Mindful Muscle: Kettlebell Training as the New Frontier in Moving Meditation

04/15/25 • 57 min

In this inspiring episode, Sheree sits down with Jessica DiBiase — master performance coach, kettlebell champion, and founder of Jessica DiBiase Fitness — to explore the intersection of strength, breath, and holistic wellness. Jessica shares her journey from competitive gymnastics to becoming the first American female Master of Sport in long cycle kettlebell lifting. They discuss the physical and mental benefits of kettlebell sport, the meditative power of breathwork, and how movement shapes identity and emotional well-being.

Jessica also shares the entrepreneurial story behind KettleGuard, the leading wrist protection gear for kettlebell athletes, and her approach to making strength training accessible through her Kettlebells & Core program. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, this episode will inspire you to rethink strength, movement, and inner resilience.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to Jessica DiBiase
01:45 – Jessica's early journey in movement and sport
06:35 – How gymnastics and triathlons shaped her foundation
09:42 – Discovering kettlebells and building a women-led sport team
13:58 – What is kettlebell sport? How it differs from hardstyle
17:40 – Breathwork and the meditative power of kettlebell lifting
22:04 – Reframing movement as empowerment
26:15 – Why kettlebell sport is accessible to all ages
30:05 – Core strength, the nervous system, and postpartum recovery
36:10 – Entrepreneurial story: Creating KettleGuard
42:33 – Tools & gear to get started with kettlebells
47:50 – How the mind-body connection fuels transformation
50:40 – Closing reflections on building strength from the inside out

Key Takeaways:

Movement as identity: Jessica’s love for health and wellness began in childhood and became a way of life rooted in family values and athletics.
Kettlebell sport vs. hardstyle: Learn the key differences in technique, breathwork, and purpose — and why kettlebell sport is more than lifting; it's a rhythmic, meditative practice.
Breath is everything: Jessica emphasizes how breathwork calms the nervous system, improves core stability, and reconnects the diaphragm and pelvic floor — essential for postpartum and perimenopausal health.
KettleGuard origin story: See how Jessica turned a personal need into a widely used training product in the kettlebell world.
Accessibility in fitness: Through her online program Kettlebells & Core, Jessica helps beginners enter the world of strength training with confidence and clarity.

Resources & Mentions:

https://instagram.com/jessicadbsfitness
https://www.kettleguard.com/
Book Mentioned: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Referenced Expert: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on Muscle-Centric Medicine

Notable Quotes:

"The fastest mood stabilizer we have isn’t a drug — it’s movement." – Jessica DiBiase
"Breath is your body's way of reconnecting to itself." – Sheree
"You don’t have to wait to be perfect. You just have to start where you are." – Jessica

Timestamps:

Key Takeaways:

Movement as identity: Jessica’s love for health and wellness began in childhood and became a way of life rooted in family values and athletics.
Kettlebell sport vs. hardstyle: Learn the key differences in technique, breathwork, and purpose — and why kettlebell sport is more than lifting; it's a rhythmic, meditative practice.
Breath is everything: Jessica emphasizes how breathwork calms the nervous system, improves core stability, and reconnects the diaphragm and pelvic floor — essential for postpartum and perimenopausal health.
KettleGuard origin story: See how Jessica turned a personal need into a widely used training product in the kettlebell world.
Accessibility in fitness: Through her online program Kettlebells & Core, Jessica helps beginners enter the world of strength training with confidence and clarity.

Resources & Mentions:

https://instagram.com/jessicadbsfitness
https://www.kettleguard.com/
Book Mentioned: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Referenced Expert: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on Muscle-Centric Medicine

Notable Quotes:

Previous Episode

From Taboo to Treatment: How 400 Proteins in Menstrual Blood May Be the Future of Preventative Care

In this episode, Dr. Sara Naseri, CEO and co-founder of Qvin, shares the powerful origin story behind the Q-Pad — a revolutionary menstrual health technology transforming the way women monitor their health.

Qvin is pioneering the use of menstrual blood to provide clinically relevant, accessible diagnostics for conditions like diabetes, thyroid imbalance, fertility challenges, and even cervical cancer. Dr. Naseri discusses her 10-year journey from med school to FDA clearance, the data gap in women's health, and how menstrual blood — long stigmatized and overlooked — holds incredible untapped potential for global healthcare impact.

From redefining preventative care to making diagnostics available at home, this conversation is a deep dive into innovation, accessibility, and the future of femtech.

Timestamps & Sections:

(00:00) - Introduction & Background
Dr. Sara Nasseri, CEO and Co-Founder of Qvin, introduces the company and its mission to empower women's health through the Q-Pad—a revolutionary diagnostic menstrual pad.

(01:00) - Origin of the Idea
Sara shares how the concept of using menstrual blood for diagnostics was born during medical school and the long journey that followed.

(04:00) - Diagnostic Utility of Menstrual Blood
Discussion of early research, the lack of existing data on menstrual blood, and Qvin’s role in pioneering this new area of science.

(07:00) - The Q-Pad's Functionality & Empowerment
How the Q-Pad works, and why accessibility, affordability, and user empowerment are core to its design.

(09:00) - Clinical Applications & FDA Clearance
Details on the Q-Pad’s FDA clearance for hemoglobin A1c monitoring and its ability to support chronic condition management like diabetes.

(13:00) - Expanding Use Cases: Cervical Cancer & Beyond
Exploration of new biomarkers and the potential for non-invasive cervical cancer screening through the Q-Pad.

(17:00) - Tracking Fertility, Thyroid, and Inflammation
Future plans to roll out clinical-grade insights into fertility windows, hormone levels, inflammation, and perimenopause—based on strong patient demand.

(22:00) - App Integration & Doctor Collaboration
How the app provides users with insights, tracks health trends over time, and creates doctor-ready lab reports for easy sharing.

(30:00) - Mission, Team & Global Impact
Sara talks about the Qvin team’s resilience, the mission to close the gender data gap, and their vision of transforming women’s health globally.

Key Points:

• The Q-Pad enables women to collect menstrual blood at home for lab testing
• FDA-cleared for Hemoglobin A1C, offering diabetes insights (Type 1 & Type 2)
• Cervical cancer detection using menstrual blood could be a game-changer
• Clinically validated biomarkers include fertility hormones, thyroid, inflammation, cholesterol, and vitamins
• App integration allows women to track biomarkers and easily share lab reports with doctors
• Built for convenience: wear like a normal pad, mail sample with prepaid return, results in one week
• Accessible pricing matches average U.S. co-pays and is HSA-approved
• 400+ unique proteins in menstrual blood — a largely untapped diagnostic resource
• Global potential: useful in areas without regular access to doctors or labs

Notable Quotes:

“Menstrual blood is the most overlooked opportunity in women’s health.” – Dr. Sara Naseri
“We’ve been throwing away something that could save lives.”
“No woman today should die of cervical cancer — we have the tools, we just need access.”
“Be active in designing the future we want.”

Next Episode

Normalizing the Unspoken: Addressing Incontinence, Constipation & Sexual Dysfunction in Women's Health

In this episode, I welcome pelvic health pioneer Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, DPT, author and international speaker, to discuss her four-decade journey in physical therapy and nearly 30 years specializing in pelvic health. Ingrid shares how the field has evolved—from obscurity in the U.S. to structured residency programs—while underscoring the critical need for early education, interdisciplinary teamwork, and advocacy. She reveals the inspiration behind her book A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms, outlines practical strategies for mentorship and collaboration across healthcare disciplines, and calls listeners to champion pelvic health as a public health priority throughout women’s lifespan.

Guest Bio
Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, DPT

Background:

40 years as a physical therapist; 28+ years in pelvic health
Co-Director & Mentor, Women’s Health PT Residency Program, Duke University
Course Development Director, International Women’s Health Courses
Author of A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms
International speaker, educator, and illustrator
Areas of Expertise: Pelvic floor rehabilitation, orthopedic integration, interdisciplinary care, women’s health through life stages

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 – 05:00 | Origins of Pelvic Health PT
Ingrid recounts the early 1990s landscape—scarce training in the U.S., skepticism from physicians, and her orthopedic foundation that shaped today’s best practices.

05:00 – 12:00 | Building Residency & Education
How Duke launched one of the first pelvic PT residencies, the slow but steady growth of programs, and the power of “book clubs” and clinical mentoring to integrate pelvic health into standard curricula.

12:00 – 20:00 | Mentorship Beyond the Discipline
Strategies for new grads: start generalist, shadow diverse providers (OB-GYN, urogynecology, cardiopulmonary PT, even acupuncturists and sex therapists) to build confidence and referrals.

20:00 – 30:00 | Writing A Musculoskeletal Mystery
The pandemic-sparked book project: filling the education gap for patients and practitioners, demystifying pelvic floor anatomy, evaluations, treatments, and including a self-help toolkit.

30:00 – 40:00 | The Continuum of Life & Menopause Care
Reframing women’s health as a lifelong continuum—pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause—and the alarming statistics: 50% of life spent in menopause transition, rising cardiovascular risks, and the need for strength training over cardio.

40:00 – 50:00 | Interdisciplinary Teamwork & Advocacy
“Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork”: integrating PTs with physicians, nurses, nutritionists, mental health professionals, and corporate stakeholders. How education fuels advocacy—from clinic in-services to writing senators for research funding.

Major Takeaways

Education Is Foundation: Early exposure in PT, medical, and nursing curricula prevents decades of untreated symptoms.
Mentorship Matters: Seek out and sustain relationships with both pelvic PT and cross-specialty mentors to refine skills and referrals.
Interdisciplinary Care: Pelvic health thrives when PTs collaborate with OB-GYNs, urogynecologists, acupuncturists, PAs, and beyond—breaking silos boosts patient outcomes.
Lifelong Lens: Women spend a large portion of life in menopause transition—with implications for bone, cardiovascular, and pelvic health; prevention through strength training and pelvic floor awareness is key.
Advocacy Amplifies Impact: Armed with education, practitioners and patients can lobby for research funding, insurance coverage, and workplace policies that support pelvic health.

Resources & Guest Links

Ingrid Harm-Ernandes on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-harm-ernandes-5057773b/
Book: A Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to Solve Your Pelvic Floor Symptoms
Duke University Women’s Health PT Residency Program (search DukePT.edu for details)