In this episode, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio offers up a complete checklist to keep you running injury-free. So get out your pen, paper, phone, computer and take notes!

If you want to know more about recovering from an injury this Free Webinar, Presented By Jessica Marie Rose Leggio, is exactly what you're looking for! You can check it out here: https://www.RunPainFreeNow.com/Free-Training

1:30 – Never miss foam rolling and sport-specific prep work

3:20 – Only do sport-specific training

4:22 – Cross-train

9:36­ – Stay in constant contact with your coach

11:32 –Get a qualified coach

13:34 – Be completely honest with your coach

18:17 – Honor any pain

19:21 – Do all of the above

23:25 – Take away lesson

25:43 – Bonus tip!

·     Foam rolling and conditioning work is a prerequisite before a run

·     Cross-train with activities that build endurance and your aerobic base

·     Get a qualified coach that is specialized in injury correction for runners

·     Listen to your body. Every ache and niggle is feedback for something to be addressed in your conditioning work

Want more? Bottom line: if you want to discover How To Run Pain Free and Recover From A Run Injury Without Having To Stop Running (Even If You Have No Clue Where To Start!), then check this out now! https://www.RunPainFreeNow.com/Free-Training

In today's episode, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio offers up pearls of wisdom for any runner who suffers from sprained ankles. She explains why ankles roll and why looking at your feet isn't the answer. 

Sprained ankles are a common problem for runners. Yet, most runners don't know that the underlying cause has nothing to do with your ankles. The primary reason relates to your hips. This reasoning is because your ankles and your hips are synonymous in terms of movement. If your hips are out, so too are your feet. 

"Pain is never where it is coming from. It is the result of dysfunction; the root cause is somewhere else.

The good news is that this injury is easy to fix with the right conditioning work. However, the bad news is most runners don't do this. Instead, the most common response is to go to a running store and get fitted with a stability sneaker.

Newsflash! In "stability" sneakers, your ankles are still wonky, and your hips are still unstable. 

In "stability" sneakers, none of the underlying causes for your wobbly ankles have been addressed. The condition a dysfunctional movement. Despite the advertising, a stability sneaker will never support you, and your ankles will never learn to stabilize themselves.  

The real problem is your hips. Hip dysfunction disallows ankle flexion and extension. Often runners are sold inserts to solve a pronation problem. 

"A stability shoe with an insert is the biggest, most expensive band-aid you are going to put on your foot. They cause injury."

 If you run with hip dysfunction, you will condition muscles around that dysfunction. Consequently, you will develop muscles that support the conditioning of a dysfunctional movement. 

To address this, you need to correct how the muscles are firing to support your hip joint. This action doesn't happen overnight, but by guiding the hip through training, you can condition a functional movement. 

The short answer is there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Fitness is not general; it is person-specific. However, if your ankles are rolling, it is a clear indicator your hips are in dysfunction. Still, it originates from precisely what needs to be identified by a professional to be treated. 

Start taking notes after each run; The good, the bad, and the ugly. When you feel a twinge, write it down. If you smashed a run and feel great, write it down. Include the specific details. Was it hilly, flat, long, or fast? These details will start to indicate what is going on with your body.

#RunPainFree hot tip (yet again): Start foam rolling today. No, not your ankles, your hips! 

While flat terrain may be more comfortable for the heart and lungs, it is much harder on your body than hills. Your hips are cooking the entire time on a flat course because you are always in knee drive. The terrain doesn't require you to open up your stride and ignite your glutes as a hill does. It would be best if you had your glutes to fire to relax your hips. 

"As soon as the hip flexors engage, they release your glutes. When this natural exchange isn't happening, you tank."

Conversely, hills make everything fire like a well-oiled machine. They open up your gait up and ignite your glutes. They extend your hamstrings and force you to use core torque. In essence, you move as you are naturally meant to as you run up a hill. 

When you condition for a range of motion, you prepare to withstand a role or a sprain. That is what correction is about. It allows you to build muscle that supports a specific range of motion, so your muscles don't strain, tear or rip.

This explanation is why it is common for runners to roll their ankles because no one is conditioning their ankles or hips.

To be a long-distance runner, first and foremost, you need to condition for athletic endurance. If you don't have the endurance for conditioning, you don't have the endurance for long-distance running. Sorry, that that's the truth. 

#RunPainFree knows you can enjoy running; you can run pain-free, you can run whatever you want when you want. But the caveat is, you need to condition for it. 

If you want to learn more about conditioning your hips and ankles for long-distance running, head to #RunPainFreeNow for a free consultation. 

1:00 – Why ankles role

13:00 – How to stop your ankles rolling

15:29 – Running terrain and its impact on your hips

27:00 – Take home lesson

·     Rolling ankles are the result of a dysfunction at the hips

·     Stability sneakers disallow the conditioning of your ankle because it restricts your ankle's range of motion

·     Start conditioning your hips with mobility and stability exercises, such as bridges and donkey kicks

·     Alleviate the stress on your hips by running hills to activate your glutes

Get an Assessment With Jessica: https://www.runpainfreenow.com

Resources & Programs To Run Injury-Free: https://www.runpainfreeacademy.com

In today’s episode, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio discusses common cross-training mistakes made by runners. She lists her top three cross-training sports to avoid and offers advice on the type of activities that will keep you running injury-free. 

CrossFit may be popular, but just because Instagram is flooded with CrossFit images doesn’t mean it’s a good cross-training option for runners. Why? Because the injury rates for CrossFit are off the chart! You already know 80% percent of non #RunPainFree runners are injured every year. Combining the two is like trying to put out a house fire with petrol! 

The crux of why CrossFit creates so many injuries is due to athletes having poor form. The timed nature of the workouts leads athletes to trade proper form to beat the clock. Not only does it cause injuries like torn ligaments and popped shoulders, but it can also cause internal organ damage due to the stress of the high-intensity workout. 

“When you are lifting weights or just your bodyweight, proper form is crucial for staying injury-free.”

Injuries aside, the reason why CrossFit doesn’t help runners is it’s not sport-specific. It is High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), not an endurance workout. This exercise discipline means training your anaerobic system, whereas long-distance running requires you to develop your aerobic system and muscle endurance.

The #RunPainFree verdict: Don’t touch CrossFit with an 8-foot pole. 

Alternative option: You can still take selfies and flash your abs online; trade #CrossFit for #RunPainFree instead. 

Don’t let the zen vibes fool you; yoga can be hazardous for runners. Runners often think they need to stretch their body as it gets banged-up and tight from pounding the pavement. But take note, the last thing you need to be doing is stretching. 

“The danger of yoga for runners is that it forces you to disengage muscles that actually need engagement.”

The more vigorous the workout is, the more likely it will lead to injury. Bikram yoga is particularly injury-prone. The illusion of the heat makes you think you have more flexibility than you have. This concept can cause overextension and muscle strains. You may feel good during the routine because you are hot. But when you cool down, you will feel the pain strain.

The #RunPainFree verdict: Leave yoga for the yogis. If you like the relaxation aspect, try meditation or turning your phone off once in a while. 

Alternative option: instead of yoga, runners should regularly foam roll.

Pilates is the love child of CrossFit and yoga. It is a HIT workout that also involves stretching. So not only is it going to set you up for muscle strains, but it won’t condition your heart and lungs for endurance. 

Many of the moves in Pilates come from dancers. That is why it involves many movements that hyperextend your knees. When you hyperextend your knee, you will likely strain your hamstring. At the same time, the job of a hamstring for a runner is to stretch dynamically. Static stretches have no place in a distance runner’s training regime. 

The #RunPain Free verdict: Pilates can take a hike!

Alternative options: Simple dynamic movements like clams and bridges are more useful for conditioning runners. For endurance, take a hike! 

All of these sports have high injury risks for runners. CrossFit, Yoga, and Pilates are neither functional nor sport-specific for a runner. If any workout is causing a dysfunctional movement, it will lead to injury. You need to train for your body to be functional first, then prepare for running. 

If you want to learn more about functional cross-training for runners, go to #RunPainFreeNow for a free consultation. 

02:10 – CrossFit

07:37 ­– Yoga

13:18 – Pilates

20:43 – Takeaway lesson

1.    CrossFit encourages poor form and doesn’t train your aerobic system. 

2.    Instead of yoga, start foam rolling to get the mobility required for long-distance running. Stretching restricted muscles create strains.

3.    Cross-train with workouts that build your aerobic base and develop muscle endurance.

Get an Assessment With Jessica: https://www.runpainfreenow.com

Resources & Programs To Run Injury-Free: https://www.runpainfreeacademy.com

In this episode, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio offers sage advice for female runners experiencing hot flashes during menopause. She provides tips to deal with it on the run and condition your body to minimize the symptoms occurring in the first place.  

It is usual for women going through menopause to experience hot flashes while running. However, often women don’t know that the hot flash is menopause related. Instead, you may write it off thinking you are out of shape, have low blood sugar, or it is just not your day. But, it is vitally important that you take note. If you are in the menopause age range, a hot flash is a red flag that it may be menopause related. 

#RunPainFree tip! Go to your doctor and get checked ASAP!

All women going through menopause will experience hot flashes and sweating. But for women who run, running may exacerbate these symptoms. The lack of muscular conditioning is often the primary reason why your body can’t handle the heat flash pressure caused during a run. 

In general, many runners skip strength workouts and just run – which is always a bad idea. But for women going through menopause, skipping workouts can exacerbate hot flashes. 

“You need to work out for your sport. The sport isn’t the workout.”

There is a big misconception that if you run every day, you are working out every day. It would be best if you did sport-specific workouts to support your running regularly. And this is even more important for women during menopause. 

Women who don’t do workouts will feel the symptoms of menopause more intensely when running. If you are a woman, who has kids and doesn’t strength train, you will be on the hot flash spectrum. At the same time, women without children who work out will experience minimal hot flashes. The difference is night and day. 

Sometimes, it just isn’t your day. It is far better to give it rest rather than to push on. Running through pain when your entire body is saying stop is just asking for a bad spell that will last well beyond when your run ends. 

You have to learn to identify the sensation and how to calm your system down. Give your body the cushion it needs to get through that moment. Honor what your body is telling you. That hot flash is your body screaming for you to back off the pace. 

“You need to work with how your body is genetically driven and what you can do to condition it and work with what you’ve got.”

When you condition your body, you will get to a point where hot flashes can be minimal and won’t stop you in your tracks. 

If you need help with specific conditioning exercises to help you keep running during menopause, head to #RunPainFree and book a free consultation. We ask many questions because we can’t fix anything unless we repair everything!

2:05 – Women dealing with heat flashes when running 

4:35 – Signs to look out for

7:58 – Women who don’t work out vs. women who do

13:15 – What to do during a run when you experience a hot flash

20:00 – What to do if you struggle after taking a breather

24:15 – Take home lesson: listen to your body

1.    If you are in the menopause age range, visit your doctor and get your levels checked

2.    Introduce strength and conditioning exercises into your fitness regime

3.    Take cold packs and drink coconut water on the run

4.    During a heat flash, stop running but continue walking 

5.    Cool your core quickly by placing cold packs on your wrist and behind your ears 

Get an Assessment With Jessica: https://www.runpainfreenow.com.

Resources & Programs To Run Injury-Free: https://www.runpainfreeacademy.com

In today's episode of the #runpainfree podcast, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio takes aim at three typical running exercises. She explains why they are doing you more harm than good. 

Despite what you may have heard, adding heel raises into your training regime is counterproductive. Why? Simply put, a calf raise contracts your muscle. It's the full extension of your calf and ankle that gets you into the push-off position. 

"Your calf muscle will only fire when it is in full extension. If you are doing calf raises, you are pumping and contracting your muscles, not training for full extension."

While heel drops provide a better range of motion, they don't mimic the action of running. The vital ingredient you are missing in this exercise is the driving power that occurs from the push-off. 

For long-distance runners, static calf raises train the muscle in a dysfunctional manner that won't sustain endurance. That's why so many runners break down because they train using static moves.

Static calf raises hurt you because they don't mimic the biomechanics of the sport. For example, if you have trained your calf muscles doing sets of 15 reps, your muscles will fatigue because you haven't built endurance. As the muscle fails, this causes you to change your running gait. What starts as restricted motion in your calf leads to restricted movement in the hips – and that's a way more significant problem.  

The #RunPainFree verdict: Cut out calf raises, and save yourself hip injuries. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

When you watch a group of runners warming up, you'll likely see lateral leg swings. But don't be fooled; the only thing they are getting ready for is a strain. 

News flash: Everyone has IT band fascia that is extremely tense and restricted. When you flare your legs from right to left, you are forcing a restricted motion at the joint. This example is why lateral leg swings strain ligaments. 

"Maybe it's because I'm Italian, but when people do lateral leg swings,s I see ligaments as overcooked spaghetti."

Hot tip! It would be best if you foamed roll before you stretch. If you can't be bothered to foam roll, don't bother stretching. You have a better chance of not injuring yourself by ignoring both.  

And don't be fooled by what blood flow does for your body on the run. Blood flow creates mobility and reduces pain. That's why so many runners run through injury; it feels better at the time. But when you stop, you'll know you aggravated your injury.  

The #RunPainFree Verdict: Lateral leg swings have got to go – they are not sport-specific. 

When does anyone on a long-distance run naturally do butt kicks? Never. That's why training butt kicks causes injuries. 

Butt kicks pump your hamstrings. The job of a hamstring for a long-distance runner is to assess the level of extension and to pull your leg back. When you have pumped your hamstring before you run, it can't fully extend. 

When you do this repetitively, your IT band says, sorry buddy; I didn't sign up for this. Consequently, your knee and hip won't fully extend. That's when you find yourself in the hurt locker. 

"When you are in pain on a run, it is your body saying what you trained me to do and what I am doing are two different things, so stop now."

When a runner is butt-kicking, it's because they are on their toes. Have you ever seen Kipchoge on his toes? No, because butt kicks are for Usain Bolt.  During Bolt's final race, he hammered his hamstring. Up until that point, he had never run a mile. But you may have guessed, he now runs miles, yet he will never again be a podium finisher for the 100 meters.

"The only thing in common between running a long-distance and a short distance is the word run. You should be thinking, 'snap, I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm probably doing many things that I shouldn't be."

The #RunPainFree Verdict: Butt kicks are a pain in the arse. Do walking lunges instead.

1. Calf raises contract your muscles, whereas you want to be training for full extension and push off. 

Get an Assessment With Jessica: https://www.runpainfreenow.com

Resources & Programs To Run Injury-Free: https://www.runpainfreeacademy.com

Getting back to running after suffering from a Covid infection can be more challenging than you think. Running is an endurance sport that is demanding and requires high levels of stamina and endurance, as well as a healthy and correct rhythm between the way your heart and lungs operate. In other words, if either the heart or the lungs fall out of this well-balanced rhythm, you are going to experience many difficulties when trying to run longer distances. The disruption of this rhythm is inevitable when dealing with a Covid infection because this is a high respiratory virus that primarily attacks your lungs. Thus, even well-trained runners and professional athletes will feel extreme fatigue and exhaustion due to this virus infection.

“If you’re not somebody who’s ever dealt with anything lung-wise or breathing-wise, you’re gonna be struck by the results or fallout from having this type of respiratory tax on your body.”

The most important thing when it comes to running after Covid is to take your time. Many athletes who experience a Covid infection think that they are ready to get back on track as soon as they feel better. However, getting straight back to running is a mistake that can lead to injury, demotivation, and even more respiratory complications or relapse (which is happening to many). The reason is simple - your body won’t be ready to take up running right away. Your lungs will be so exhausted after dealing with the infection that even the simplest tasks might get you tired too soon, let alone something as demanding as running. Remember, your lungs have to work very hard to get the virus out of your system, and this battle will leave them exhausted for weeks to come. Instead of having high expectations when getting back on terrain, start by introducing light activities to retrain your lungs before running again.  

“You have to honor how much your body went through to fight it, and it’s not gonna be over in a week; that’s unrealistic.” 

Thinking you’re going to get back running right after testing negative after day 10 of having it passes, is unrealistic. This respiratory virus takes a severe toll on your lungs and significantly impacts your ability to run continuously. However, this doesn’t mean you cannot get back to the level you were at or even exceed your previous skills. As long as you don’t push your body to start running right away, you will be able to gradually train your heart and lungs and build up the necessary endurance. To do so, you should begin to slow and introduce one physical activity per day. Keep track of your heart rate when resting and engaging in physical activities to ensure there are no irregularities. It might take two to three weeks of consistent light training before you can hit the road again. As long as you understand how your new set of lungs works, you will be able to build back your endurance.

“This is just another way to get your body better. It’s just gonna put you on another level of understanding how your body operates, understanding what your body can and can’t do, honoring that and working with that.”

Healthy athletes with well-developed lungs can suffer even graver respiratory consequences after a Covid infection.

It is essential to honor the time your body needs to recover instead of pushing your limits.

Make sure to start slow - practice one light activity per day before getting back to running.

Get an Assessment With Jessica: https://www.runpainfreenow.com

Resources & Programs To Run Injury-Free: https://www.runpainfreeacademy.com

Podcast Sponsor: https://www.yourunwithit.com

Because we work with all runners at all levels and all paces, we wanted the “RUN INTO 2021” to honor all runners so you can choose to run  5k, 10k. Half or Full Marathon! 

Registration currently open

Registration closes 12/15/2020

Miles completed by 12/31/2020 

Is there a medal? OF COURSE! Our custom medal is AMAZING O.M.G! You are going to love this a one of kind medal that symbolizes what running into the year 2021 actually means and looks like in this day and age!

Swag bag? You got it! You can see all that on the race page here: RACE PAGE  

OH! And in true #RunPainFree Academy fashion, we have a BONUS challenge that can win you one-on-one with Coach Jessica (no matter where you are, we have been doing this online since 2009 ;)) 

Join us for our FIRST ever race, and RUN INTO 2021! 

Do it on your own time! Your own pace! And most importantly as we always say, RUN FOR YOURSELF… that's what we want for all our runners!

BEFORE IT SELLS OUT!  LET’S RUN! Join our first-ever virtual race to get out of 2020 and register for the RUN INTO 2021 race today!

LET’S GO!

#RunPainFree

Episode Title: "3 Ways Runner Kill Their Injury Recovery Or Results PT. 2!"

* Too many run coaches (track and field) -

* Shiny-object syndrome

* The discipline and consistency it takes to get results

* #RUNPAINFREE BOOTCAMP, ACADEMY, ONE ON ONE

Jessica is an expert in Common Run Injuries  whose accomplishments include:

* Sports Biomechanics, Athletic Injury Corrective and Conditioning Expert

* Functional Movement Expert L2

* Running Specialist

* CSCS STUDY

* Fitness & Nutrition Expert

* ASFA- CPT ( EFTI, AFAA, NSCF)

* BeachBody Specialist/Coach

* Kettlebells L2

* Pre and Post-Natal

* Stretch

* Dance teacher/choreographer

Learn more about how you can improve your results with Common Run Injuries  with www.runpainfreebootcamp.com

Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!

Don't forget to subscribe to the show to get automatic episode updates for our "RunPainFree Podcast!"

Please leave a review right now if you enjoyed this episode.

Thanks for listening!

Episode Title: "3 Ways Runner Kill Their Injury Recovery Or Results PT. 1!"

* Too many run coaches (track and field) -

* Shiny-object syndrome

* The discipline and consistency it takes to get results

* #RUNPAINFREE BOOTCAMP, ACADEMY, ONE ON ONE

Jessica is an expert in Common Run Injuries  whose accomplishments include:

* Sports Biomechanics, Athletic Injury Corrective and Conditioning Expert

* Functional Movement Expert L2

* Running Specialist

* CSCS STUDY

* Fitness & Nutrition Expert

* ASFA- CPT ( EFTI, AFAA, NSCF)

* BeachBody Specialist/Coach

* Kettlebells L2

* Pre and Post-Natal

* Stretch

* Dance teacher/choreographer

Learn more about how you can improve your results with Common Run Injuries  with www.runpainfreebootcamp.com

Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!

Don't forget to subscribe to the show to get automatic episode updates for our "RunPainFree Podcast!"

Please leave a review right now if you enjoyed this episode.

Thanks for listening!