Exercises for Runners

Aug 25 2025

Labor Day—From Summer Adventure to Year-Round Strength

Labor Day fitness routine isn’t about forcing a big “reset”—it’s about transforming all the gains from your summer adventures into strength, mobility, and vitality for every season ahead. Summer fills the calendar with hiking, long days outside, spontaneous games, and late-evening walks. But as Labor Day draws near, it’s time to move with intention. At SolCore, we know the secret isn’t in trends or quick fixes. It’s a holistic, fascia-focused approach rooted in osteopathic science that prepares the body for fall’s best adventures—and next year’s too.

Ready to Move Into Fall?

The weeks after Labor Day aren’t about doing less, but about moving with intention. Fall in Santa Fe is its own invitation: the hiking trails call, the aspens change, and soon enough it’s time for skiing, snowshoeing, or simply enjoying crisp mornings. But to actually enjoy these activities (and not get sidelined by pain, tightness, or fatigue), the real difference comes from building a program that understands the body’s structure—how it actually moves, adapts, and needs support as the seasons change.

A traditional routine might throw you into generic circuits or treadmill marches. But a holistic, osteopathic, and fascia-focused approach looks at your entire body as an integrated system. This means:

Restoring balance where summer’s adventures left some areas overworked and others neglected.
Addressing fascial tightness from drives, hikes, or even lounging.
Building functional strength and mobility directly to support what you love outdoors—so hiking, skiing, or a simple walk is easier and more enjoyable.

For a deeper dive into how a holistic program can transform your movement year-round, check out our Holistic Exercises and Fitness Program guide.

Building Strength for Every Adventure—Beginning Now

What you start this September sets the table for every bit of joy, freedom, and resilience you’ll feel in the coming months.

Want to feel great on snowy trails? Start by opening hips, knees, ankles and core now.
Planning long hikes under golden aspens? A strong, supple back and a breath-aware routine are your best gear.
Eyeing travel or winter play with grandkids? A holistic, fascia-first regimen will carry you through it all, helping you move better for longer.

By focusing on intentional structure, awareness, and practical mobility—rather than punishing reps or empty “grind” routines—you give your body the tools to keep saying YES to life, no matter the weather.

For guidance on staying fit no matter the season, check these Mayo Clinic tips for staying active year-round.

How to Transition This Labor Day

Labor Day isn’t just the end of summer—it’s your invitation to move into fall and winter with purpose, building the underlying strength and mobility that powers every hike, ski, or backyard game ahead. If you’re ready to make these months your foundation (and not just a “reset”), the SolCore approach is distinct: holistic, osteopathic-driven, and fascia-focused—all designed for real people, real change, real fun.

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align
Find more insight, reflection, and fascia-informed care:

Jun 23 2025

Strength and Proprioception: You Can’t Strengthen What You Can’t Feel

Strength and proprioception are more connected than most people realize.
You’ve been told to get stronger. And maybe you’ve tried…
But here’s the thing no one tells you:
You can’t strengthen what you can’t feel.

If your body’s sensory map is fuzzy — if the nervous system can’t accurately locate joints, muscles, or tension — then you’re not building strength. You’re reinforcing confusion.

When the Signal’s Off, So Is the Output

That means:

The wrong muscles doing the work
Extra tension where you don’t need it
And a body that gets tighter, not stronger

This is why traditional strength training often fails people with chronic pain or poor posture. It piles output on top of dysfunction.

The nervous system is always prioritizing safety. And it won’t let you generate real force from an unsafe map.

Real Strength Starts with Signal Clarity

That’s where proprioception comes in — your body’s sense of position and movement. And it’s not just in the muscles… it’s in the fascia.

Fascia is one of the body’s most proprioceptive organs — a network of sensory receptors, both introceptive and extroceptive, woven throughout your entire structure.

To train it, we don’t start with load. We start with input.

That’s why methods like:

Segmental strengthening (precise isometric loading to re-educate joint control)
ELDOA (decompression to create space and normalize tension)
Myofascial Stretching (length + tension reset through fascial chains)
Proprioception exercises (low-load, high-precision training to refine joint feedback)

…form the foundation of intelligent strength development.

They wake up the system. They create clarity. And that’s what allows true strength to build.

From Signal to Strength — The Science Behind the Shift

Real strength doesn’t start with muscle. It starts with mapping.

According to Hill’s Muscle Model, force output depends on more than just fiber length and tension — it also relies on neural coordination and proprioceptive input. If the body can’t feel itself accurately, it can’t produce efficient force.

Your introceptors (internal signals: breath, organ tone, intra-abdominal pressure) and extroceptors (external cues: joint angles, balance, spatial orientation) work together to create a somatic map in the brain.

When that map is distorted, strength gets sloppy and injury risk climbs.
But when the map is clear?

Your system becomes more efficient
Force transfer improves
Strength becomes sustainable — not just performative

Fascia doesn’t just surround muscles — it interweaves with them.
It wraps around every muscle fiber, including actin and myosin, and envelopes the proprioceptors themselves — like muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs.

So when you train fascially — through decompression, tension normalization, segmental loading, and lengthened isometrics — you’re not just building strength…

You’re upgrading the entire system that strength depends on.

Related Resources:

📎 Internal Link: What Makes Holistic Fitness Actually Work
📖 External Source: FASCIA AS A SENSORY ORGAN: Clinical Applications (Schleip)

Ready to train from the inside out?
👉 Book your free 30–45 min strategy call and learn how to build sustainable strength from your structure up.

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align

Find more insight, reflection, and fascia-informed care across the platforms where we stay connected:

Mar 09 2024

Unlocking the Power of the Squat Exercise

The squat exercise is one of the seven primal movements. But unlike the others, a properly executed squat is the only one that can directly improve your posture.

Most people learn to squat the wrong way. Fitness classes, trainers, and online videos often pass down bad form like it’s tradition. Challenges like “100 squats a day” only reinforce poor patterns. They don’t teach you how to move—they teach your body how to compensate.

That’s a problem.

Click the image to watch the full video.

Why the Squat Exercise Matters So Much

A squat isn’t just for building legs or glutes. It’s a global movement that involves your whole body working together. In fact, it’s made up of multiple smaller systems working in harmony—from your pelvic floor to your jaw.

Done right, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have for long-term strength, mobility, and posture.

Done wrong, it becomes a slow leak—wearing down your body over years until the damage is finally too loud to ignore.

Most People Are Taught the Squat All Wrong

When I started training back in my teens, I was told to arch my back, stick my butt out, and look up. It felt powerful—but it placed massive stress on my lower back and neck. I didn’t feel pain for years. But by the time I hit 35, that form had helped cause a spinal issue and sciatic pain.

That’s how compensation patterns work. You don’t feel them until they’ve done damage.

And unfortunately, a lot of fitness systems still teach that exact form today.

The Squat and Posture: A Unique Relationship

Unlike bending, pushing, or pulling, the squat uses and improves your posture—if done correctly.

Your postural system is made up of:

The Plumb Line (ear, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle alignment)
The Gravity Line (a 4-degree cone rising from your pubic bone)

The squat interacts with both. If your plumb line is off, squatting can make things worse. But if you squat with awareness and alignment, it actually helps reinforce your posture inside that gravity cone.

What It Takes to Do a Proper Squat Exercise

The squat is built from many parts. Each part needs to function independently before it can function together.

Here’s what that means:

✅ The Beam Phenomenon

Your torso needs to move like a solid beam—no wobble. That requires training your:

Pelvic floor
Abs (especially lower abs)
Diaphragm
Lats
Pecs
Fascia in the mouth and throat

✅ Foot and Ankle Mechanics

Your feet are your foundation. A weak or collapsed arch (especially at the navicular bone) throws off everything above. You may need arch support or proper shoes when lifting heavy.

✅ Pelvic Tuck and Knee Drive

A good squat is knee-dominant. That means knees move first—not hips.

At the same time, keep your pelvis tucked and chin tucked to stay in the beam. This requires both abdominal strength and fascial flexibility in the back.

If your soleus and calves are tight, your heels will lift and stop your knees from driving forward. So you may need to stretch and strengthen your calves to get full range.

Learning to Squat Means Slowing Down

If you’re constantly focused on performance or fat loss, you’re not giving your body the time it needs to learn proper form. And in a class environment, correcting your form often isn’t the priority.

That’s like trying to learn typing by mashing keys as fast as possible without learning the keyboard.

It’s not a matter of willpower—it’s just bad input. And bad input = bad output.

Good Squat = Good Life

Learning how to do a proper squat gives you a relationship with your body.

You’ll learn where you’re tight, where you’re weak, and where you’ve been compensating without even knowing it. And when you address those things, your body responds.

You get stronger. You feel better. You age slower.

Want Help With Your Squat?

I’ve helped thousands of people reconnect to their bodies through correct, holistic training. Here’s how you can start:

📘 Download the free eBook on mobility, posture, and pain relief
📅 Book a consultation to get 1-on-1 feedback on your squat and your training

You’ve been given a body that can last 90+ years. The squat exercise is one of the best ways to take care of it.

Let’s make sure you’re doing it right.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Jul 30 2022

Knee Pain After Running? Don’t Forget These 3 Areas!

Is knee pain after running slowing you down—or keeping you from your favorite workouts altogether? Are you frustrated because you’re diligently doing the preventive and corrective exercises you think you “should,” yet the pain keeps returning?

You’re not alone, and you’re not wrong in your effort. You’re just likely missing three specific, essential areas every runner must address to stay truly pain-free your Patellofemoral Joint, Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO), and Articular Genu.

Why Does Knee Pain After Running Happen?

Knee pain during or after running is incredibly common, and often strikes when you least expect it. Maybe you’re feeling great on one run then, out of nowhere, that familiar ache or sharp pain flares up. Most knee pain from running is due to overuse and improper distribution of force not necessarily a traumatic injury. Common causes include weak muscles, alignment issues, worn-down cartilage (patellofemoral syndrome/chondromalacia), or tight fascia and tendons.

The reality is: Running is a dynamic, full-body movement. Every stride sends tons (literally!) of force through your legs, up your hips and spine, and across your entire kinetic chain. If your muscles, ligaments, and critically your fascia and joint structures aren’t working optimally, that force gets lost or stuck at the knee, causing pain and, eventually, injury.

The Common Mistakes

Standard “solutions” typically target the symptoms instead of the source: ice, pain meds, generic foam rolling, or a few basic stretches. While these may help a little short-term, they don’t address the deeper mechanical misalignments or the most important stabilization muscles and connective tissues.

The 3 Areas Every Runner Needs to Address

1. Patellofemoral Joint
This is the joint between your kneecap (patella) and your femur. It’s responsible for smooth, efficient motion every time you bend or straighten your knee. When it gets “asleep” (i.e., isn’t actively engaged or well-lubricated), pain and tracking issues become inevitable. Training the Patellofemoral Joint through specific balance and mobility exercises “wakes it up,” helping it communicate with your brain and spinal cord so each stride aligns and functions correctly.

2. Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO)
The VMO is a part of the quadriceps that attaches to the kneecap and is largely responsible for holding the patella in the right position as you move. Most traditional leg workouts and stretches miss the unique activation needed for the VMO. For running, this small, oblique section is critical—its proper firing pattern keeps your kneecap tracking smoothly and prevents it from drifting to the outside, which is a root cause of runner’s knee. Think: targeted, soccer-kick style resistance or functional movements—not just generic quad extensions.

3. Articular Genu
This lesser-known but vital structure sits deep in the thigh and attaches to the synovial membrane beneath the kneecap. Its role is to generate fluid movement under the kneecap (critical for nutrition, waste removal, and shock absorption). Standard knee routines will never touch the articular genu. Specific exercises are needed to activate this area—typically by fixing the kneecap and using isolated, precise tension to target only the articular genu fibers. When this muscle is strong and flexible, your knees recover and function properly after every run.

The Power of a Specific, Holistic Approach

Fixing knee pain after running isn’t about one stretch or trendy treatment. It’s about a targeted, holistic program that addresses not only the muscles and joints, but the connective tissue and the hidden stabilizers and fluid channels.
If you’re stuck in the pain–rest–relapse loop, or you’re always trying a mix of magazine or YouTube workouts, you’re missing the specific, lasting solution your body needs to thrive as a runner and stay active as you age.

Here’s Your Action Plan:

Warm Up the Right Areas: Before you run, activate the ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Use dynamic movements and gently increase internal body temp and mobility.
Stretch and Normalize Afterwards: After running, use myofascial and specific chain stretches to address shins, calves, hamstrings, deep hip rotators, glutes, and trunk—all crucial for knee function.
Target the 3 Key Areas: Add corrective, focused exercises for your Patellofemoral Joint, VMO, and Articular Genu. If you’re not sure how, don’t guess—this is where specialized coaching makes all the difference.

Real Results Happen With the Right Focus

Remember, pain doesn’t disappear from generic advice or random routines. One client—a dedicated runner plagued for years by “patellofemoral syndrome”—saw her pain vanish completely within three months of following a true corrective routine. Best of all, her overall mobility and confidence soared, proving that targeted training builds more than just pain relief: it’s the foundation for lifelong activity and enjoyment.

Don’t Let Knee Pain Be Your Weakest Link

You are only as strong and mobile as your weakest area. Instead of letting knee pain sideline your progress, address the real drivers. Your daily routine should empower you to not just manage but transform your running experience.

If you’re ready to stop cycling through ineffective fixes and finally address the root of your knee pain, the next step is simple:
[Book a free consult] to get access to individualized evaluation and a proven, practical path forward so you can return to running, exercise, and the activities you love with lasting comfort and strength.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Oct 30 2020

Just Running Doesn’t Get Your Legs Strong The Science Behind Well-Rounded Leg Training

The Running and Leg Strength Myth

Many people believe that because they run or hike regularly, their leg strength is already up to par. While running is an excellent cardiovascular and endurance activity, it doesn’t cover all the bases when it comes to leg strength, muscle balance, and functional athleticism.

How Running Trains Your Legs (and What It Misses)

Running is a highly repetitive, global movement that primarily works the body in the sagittal (forward-backward) and, to a lesser degree, transverse (rotational) planes. This style of training can build muscular endurance and limited power but does not adequately activate every muscle or use the full range of motion your legs are capable of.

Planes of Motion: What Runners Miss

Runners mostly move forward, rarely side-to-side (frontal plane) or with true rotational power, and typically emphasize only a few types of muscle contractions. The legs have dozens of muscles, each capable of movement in multiple directions. Overuse of certain movement patterns results in uneven development and leaves stabilizers, abductors/adductors, and smaller postural muscles undertrained, which can lead to imbalances and weaknesses.

Why Strength Training Is Essential for Leg Health

Complete leg strength goes beyond what running offers. Strength training targets specific segments, builds muscular coordination across all planes, and helps correct imbalances. Science has shown that adding resistance and plyometric (explosive) training to a running routine improves not only leg strength but also running efficiency, speed, and injury resilience.

Segmental Muscle Strengthen

Injury Prevention and Balanced Muscle Development

When runners neglect certain muscle groups or movements, overuse injuries like IT band syndrome, Achilles problems, and knee pain become common. Segmental training and stretching—targeting specific muscles and fascia—allow the body to move more efficiently, disperse load, and remain balanced even during repetitive activities like running or hiking.

Segmental Training and Stretching: Completing the Picture

To future-proof your legs (and your whole body), your program should include exercises that stretch and strengthen each segment and chain in the legs. This means not just squats and lunges, but also mobility drills, myofascial stretching, proprioception work, and targeted moves for any “weak links” found in your movement assessment.

Key Takeaways for Runners

Running is great for endurance and basic strength, but not enough for full-body or leg health.
All muscle groups and movement directions need some attention especially if you want to avoid injury and continue progressing as an athlete.
Diversifying your routine, adding segmental strength training, and using targeted myofascial stretching are critical steps.

If you want legs that are strong, resilient, and ready for whatever life throws at you, make sure your training goes far beyond the running trail!

Find out more @

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Ready to feel  stronger and pain free?

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