5 Ways To Guarantee Running Feels Awful!
This is Dr. Jia and I used to be the “I hate cardio” guy, but over the past few years, I’ve actually started enjoying running. Why? Because it feels SO good when I’m done. If I’m feeling off, I know that 30-45 minutes of running will clear my head and flip my mood 180°. I get it now!
As a PT, I’ve helped hundreds of runners get out of pain, and even run faster at the same time. Over the years, I also saw some things most runners do that severely hurts them.
Here are 5 ways to GUARANTEE your runs are going to suck!
1️⃣ Consciously Trying to Change Your Form
Running should be automatic
If you’re overthinking every step—what your hips, knees, feet, and arms are doing—you’ll take yourself out of the zone and end up moving awkwardly.
Your running mechanics are controlled by your subconscious brain, and trying to micromanage them won’t help. There is a way to improve your running form, but it’s NOT through thinking about it.
2️⃣ Ignoring Strength Training
Most running injuries happen when your cardio fitness outpaces your movement mechanics.
That’s like throwing a Ferrari engine into a 1995 Honda Civic—eventually, something’s gonna break.
Spending just two days a week building functional strength (exercises that train multiple muscle groups together) will make your runs feel smoother, stronger, and more effortless. Which exercises to do? It depends on your weak point, but I'll show you some of my favorites later.
3️⃣ Avoiding Rotation Exercises
Want to know how running actually happens?
Through thousands of joints rotating in opposition to each other. Most of us sit at a desk all day where we don't rotate at all. Then suddenly decide to get up and start rotating 10,000x. Want some easy rotation exercises to do at your desk. Say less, because I got you!
4️⃣ Neglecting Foot Strength & Mobility
If I wanted to ruin your runs, the first thing I’d do is stiffen up your feet.
A stiff foot can’t absorb force from the ground. That means all that impact travels up into your knees, hips, and lower back. If you feel constant pounding when you run, there’s a good chance your feet aren’t doing their job. I guess that's why ultra chunky Hokas exist, right? (I said what I said)
A strong, mobile foot spreads out the impact evenly—which means less pain and better endurance.
5️⃣ Running Through Pain
Look, I get it—if you’re running a marathon, pushing through some discomfort might be unavoidable.
But if you’re just running for mental clarity and fitness, those runs shouldn’t hurt.
Pain is your body waving a red flag, telling you that something’s off. If you ignore it, that small issue can turn into a full-blown injury, the kind that actually forces you to stop running.
And trust me, taking a few weeks to fix the problem is way better than taking six months off completely.
So… How Do You Fix These Mistakes?
Like I said, I got you. If you made it this far, here’s your reward.
1️⃣ How to Change Your Running Form (Without Thinking About It)
Your body is already using the best running form it can. Your nervous system is wired to find the most efficient way to move. For example, if you fell on your hip really badly, you will walk with a limp, right? No matter how hard you try NOT to limp, you will fail or end up moving very awkwardly, which could make other body parts feel worse.
This means DO NOT CONSCIOUSLY TRY TO CHANGE IT!
So, if you want better running form? Focus on becoming more mobile and stronger OVERALL. Your form will adjust automatically. We have improved a lot of runner’s form just by focusing on building up their overall mechanics starting from their feet.
2️⃣ My Favorite Strength Exercises for Runners
Running is a full-body movement, which means your entire system needs to work together to transfer force smoothly. So, skip the isolated muscle exercises and do functional movements instead.
Here are two of my go-to exercises for runners:
✅ [Ragdoll Split Squat] – Teaches you to relax your back while your legs work overtime, plus improves muscle timing.
✅ [Pulsing Split Squat on Step] – Helps your quads and glutes coordinate, a must for efficient running.
3️⃣ Rotation is Everything
If you suck at rotating, your runs will suck. No way to sugarcoat it. But the good news? You can fix it.
Try these:
✅ [Seated Extension Rotation Mobility] – Ensures your mid-back can extend and rotate properly for smooth arm swings (prevents low back overload). Best part? You can do it at your desk!
✅ [Supine Cross Connect] – Trains your core and legs to rotate together, improving running efficiency. It looks like a mid stride doesn't it?
4️⃣ Make Sure Your Foot Can Arch & Flatten
If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I love talking foot mechanics.
🔹 A foot that can’t flatten is stiff and bad at absorbing impact.
🔹 A foot that can’t arch is weak and bad at generating force.
🔹 You can’t generate force if you can’t absorb it first.
It’s just PhyziX—I don’t make the rules, I just follow them. 😉
Try this: [Favorite Foot Exercise] (If you don’t have foot wedges, use socks!)
5️⃣ Don’t Run Through Pain (But I Know You Will Anyway)
Look, I know better than to tell a runner to stop running. You’re going to do it anyway.
So instead, our goal at PhyziX is to get you results as fast as humanly possible while still allowing you to run at some capacity while we fix the real issue. If this sounds like the right style of rehab for you, then book a call with someone on our team to find out if we can help with your specific issue.