Womens Health USA – Fall 2025

Summary

A'ja Wilson and Dawn Staley share the cover of Women's Health USA Fall 2025 — "Icons of Coaching" — with 6 trailblazing leaders on grit, resilience and the future of women's sports. The 96-page "Strength Starts Here" issue includes Emma Hayes, Erin Matson, Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Autumn Lockwood and Rebecca Lobo alongside the two cover stars. The cover line "The Secret To Greatness" sets the coaching theme, while inside features examine "Why New Moms Are Turning to Shrooms" (p.76), "The Remarkable Rise of the Everyday Athlete" (p.82) and "Cheese: The Health Era" (p.90).

The strongest editorial is the cover story package (p.57), collecting coaching philosophies from six leaders who are reshaping women's sports infrastructure. "How to Work Out Like a Woman" (p.14) features a pull quote from Lauren Colenso-Semple, PhD: "The main factor that determines how your muscles grow isn't whether you're male or female — it's the way you train." The "Flip the Workout Script" opener (p.9) launches Strong Start. WH Skincare Awards (p.23) test 64 products. The advisory board covers 16 specialties. Advertorial content includes Somnee Smart Sleep Headband and TheraTears.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story: Icons of Coaching

p.57 · Icons of Coaching — 6 Trailblazing Leaders
Dawn Staley, A'ja Wilson, Emma Hayes, Erin Matson, Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Autumn Lockwood and Rebecca Lobo share their coaching philosophies. Each leader lists one non-negotiable team rule. Implement one in your own team or workplace: "no phones in meetings" is the most common.

▸ Sports Science & Fitness

p.14 · How to Work Out Like a Woman
Lauren Colenso-Semple, PhD, explains that training stimulus, not sex, determines muscle growth. She recommends women train to failure more often than they think necessary. Try adding one "to-failure" set at the end of each exercise for 4 weeks.

p.9 · Strong Start — Flip the Workout Script
Challenges the "no pain, no gain" narrative with evidence that lower-intensity, higher-frequency training produces better long-term adherence. The article includes a 4-week "flipped" programme. Reduce your weights by 20% and increase your weekly sessions from 3 to 5 for one month.

▸ Health & Science

p.76 · Why New Moms Are Turning to Shrooms
Reports on a groundbreaking study using psilocybin-assisted therapy for postpartum depression. The study involved 30 women and showed a 70% reduction in depression scores at 6 weeks. Discuss the findings with your psychiatrist if you are experiencing postpartum symptoms.

p.82 · The Remarkable Rise of the Everyday Athlete
Documents how post-pandemic fitness culture has shifted from elite performance to everyday movement. The article profiles 4 women who started running, lifting or swimming after 40. Join a local "everyday athlete" club or start with 10-minute daily movement windows.

▸ Nutrition

p.90 · Cheese: The Health Era
Once aligned with junk food, cheese is now in its superfood comeback stage — "exacting its revenge of the curds." The article profiles fermented cheeses high in probiotics and lists the best options for gut health. Add a serving of raw, unpasteurised cheese to your weekly diet for probiotic variety.

▸ Beauty & Skincare

p.23 · Skin for the Win — WH Skincare Awards
64 products tested across categories including cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens and serums. Category winners are listed with prices and tester quotes. Use the list to replace your expired products.

▸ Coaching Wisdom

p.4 · Editor's Letter
Introduces the coaching theme, arguing that the sports industry is becoming "more sophisticated, more inclusive, and frankly, more interesting" because of women leaders. Read it for context on why coaching matters beyond sports.

▸ Supplements & Tech

Somnee Smart Sleep Headband (advertorial)
Neuroscience-based sleep device that claims to help users fall asleep 2x faster. Features include EEG sleep tracking, personalised neurostimulation and no phone required. 45-day risk-free trial available. Worth considering if you have tried CBT-I without results.

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Editor's Take

The coaching package (p.57) delivers rare insight from leaders who rarely sit for interviews — Dawn Staley and Emma Hayes alone are worth the price. The postpartum depression research (p.76) is genuinely newsworthy. But the cheese feature (p.90), while entertaining, takes 6 pages to say cheese is good for you. The skincare awards section reads like a shopping supplement. This issue is ideal for women in coaching, sports management or anyone who wants leadership lessons translated from the court to the office. The everyday athlete piece (p.82) makes it relevant for re-starters too.

Strengths
• Dawn Staley and Emma Hayes coaching philosophies
• Psilocybin postpartum depression research data
• "Flip the Workout Script" adherence-based programme

Weaknesses
• Cheese feature overstretched at 6 pages
• Skincare awards feels like paid placement

Verdict: Recommended — The coaching feature package is a collectible for women's sports fans.