In this episode Coaches Caroline and Valerie unpack why so many athletes—runners and recreational players alike—feel “stuck to the ground,” lose elasticity, and suffer knee pain. Using live examples from pickleball and running check-ins, they explain the simple shift that changes everything: lift your torso, increase fall, and actively pull the foot up. These small movement changes free your feet, protect your knees, and make every sport feel easier and more fun.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• ✅ Footwork matters across sports — the same drills that improve Pose → Fall → Pull running improve pickleball footwork and reduce knee injury risk.
• ✅ Unglue your feet: lifting the torso + pulling the foot up uses elasticity (stored energy) rather than brute muscle force.
• ✅ Most older recreational players and runners are “stuck” in low-elasticity patterns — retraining timing and lift restores speed and resilience.
• ✅ Bodyweight, movement-first strength builds stability that translates directly to running, court sports, and daily life.
• ✅ Practice progressions (simple hops, pull drills, glute walks) beat more miles for performance and injury prevention.
• ✅ Short-term trial: the RunRX Academy app offers a low-cost restart ($4.95 option) and full membership check-ins so you can get targeted feedback without being local.

Why this episode helps you

If you’re frustrated by plateaued pace, recurring knee pain, or slow recovery after sport, this episode gives practical, coachable fixes you can test in one week. It’s part movement lesson, part mindset reminder: you don’t need to push harder — you need to move smarter.

Resources & Where to Watch

• Download the RunRX Academy app (iOS / Google Play) for drill libraries, warm-ups, and the $4.95 restart program.
• Watch movement deep dives and demos on YouTube: RunRX.
• Join the RunRX membership for gait analyses, video check-ins, and live Zoom corrections.

In this episode Coaches Caroline and Valerie unpack the breathing craze—what’s helpful, what’s hype, and exactly how to use breathing drills to improve your running. They explain why breathing is a rhythm inside your run (not a distraction), how to practice breathing so it becomes automatic, and simple drills you can use in warm-ups to expand your chest, calm your panic response, and run longer/faster with less effort.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• ✅ Breathing is part of running’s rhythm — practice it as a drill, not as a constant thought during your run.
• ✅ Drills (exaggerated practice) teach your body to take fuller, calmer breaths so your breathing becomes automatic in the “show.”
• ✅ Nose vs. mouth breathing: useful drills exist (and historical methods like Buteyko helped many), but don’t limit your breath during hard efforts — expand it when you need it.
• ✅ Use the exhale-first cue at the start of easy runs (exhale → inhale → run) to release tension and find a steady rhythm quickly.
• ✅ Chest expansion and intercostal mobility let you lift your torso, increase fall, and run with better elasticity — breathing mechanics help speed and endurance.
• ✅ Breathing devices and masks are toys — they can help with drills, but they don’t replace coached progressions and movement training.

What to try this week

• Add a 5-minute breathing warm-up before runs: slow diaphragmatic breathing → chest expansion breath series → 2 minutes of fast, rhythmic exhale-focused steps.
• Try a few drills off the run (bands, balloons, exaggerated chest opens) to feel your ribcage expand before you practice on the move.
• If breath panic hits mid-run: stop → long exhale(s) → a short drill (ball-foot hops or marching) → restart.

SEO keywords (use these in platform tags & show notes)

Breathing for running, diaphragmatic breathing, running drills, breathing drills, run cadence breath, breath training for runners, RunRX Academy, expand chest running, exhale-first running cue.

Listen & follow

• Watch breathing deep dives and demo drills on our YouTube channel: RunRX.
• Download the RunRX Academy app (iOS & Android) for focused drill libraries, warm-ups, and guided breathing progressions.
• Got a breathing question or want Valerie to review your drill form? Post a clip in the app or drop a comment on the latest episode — we read every message.

In this week’s RunRx podcast, Coach Caroline and Coach Valerie dive deep into the three‑step gait cycle—Pose → Fall → Pull—and reveal how just 28 days of focused practice can transform your running form. Discover why understanding the nuance of timing, body awareness, and mindset is as critical as the drills themselves—and learn how decades of coaching with Dr. Romanov shaped Valerie’s game‑changing approach. Whether you’re a brand‑new runner or a seasoned marathoner, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable steps to run stronger, smarter, and pain‑free.

✅ What You’ll Learn:

• ✅ Why Pose – Fall – Pull Works: Break down the only three essential actions in running, and why mastering each on dry land supercharges your in‑stride efficiency.
• ✅ 28‑Day Drill Blueprint: Exactly how to structure your first month of daily drills to groove the perfect pull‑up, correct fall angle, and steady pose.
• ✅ From Thinking to Feeling: Coach Valerie’s 3‑phase progression—from “I can’t” to “I get it” to “I feel it”—built from 20+ years of Romanov training.
• ✅ Mindset Tricks for Form Retention: Overcome the mental “wall” that stops most runners at week 3 and learn to embrace deliberate focus without losing the joy of running.
• ✅ Next‑Level Nuance & Timing: How to listen to your body’s feedback, fine‑tune head‑to‑toe posture, and translate drills into effortless outdoor (or treadmill) strides.

📲 Listen & Subscribe: • YouTube: Watch the full Deep Dive at RunRx Academy • Apple Podcasts & Spotify: Search “RunRx Podcast” and hit ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Google Play & Google Podcasts: Subscribe for weekly episodes on form, strength, and recovery

💬 Join the Conversation: Got questions about Pose – Fall – Pull? Drop a comment on our latest YouTube video or shoot us a DM on Instagram @RunRxFit. We read every message!

📱 RunRx Academy App: Download free on iOS & Android—your one‑stop hub for drills, strength routines, self‑care videos, and live Q&As with Coach Valerie.

Keep running pain‑free! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️