Q I’ve recently undergone abdominal surgery, and the hospital physio has advised me to wait for three weeks before running. I think that this is on the excessive side because I feel fine, and the scar is healing rapidly. Do you agree

Q After a year of running I’ve managed to tone up my legs and bottom, but my stomach has not improved and remains ‘potty’. I find sit-ups very hard and therefore don’t bother with them. Will toning up my abdominals actually improve my running

," explains marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe. You simply can't run your best without a strong core: the muscles in your abdominals, lower back and glutes. They provide the stability, power and endurance that runners need for powering up hills

Having a strong core plays a critical role in your best running performances. And it's not just one ab muscle that's hard at work, says Tim Hilden, an exercise physiologist specialising in running mechanics at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Colorado, USA. "Running requ...

," explains marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe. You simply can't run your best without a strong core: the muscles in your abdominals, lower back and glutes. They provide the stability, power and endurance that runners need for powering up hills

© Getty ImagesPut simply, good core stability is one of the most effective ways to prevent injuries and improve running efficiency. The groups of muscles that make up your core section provide essential support so strengthening your core should form the base on which the rest of ...

Strength training is a bit like flossing: we know it's good for us, but we don’t do it as often as we should. But successful runners do more than just run – they lift and lunge to build strong muscles for climbing hills, maintaining perfect form and preventing injuries.But it can...

exertion (RPE) of eight (on a 10-point scale where one is very easy, 10 is racing), slow back down for the last 30 seconds.Hanging Abdominal Curl Hang from a pull-up bar or handy branch, bend your knees and use your abdominals, not momentum, to lift your

If you suffer from an aching back after hours on the bike you may be lacking core strength. “When you hunch over in the saddle for a long time, your back becomes overly conditioned, and if you don’t have equally strong abdominal muscles to counter

--Strengthening your lower back and abdominal muscles should help ease any pain you experience while running. To minimise stress on the lower back, use an upright posture (ie no slouching) while sitting, standing, walking, and running. You can also