Q: How did you get introduced to Oura?
A: “I got introduced to the Oura Ring a few months ago. I was actually at a tournament, and I work with a hormone specialist, and we were talking about some things that I was feeling both on and off the court. She recommended that I try the Oura Ring because of its women’s health benefits. So, I started using it. I loved all of the information and the feedback it gave me. And I also loved how easy it was to keep on all the time, even while I played my sport. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
Q: What is one of the key metrics you follow with your Oura Ring?
A: “Heart rate is one of the biggest things for me. You know, when I switched to beach volleyball, the cardio side was the part that I struggled with the most. I always found myself super out of breath, and I didn’t understand it. I was training twice a day. I was lifting, I was doing extra cardio. Why was I still struggling so much? Why was I so gassed? I started wearing a heart rate monitor, and I realized that my heart rate was spiking to about 185 during the match. And I was spending like 30 minutes in a 175 to 185 range, which is not ideal. So, I worked with a trainer who prescribed a certain type of cardio to work on lowering my max heart rate. I know I’m getting into the details, but, to summarize, I just love to be in tune with my body. I love to understand why I feel the way that I do and how I can correct it. So, my Oura Ring gives me so much more information about my resting heart rate and way more. I love the Sleep Score and Readiness Score, and knowing if I’m ready to go or not. It just helps me feel really connected to my body.”
Q: How do you go about your recovery?
A: “I look at recovery from a holistic standpoint. It’s not just volleyball. It’s about how I’m doing overall, how I feel on and off the court. There’s so many different pieces of information that I use. And, you know, being recovered is so important because it allows me to be my best day in and day out. And when I’m competing, I want to know that I’m ready to go. My Oura Ring lets me know when I’m ready and it lets me know when I should take time to rest some more.”
Q: How has your experience been with your Oura Ring in relation to women’s health?
A: “Being a woman, using my Oura Ring has really unlocked a new level of understanding. There’s a lot of tools that help me kind of reach my optimal health. But, I’ve really dove into women’s health. I’ve started to understand that at different parts of our cycle, we should be training at different intensities, and we need more recovery at certain parts of our cycle. So, this really allows me to track that. Whether it’s my internal body temperature, my resting heart rate, or my sleep, for women, we don’t need the same thing every day of the month. We need different insights at different parts of the month. And that’s something that I think not a lot of people know about, but to be able to track those things with my Oura Ring is huge. I’m so passionate about figuring out how I can be healthiest and how I can be my best self. Women’s health is only becoming more and more prominent. We’re finding out so much more new information. And I think the Oura Ring is right there with it.”
Q: Any last tips or words?
A: “You know I’m super intense and really competitive. That can be really draining. Physical and emotional recovery is key. I’m always looking for ways to take my mind off of volleyball, to recover mentally and emotionally. It starts with just finding balance. Do other things you’re passionate about. For me, it’s cooking, photography, or travel-related stuff. Those are things that I enjoy a lot, so I make time. Even if I’ve had the longest day, and I’ve had the hardest practice, cooking is rejuvenating. It’s a creative outlet. I get to cook with my fiance, turn on some music, and have a glass of wine. Things like this will really fill up my cup so, when I go to practice the next day, I feel excited to be back on the court.
Balance. I’m not one of those people that can live, breathe, and think about volleyball 24 hours a day. I’ve tried it that way. Having balance in my life and having other outlets really bring out the best in me.”