Rewrite ugly URL slugs without tanking rankings

Rewrite ugly URL slugs without tanking rankings
Client had /p?id=4471 garbage URLs. Moved to readable slugs. The safe play:
— Export every old URL + its target keyword + current rankings
— Write new slugs: short, hyphenated, keyword-first, no stop words. /mens-running-shoes/
— Build a 1:1 redirect map in a spreadsheet, old > new, no many-to-one unless killing a page
— Deploy redirects and new URLs in the SAME push
— Update internal links to point straight at new slugs (don't rely on the 301)
— Submit updated sitemap, watch Search Console coverage for 'redirect' flags
Rankings held, a few even bumped from the cleaner slugs.
Keep redirect chains to one hop — old > new, never old > middle > new.