Running to the Castle
A podcast for injury-prone runDisney runners on a journey to running magical miles. Join me, Dr. Ali, as I share the secrets I've gathered as a runner, Doctor of Physical Therapy and coach. You'll learn the exact ways I get my clients to the castle strong without feeling broken or held together with KT tape as they cross the finish line.
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The Finisher Framework Part 2 - Strength
In this episode of Running to the Castle, you'll learn how to incorporate strength training into your runDisney race prep without overdoing it or making your pain worse.
The Lie of Strength Training for runDisney Runners
In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn why strength training isn’t the magic fix for every slow or injury-prone runner—and why blindly adding more strength may be doing more harm than good.
Recognizing What You’re Doing Is Making You Worse
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn what to do to start recognizing patterns so you can stop getting worse and start to feel better.
Top 3 Reasons runDisney Runners DNF a Race
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn the top 3 main reasons RunDisney runners do not finish (DNF) their races:
Strength Training for Injury-Prone runDisney Runners Part 2
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn how to strength train the right way as an injury-prone runner.
Strength Training for Injury-Prone runDisney Runners Part 1
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn the top 5 activities to avoid when you’re strength training as an injury-prone runner.
How to Make it So Your Knees Don't Implode
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn how to prevent knee pain and achieve long-term running success.
How Do You Even Know What Strength Exercises to Do?
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn how to decide what exercises to do when you’re an injury-prone runner.
Should You Be Doing Squats and Lunges for Your Knee Pain?
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn if squats and lunges are the best exercises for runners with knee injuries.
How Injury-Prone runDisney Runners Finish Dopey without Getting Injured
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn how to finish the Dopey Challenge even when you’re injury-prone without getting injured with strength training.
Lifting Heavy for Running Injuries
In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn why jumping straight to heavy lifting might be sabotaging your running goals—and how starting small is the key to long-term strength and injury prevention.
Strength Exercises for When Stretching Hurts
In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn why eccentric exercises are essential for runners with tendon injuries and how to perform them effectively.
5 Key Elements Your Strength Plan Needs So It Works and You Stop Getting Injured
In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn the 5 key elements that you need to include in your strength plan so it works and you stop getting injured. When you have some of these elements but not all of them you won’t get stronger and stop getting injured.
More is More Balance Is Better
If you’ve ever experienced knee pain or other running injury and you’ve thought to yourself “oh I need to strength train more”, “I need to stretch more”, or something like that… more in these cases are just more, it’s not better.
How to Incorporate Strength Training and Running
Listen to the episode to learn whether you should strength train before or after you run.
Other topics I talk about include when to start new strength exercises, add more weight or resistance, strength train on long or short run days, and strength train on rest days or not.
Strengthening for Knee Arthritis
In this episode of Running to the Castle I’m talking about what to do and what to avoid when doing strength workouts as a runner with knee arthritis. Learn how to back off painful knees, how to load them properly to maximize your workout without flaring up your knee arthritis.
Strengthening for Meniscus Problems
In this episode of Running to the Castle I’m talking about what to do and what to avoid when doing strength workouts as a runner with meniscus tears.
When you’re doing strength workouts and you have meniscus tears or problems there are a few things you want to be mindful of doing:
deep bending
plant and twist movements
deep bending during a flare