Against the Herd

Take 180 steps a minute. Run tall. Shorten your stride. You've heard it all. My guest coaches Olympians, and he says all three can make you slower.Paul Mackinnon, The Balanced Runner, spent 15 years as a semi-pro hockey player in Australia and Europe before becoming one of the most sought-after running technique coaches in the world. He's worked with Galen Rupp, Molly Seidel, Nico Young and Australian marathon record holder Brett Robinson, plus thousands of everyday runners told their form was just their form.His rule: movement changes movement.In this episode of Against the Herd, we break down:→ Where the 180 cadence rule came from, and why it misleads most runners→ Why Paul starts with your arms and torso, not your feet→ The elbow-to-knee timing that stops overstriding→ Why "run tall" is the wrong cue→ What strength training can and can't fix about how you run→ Why super shoes amplify the pattern you already have→ How long real technique change takes, even after 40As a physical therapist, this one hits home. You can strengthen the tissue all you want. If the movement pattern doesn't change, the injury comes back.CONNECT WITH PAULWebsite + online program: https://www.tbrunner.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebalancedrunner/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebalancedrunnerABOUT AGAINST THE HERDHosted by Armando Cruz III, MSPT — physical therapist and performance coach. We challenge conventional thinking in health, performance and coaching so you can stop following the herd and start getting results. #Running #RunningForm #AgainstTheHerd Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most people in pain are waiting for the perfect plan, the right diagnosis, or the right moment to start. But your body isn't waiting. It's adapting every single day and not always in the direction you want. In this solo episode, Armando Cruz, MSPT breaks down why repetition, not perfection, is what actually drives healing, and how a single art class experiment changed the way he thinks about pain recovery entirely. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — The art class experiment that reframes pain recovery 2:00 — Why waiting for the perfect plan keeps you stuck 3:30 — Pain is a protective response, not just a tissue problem 4:30 — The difference between wrong reps and right reps 6:00 — Nervous system healing vs. muscle-building (they're not the same) 7:30 — Why early wins matter more than long-term planning 9:00 — The 30-Day "Not Perfect" Challenge 10:00 — Armando's personal story: from sporadic training to 100-mile ultra 14:00 — How to measure progress (just two things) 15:30 — What a Pain Profile Analysis call actually looks like  KEY TAKEAWAYS → Repetition teaches faster than thinking → Pain is your nervous system asking "Am I safe?" not just a tissue injury → Wrong reps = more pain. Right reps = restoration → Early wins (even 20% improvement in week one) change everything → Confidence is built through evidence, not explanation → Consistency beats perfection, every time THE 30-DAY CHALLENGE Choose ONE movement or habit. Do it daily for 30 days. Measure only: 1) pain levels 2) energy levels. Around day 7–10, something shifts. That's the signal. WORK WITH ARMANDO Stuck in pain and ready for real clarity? Book your Pain Profile Analysis Call: https://www.CruzCountry.com   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if everything the coaching world accepts about drilling, repetition, and skill development is built on the wrong assumptions? In this episode, Armando sits down with Greg Souders, submission grappling coach and one of the most rigorous applied thinkers in the constraint-led approach (CLA) space. They pull apart why traditional drilling fails under pressure, how the ecological approach actually works, and what coaches and athletes are getting catastrophically wrong about practice design. Greg pulls no punches. If you're a coach, athlete, or movement professional who wants to understand how humans actually acquire skill, not how we assume they do, this one is required listening. KEY TAKEAWAYS → The ecological approach isn't a drill style; it's a philosophy of how humans gain information to act → Traditional part-practice "decouples" action from information, which degrades performance under live pressure → Elite athletes show MORE variation in movement solutions; not less repetition of the solution is the wrong goal → Constraints don't guarantee new behavior; they change boundary conditions so new behavior can emerge → You can over-constrain a system: tight enough boundaries leave no room for anything adaptive to appear → The constraint-led approach works from beginner to elite; you just design differently for each → Context is everything. If your sport is a fight, unscripted, uncooperative engagement must be the foundation of practice RESOURCES MENTIONED → J.J. Gibson: ecological approach to perception and action (foundational reading) → Rob Gray: Perception & Action Podcast / Arizona State University → Keith Davids & Ian Renshaw: constraint-led approach research → Jean-Paul Sartre: existentialist philosophy (referenced in conversation) AGAINST THE HERD PODCAST Hosted by Armando Cruz III, MSPT. We go against the grain so you don't have to stay stuck.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it actually take to heal your body and, more importantly, your mindset? Diane Younes is a growth strategist, attorney, former collegiate basketball player, and CrossFit athlete who has reinvented herself across continents. This year, faced with a torn labrum and a recommendation for shoulder surgery, she took a different path: PRP and stem cell injections. The result? She's back to lifting, gymnastics, and butterfly pull-ups. In this episode, we go deep on the mindset that makes all of this possible from her upbringing across Lebanon, Germany, France, and the US, to building a startup in Asia, to navigating COVID lockdowns that nearly broke her, to the gratitude practice that brought her back. We also break down why the US healthcare system is sick care, not health care, and what you can do about it, including a $250 cash MRI tip that will save you weeks of waiting. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: * Why reinvention isn't about comfort zones, it's about blooming* How to advocate for yourself when insurance says no * The PRP + stem cell approach for labrum tears in athletes * What COVID isolation taught Diane about gratitude and identity * How the best wellness brands stay authentic while others chase trends * What to tell a young woman who's struggling to find herself CONNECT WITH DIANE: Instagram: @diane.you.nes Website: growthtomindset.io AGAINST THE HERD PODCAST Subscribe for weekly conversations on physical therapy, sports performance, and the mindset it takes to heal and perform at the highest level. PhysicalTherapy, SportsMedicine, PRP, StemCell, LabumTear, CrossFit, GrowthMindset, WellnessPodcast, AgainstTheHerd, DianeYounes, SportsPerformance, longevity  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most people think breathing is just for relaxation. Shaye Patel is here to change that. Shaye is a performance breathing coach and founder of Breathe to Thrive. He's worked with military special operators, elite athletes, and C-suite executives, teaching them how to use breath not just to calm down, but to perform at the highest level. In this episode, we dig into CO2 tolerance, stress response, performance breathing, and why the most powerful performance tool you have is completely free.KEY TAKEAWAYS • Breathing isn't just for relaxation; it's a precision performance tool • CO2 tolerance, not just oxygen, is the real driver of endurance and recovery • Mouth breathing is a learned stress response and you can unlearn it • Performance breathing is trained OFF the field so it works ON it • A long exhale is the fastest way to down-regulate your nervous system • You can shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic in minutes with breath alone • Breathing is free, but most people still won't invest in learning it  ABOUT SHAYE PATEL Shaye Patel is the founder of Breathe to Thrive, a performance breathing and stress response coaching company. He holds a CrossFit Level 3 certification and has worked with military operators, elite athletes, and executives across North America. Originally from Canada, Shaye spent 20 years in Brazil, earned a law degree, and has since built a practice focused on helping high performers take control of their nervous system through intentional breathing. Instagram: @patel_shayecf Website: www.breath2thrive.com ABOUT AGAINST THE HERD Hosted by Armando Cruz III, MSPT, physical therapist, performance coach, and contrarian thinker. Against the Herd brings together experts across health, performance, business, and human potential to challenge conventional wisdom and help you think, move, and perform better. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does a punk rock private equity fund manager have to teach you about your health, your habits, and your life? More than you'd expect. Dan Abbate runs Clotine Capital, a multi-strategy private equity fund with one of the most unconventional brands in finance and it's completely intentional. In this conversation, Dan breaks down the mindset behind building systems that free you, why most people stay trapped in default patterns, and how philosophy (yes, philosophy) is his secret weapon for seeing what others miss. If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed by options, or unsure how to go from where you are to where you want to be, this episode is for you.  KEY TAKEAWAYS• You either design your system or you inherit the default one • Authentic branding repels the wrong people and that's the point • Build with what's around you first before chasing what you don't have • Saying NO is a skill that accelerates growth more than saying yes to everything • Your environment is one of the greatest predictors of long-term success • You can't outwork a bad system change the environment first • Stoic mindset: the world happens, and you choose how to respond ABOUT DAN ABBATE Dan Abbate is the founder and managing partner of Clotine Capital, a multi-strategy private equity fund. He holds a finance degree from Harvard, is completing his second master's in philosophy, and is one of the more unusual thinkers in the investment world. His fund offers quarterly distributions and a direct investor-to-deployment relationship that larger institutions simply can't match.Website: clotinecapital.com ABOUT AGAINST THE HERDHosted by Armando Cruz III, MSPT, physical therapist, performance coach, and contrarian thinker. Against the Herd brings together experts across health, performance, business, and human potential to challenge conventional wisdom and help you think, move, and live better. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if breathing was the missing link in your training? In this episode of Against the Herd, I sit down with Guglielmo Formichella. He's a physical therapist from Sorrento, Italy, and a consultant to Olympic-level marathoners, cyclists, and triathletes who unpacks the science of breathing most coaches and athletes have never considered. Guglielmo works with world-class runners like Yeman Crippa and Italian national team athletes, using spirometry, video analysis, accelerometers, and breathing protocols to connect respiratory patterns with movement efficiency, physiological output, and injury prevention.  KEY TAKEAWAYS • High contact time early in your run = poor warm-up. Finish your warm-up with running drills. • On long runs, increase pace by 1 min every 10 min to recruit more muscle fibers and reduce fatigue. • On easy days, use nasal breathing only. If you can't breathe through your nose, you're running too fast. • Endurance athletes need thoracic-abdominal coordination. Power athletes need expiratory apnea. • The metaboreflex (hand numbness during hard efforts) is a signal your breathing needs work. • Visual/neuro-athletic drills before training improve posture, step length & force output. CONNECT WITH GUGLIELMO Instagram: @guglielmo.formichella Lunair Project: lunair.it (coming soon) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Modern dating is broken. Not because of the apps. Because men stopped leading. Catholic theology teacher, strength coach and former Jesuit seminarian James Dooley joins Armando Cruz III, MSPT on Against the Herd to break down his book Date Differently: A Catholic Man's Guide to Dating — a no-games playbook for men who want to date with intention, clarity and confidence. Good men are stuck. They're kind. They're faithful. They're invisible. James explains why the "Nice Guy" approach fails, how to lead from the very first date, and how John Paul II's Theology of the Body works in real life, not just on paper. Single, dating again after 40, married, or raising a son who'll face this culture? This is the Catholic dating advice for men nobody gave you. IN THIS EPISODE • Why modern dating is broken and who broke it • Nice guy vs. good man: the difference that changes everything • How to lead with purpose in the first three dates • Attraction without manipulation or pickup tactics • Strength training, discipline and chastity • The biggest dating mistake successful men make • What James will teach his newborn son about dating GET THE BOOK Date Differently: A Catholic Man's Guide to Dating https://www.amazon.com/Date-Differently-Catholic-Guide-Dating/dp/B0H2FWYLTM BONUS tools and more from James: https://www.datedifferentlycatholic.com/ ABOUT AGAINST THE HERD Against the Herd challenges conventional thinking in health, performance, and life for men who refuse to follow the crowd. Hosted by Armando Cruz III, MSPT, physical therapist, performance coach, and bestselling author. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do a pastor, an Ironman, a high-level entrepreneur, a teacher shot in the chest, and a coach with a dynasty all have in common? They went against the herd… and came out stronger. In this season finale of the Against the Herd Podcast, host Armando Cruz pulls together the most powerful moments, lessons, and mindset shifts from Season One, all through the lens of pain, purpose, and resilience. Whether you're battling burnout, stuck in chronic pain, or just tired of cookie-cutter health advice, this episode brings it all home. You’ll hear: * Why pain is the beginning, not the end * The hidden thread that connects healing and identity * How high performers reclaim purpose after setbacks * What actually works (long-term) for health and energy * The proven frameworks real people used to transform This is more than a recap. It’s a blueprint for what’s possible when you stop following the crowd and start listening to your body, your story, and your calling. 🎯 Subscribe and join the movement. Season 2 is coming... 🔗 Learn more: https://www.CruzCountry.com  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if everything you’ve been taught about pain is wrong? In this episode of Against the Herd, we break down some of the lessons learned from sitting down with legendary high school running coach Doug Soles, who helped build one of the most dominant cross-country programs in the country. But this isn’t just about running, it’s about resilience, leadership, and the hidden system behind long-term performance. Discover how Doug helped athletes overcome injury, setbacks, and burnout by rewriting the playbook, turning pain into purpose and performance.You’ll learn: * Why most people treat pain the wrong way * The leadership model that builds unbreakable athletes * How to cultivate physical and emotional resilience * The real reason talent isn’t enough and what actually creates results * How to train through adversity without breaking down This is a masterclass in high-performance health, mindset, and recovery. 🔗 Learn more at: https://www.CruzCountry.com 🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes that help you eliminate pain and defy convention.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.