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Zaid Abed

@zaidabedd

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🏃🏼‍♂️ I help runners train consistently without knee pain
👇 Get back to pain-free running using 3 simple tests

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Physio is very very helpful, but if you don’t complete the necessary steps after physio, it will make running very difficult.

It will make chasing intense marathon and Hyrox time goals much more challenging than it needs to be.

That’s something I struggled to understand for a very long time and it took me multiple injuries to get the point 😅

ACL tear, IT band pain, runners knee, medial knee pain

But I eventually realized:

Reducing pain and building resilience are 2 different phases.

Resilience is making sure your body can handle running long term without pain coming back randomly.

It’s what lets you chase your goals with absolute confidence in your body’s ability.

If you don’t forget this step, your training will feel a lot more consistent and you’ll be able to achieve goals you’d never imagine 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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2 months ago

Really went from chest + biceps and 0 endurance to doing an Ironman 70.3

What an experience this was

Started off with a good swim up until I started feeling a cramp in the hamstrings and calves

That’s when I knew it was going to be a looooong race, but I knew no matter what, I was finishing that race even if I had to drag my body to the finish

The bike was an incredible experience really humbling but the scenes were beautiful

(should’ve probably trained more hills 😅)

Then the beginning of the run was probably where i was closest to quitting

I had quad and hamstring cramps so intense it felt like my legs were going to pop.

Was on the floor for a moment but picked myself up, picked up the pace too and finished the run strong

A message that kept me strong, relentless, and slightly delusional during this race was:

Do it for you.

Do it for the moments you didn’t believe in yourself

Do it for the moments where your head was filled with doubt

Doubt in career, fitness, and life overall

Do it to prove that version of yourself so wrong it doesn’t have a reason to exist anymore

Do it for you. Always. 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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3 months ago

First Hyrox Doubles

Went to war with my brother and gave it everything we had

Doubles is a different beast since you get to attack the stations and runs quicker than you would in a solo

We pushed each other as much as we could to our true physical and mental limits

A penalty cost us the podium but that just helped fuel the fire to come back faster and stronger

Now it’s time to build the biggest base we possibly can until it’s that time to sharpen the sword again ⚔️

#hyrox taken in Enercare Centre by @zaidabedd

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a year ago

Comment “KNEE” if your knees hurt on your runs and I’ll send you the exact 3 tests you need to pass first before you get back to pain free running

Just jumping around isn’t plyos

Understanding the type of jump and the intention behind it, is what plyometrics is.

This way the approach can be intentional.

Sometimes we’re building the brakes ~ softer more balanced landings

Sometimes the springiness of the tendons ~ quicker contact time

These two, the drop and depth jump, are some of my favorite ones to do just that.

I struggled a lot with plyometrics in the beginning because I was just doing everything I see online

It was new and exciting, but also overwhelming

There was so much to do and that made me rush everything. This only hurt me further

I’d leave the session with knees and shins that felt worse than they did before

To do plyometrics properly you need to make sure you’re starting at YOUR level

And for most I always suggest learning how to land first. How to absorb force efficiently.

Then gradually progress and take your time!

This is a fun journey so there’s no need to rush it 😁🫡 by @zaidabedd

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21 hours ago

Comment “KNEE” if your knees hurt on your runs and I’ll send you the exact 3 tests you need to pass first before you get back to pain free running

Give your glutes some love with the coin cue 🙏🏻

I used to struggle to feel my glutes on exercises like squats and thrusts

That’s because I was thinking of these exercises as moving from point A to B

But when you’re building a muscle it’s a lot more than that

You need to think about HOW you’re moving not just where

And ofc this coin cue may not apply to everyone. Everyone approaches an exercise a bit different mentally and what works for someone else might not work for you.

So that’s why you need to test out different cues until you find one that works for you and makes you feel your glutes absolutely burn 🍳

Give this one a try and let me know how it goes 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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2 days ago

Most runners forget to train the arch of their foot

And this can sometimes be part of the reason as to why you get knee pain and shin splints

It was for me

I used to train like a bodybuilder so I never actually trained my feet

(Because there was nothing aesthetic about strong feet 😅)

But it’s very important, especially in running

Your feet absorb up to 3 times your bodyweight on every stride and the longer your runs are the more impact they take.

If they can’t handle that impact or struggle to maintain strong form, you will get hurt

Train your foot’s arch to be strong with this exercise and advanced single leg exercises and your joints will be a lot happier 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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3 days ago

I see this with so many runners and it happened to me too.

When you’re frustrated you’re desperate for anything to work, but that desperation can make you lose sight of what you need.

Which is less, rather than more.

A few exercises targeted to your exact pain.

One running strategy based on where you’re at right now

One running form cue to think of.

The more you have in your brain, the more overwhelming this whole process will be.

Your body doesn’t need 18 different exercises.

It simply needs the strength and mobility it’s missing.

Don’t let Instagram overwhelm you.

My goal with this page isn’t to just spam you with different exercises and tell you you need to do them all.

But to help you understand what your body needs and why it needs it.

And how to recover from knee pain and prevent it as you train for your next race PB 🫡⚡️ by @zaidabedd

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5 days ago

Comment “KNEE” if your knees hurt on your runs and I’ll send you the exact 3 tests you need to pass first before you get back to pain free running

Leg training for runners is not the same as leg training for bodybuilders.

But yes,

Building muscles is still extremely important for runners but that is not the only goal anymore

What about:

Stability
Mobility
Explosiveness
Control
Training the unsexy muscles

I ignored all of that that and it left me dealing with knee pain for 5 years.

But we need all of that if we want knees that let us train for our next PB goal with absolute confidence

We don’t want legs that make each run feel like something we worry about

Where each run feels like the one that will damage your knees beyond repair

I hate that and I know you do too

Use this leg day to solve that.

But don’t just copy the exercises. Understand the structure and the placement of each type of exercise then follow a plan that is adjusted to YOUR current level.

Give your knees the love they deserve 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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6 days ago

Comment “KNEE” if your knees hurt on your runs and I’ll send you the exact 3 tests you need to pass first before you get back to pain free running

Looking good doesn’t equal pain free.

Yes building strong muscles definitely does help but if you’re a runner chasing a race goal, chances are, your training is quite intense

Your training your body to run further than it ever has or faster than it ever has

If you want to do that without hurting your knees or shins you need to take advantage of plyometrics

But before you jump into the deep end of it, learn to absorb force first

Specifically if you’re recovering from knee pain, snapdowns is a great place to start (once dynamic strength movement is pain free)

Give it a try using the cues in this video and then once you’re confident challenge yourself with the single leg variation 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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7 days ago

👇 here’s why:

Plyometrics are so important for runners looking to run faster and protect themselves from injury

BUT, if you’re new to plyos…

you can’t just throw yourself in the deep end immediately as this will lead to sloppy form or even potentially hurt your knee further.

That’s why before doing all the jumps, cuts, and hops, you need to build your brakes first.

Think of it like having a fast car:

You wouldn’t dare drive fast if you didn’t trust the brakes.

Same thing goes for running.

And a beginner friendly exercise to build the brakes is Snapdowns.

The idea here is to prepare your body for that quick drop of impact. And to absorb that impact in a balanced and smooth manner.

Then once you’re confident with both legs, you can move on the single leg version which will challenge your balance even further.

After that master this exercise is when you can safely start progressing to the other exciting plyos!

But truth is:

strength and plyo training is rarely the hardest part when it comes to getting back to running without knee pain.

The hardest part is knowing when and how to return to consistent running.

If you want the 3 step process I guide my clients through in their return to run journey, comment “KNEE” and I’ll send it you 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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8 days ago

One thing I wish I gave attention sooner was hip stability.

It’s by far one of the most important functions to train when it comes to building knees that can handle your race goals.

And yes, knee pain can happen due to many reasons.

Running form, too much running too fast, and a lack of strength in specific muscles.

But one of the most common ones I see in most runners is a lack of hip control.

Specifically if your strength training is focused on the basics like squats and machine focused exercises.

These focus on maximizing strength gains but some of them leave hip control out of the table.

Which is fine if your goal is only muscle growth but will hurt you if your goal is to run fast and far.

Prioritize hip stability exercises in your training and make sure to include a variety of them.

Some that are hip dominant and some that are knee dominant.

Be strong in all ranges of motion not just one.

Your knees will be happy you did 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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9 days ago

Physio is amazing for knee pain, and yes

there are top level physios that will even help you get back to running and feel stronger than ever before

But unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Specifically with a lot of the runners I’ve spoken to recently and some of my clients like Darren and Noor.

Sometimes physios will only focus on healing the pain but not your desire to get back to training for your race.

And the necessary steps needed to safely build the tendons and the mileage back up for that.

That’s why I love helping runners with the phase after physio because I don’t want them to lose the progress they made in physio.

I want to help get them to that finish line and not go back to square one. Help them go all the way to absolutely sending it on race day and getting that PB they want.

That’s what Iron Knee Academy is all about.

If you just finished physio or you completed physio a while ago or you’re almost done with physio, don’t stop there.

Make sure this time you don’t just heal but you come back even stronger. Even more resilient.

Never give up on that race 🫡 by @zaidabedd

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10 days ago