes with training and injury recovery and how best to use them, how to approach training as we age, the impact of hormones and menstruation on athletic performance (and vice versa in some cases!), how to track workouts more effectively, and more.

Before we get to links, a quick note about language. We used the phrase people with uteruses to refer to the health concerns that people with uteruses and menstrual cycles face. In the future, we might shift to different language, like women and people with cycles. If you have any feedback on this, please email mary@beyondthebig5.com. Our goal is always to lead with inclusion, balancing accuracy with concision wherever possible.

Here’s how to learn more about Joanne’s services and to get in touch:

• @JoanneLamFitness on Instagram

• @TheQuadballCoach on Instagram, for exercises/tips just about training for this sport

• The Quadball Coach website

• Joanne’s LinkTree website

• Joanne’s YouTube channel

Other show notes:

• Toronto City News article from 2010 about quidditch, featuring Allison Gillette, who got Joanne into the sport in the first place

• Essay from Allison Gillette on competing with the US National Team in 2012

• Essay from Joanne on becoming a personal trainer (not referenced but it’s worth a read!)

• Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport from October 2022

• Feisty Media, a women’s owned sports media company that has great features on training, especially for athletes with uteruses

• Dr. Stacy Sims, an expert on impacts of menopause on athletic performance and other training particulars for athletes with uteruses

• Side note - Dr. Sims is really focused on science and research for athletes with uteruses and female health. She doesn’t often speak about trans athletes, and the full picture of her views there are a little unclear. Here at BB5, we believe that it’s important for sports to lead with inclusion, and that trans athletes should play in sports according to their gender. Dr. Sims just did an interview with the podcast Female Athlete Nutrition where she spoke on trans athletes in sports. You can listen to it here. She talks about the need for more research in this area and her views on a new, open division idea seen in some leagues in the UK that separates athletes from a women’s division and is maybe separate or combined with men’s. She also talked about the importance of inclusion in sports overall.

Host/editor/producer: Mary Kimball

Theme music: Jeff McBride

Episode cover photo: Eric Lynch