"X gon' give it to ya (what?!)"
​-DMX

Runners rarely need fancy exercises, just a few drills tailored to their abilities and executed with precision.

There are four instructions I give patients to help them perform their programs with precisionr

Perform the exercise in a smooth, precise manner.

Getting patients to slow down is the number one correction I give in the clinic (something most don't really like 😊).

Squats. Marches. Carries. Bridges. Slow. Down.

Most athletes rush their exercises, letting momentum finish a rep and sacrificing movement quality. You'll be surprised how demanding an exercise becomes when performed at half a patient's preferred speed.

If your patient struggles to maintain "smoothness," have them take two seconds to complete both the concentric and eccentric phase of each movement.

So when Lil Wayne said,
​
​"Real G's move in silence like lasagna",
​
he wasn't talking about the temptation to flaunt your excess, but the need to perform your exercises with precision.

The lift should look challenging.

It's tempting to underload fundamental movement patterns.

Patients may need a short on-ramp to heavier movements, but once they are comfortable with the mechanics, they need to be challenged.

Exercises should be challenging yet manageable, especially when incorporating movements with external load, such as squats, deadlifts, or loaded carries.

When lifts are hard, people grimace and grunt.
If the dose is right, I expect to see some expression.

So when Mac Dre said,
​
​"I do like this, I put a look on my face like I smelled some piss",
​
he wasn't teaching you the Thizzle Dance, but discussing the importance of using enough weight that your facial expression changes.

You can use strategies like RPE, reps in reserve, or 10 RM percentages, or you can ask yourself,
​
​"Does the performer look like they just walked into a 7-11 bathroom?"

Finish each rep with a tall, erect posture.

If an exercise requires a height change (step-ups, squats, or deadlifts), or requires maintaining posture under fatigue (like a loaded carry), I want their mind focused on staying tall.

I want them working through fatigue to maintain upright positioning.
Once they can no longer maintain that form, the set is finished.

So I may prescribe a loaded carry as 4 sets of 60 feet, but it may be better to instruct them to go as long as they can maintaining upright posture.

So when Lil Jon said,
​
​"To the window, to the wall",
​
he wasn't talking about his expectations for the club, but the need to maintain upright position without any postural sway.

If you can't maintain proper mechanics, the set is over.

Working patients to the point of fatigue can be great to build endurance, confidence, and an overall ability to work through tissues. It also may be what we need to improve strength, tendon stiffness, and other attributes.

If a patient is performing ten reps of an exercise, I want eight to look good and two to require correction.

So when 50 Cent said,
​
​"I been hit with a few shells, but I don't walk with a limp",
​
he wasn't speaking to the need to work through challenging situations, but how you need to maintain proper form even when fatigued.

Runners often need better coaching and dosing, not new exercises.