Are abs necessary?

a strong core (core, not just abs) will help you be a stronger runner.

no way to quantify it with so little information.

leg strength is important, but extra strength workouts help only if you need the additional strength,

a lot of good runners do leg strength work; a lot do not.

if you don't have one, find a coach/trainer than can work with you in person - there is really no substitute at your age.

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

a strong core (core, not just abs) will help you be a stronger runner.

A "stronger runner" is an oxymoron just like "tallest midget".

Lets face it, you want to get strong and BUFF to impress the girls. STOP running then. Lift some heavy Sh/t ... you'll get there.

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

a strong core (core, not just abs) will help you be a stronger runner.

A "stronger runner" is an oxymoron just like "tallest midget".

Lets face it, you want to get strong and BUFF to impress the girls. STOP running then. Lift some heavy Sh/t ... you'll get there.

For once I actually agree with xfit_douche_4lyfe_guy.

If you want to be strong, don't run.

Seriously though, the core strength you get from running is enough to keep you upright while running. I constantly hear this argument that in order to keep upright at the end of a race, you need to have a strong core.

Well actually, just like everything in distance running, you need to have endurance. How do you keep your core engaged and upright? By having the endurance to do so from RUNNING MORE.

I have seen nothing that indicates to me that crunches/planks and other core exercises do anything more for your running than running does. You actually engage your core into staying upright longer when you run LONGER. Not by doing crunches.

Doing heavy compound lifts once or twice a week can help, and honestly that's all the extra "strength" work you'll have use of when it comes to distance running.

Doing crunches and planks forever won't do much except make your abs hurt. Sure, you'll get better at doing crunches and planks (or crossfit), but you won't get better at anything else.

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

a strong core (core, not just abs) will help you be a stronger runner.

no way to quantify it with so little information.

leg strength is important, but extra strength workouts help only if you need the additional strength,

a lot of good runners do leg strength work; a lot do not.

if you don't have one, find a coach/trainer than can work with you in person - there is really no substitute at your age.

Your first and last sentence was great. Everything else almost got me in trouble at work from laughing so hard.

"Leg strength is important, but extra strength workouts help only if you need additional strength," WHAT?

"a lot of good runners do leg strength work; a lot do not."

Please find me a good runner who doesn't do anything to strengthen their bodies. I will in turn ship you a package containing one trillion dollars.

doo doo wrote:

[quote]Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

If you want to be strong, don't run.

Seriously though, the core strength you get from running is enough to keep you upright while running. I constantly hear this argument that in order to keep upright at the end of a race, you need to have a strong core.

Well actually, just like everything in distance running, you need to have endurance. How do you keep your core engaged and upright? By having the endurance to do so from RUNNING MORE.

I have seen nothing that indicates to me that crunches/planks and other core exercises do anything more for your running than running does. You actually engage your core into staying upright longer when you run LONGER. Not by doing crunches.

so Meb wastes his time doing core work?

and Deena wasted her time in the gym prior to her Olympic medal?

ignorance isn't bliss.

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

so Meb wastes his time doing core work?

and Deena wasted her time in the gym prior to her Olympic medal?

ignorance isn't bliss.

Yes both of those are possibilities. There's no evidence that so much about and gym work is necessary. It may give you nice looking abs, but whether or not that improves your running is not a definite conclusion. Runners do lots of dumb things that have nothing to do with improving their running.

ishmael zangief wrote:

Doing heavy compound lifts once or twice a week can help, and honestly that's all the extra "strength" work you'll have use of when it comes to distance running.

Doing crunches and planks forever won't do much except make your abs hurt. Sure, you'll get better at doing crunches and planks (or crossfit), but you won't get better at anything else.

Not true. You'll get better at picking up babes on the beach. They dig a chisled physique that you don't get from running alone.

Are abs necessary? Try getting out of bed in the morning without them - I'd say they're necessary.

xcrunna4 wrote:

Currently im in 9th grade and have a 5:08 mile and 11:16 3200 and i have a relatively weak core (i dont do abs). Would consistently doing ab workouts help my times, and by how much? Also do leg strength workouts help? Love all of you who answer

Consistent ab workouts & push-ups would help you as a PERSON.

Why not have a well-rounded physique?

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

a strong core (core, not just abs) will help you be a stronger runner.

There is no such thing as the "core" you f*ckmonkey. That term is not anchored to anything in reality.

BAAbaablacksheep wrote:

so Meb wastes his time doing core work?

and Deena wasted her time in the gym prior to her Olympic medal?

ignorance isn't bliss.

Just because they did those things doesn't mean it was the cause of the success.

If you can find a study instead of anecdotal evidence that proves that doing core work is better for running than the core work that running actually is, I will change my mind.

I said I haven't seen anything that suggests to me that core improves running, and your two examples don't change my mind one bit without a peer reviewed study.

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

A "stronger runner" is an oxymoron just like "tallest midget".

That distinction may very well mean everything in their community.

Ted Underhill wrote:

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

A "stronger runner" is an oxymoron just like "tallest midget".

That distinction may very well mean everything in their community.

The problem is that in this day and age, female runners no longer stick to "their community". They see how BUFF the football and basketball players, as well as the CrossFit Elite athletes are. And they want the big guys.

They will still use the friend zoned runners to complain about how mean their BUFF boyfriends are, but don't expect to get laid.

without them you couldn't run

The scientific evidence supports doing hip muscle strength - especially hip abductor and external rotator strength - to prevent injuries, but not abdominal strength. It's far better to spend your time doing hip strength than situps or crunches.

Example:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15654186

Doing strength work for performance is another story.

You can find research that shows weight training improves running economy and running performance better than running alone.

Alan

Thanks for all the good stuff guys!!! Does anyone know if plyometrics help, because i read that Rupp does them every day.

xcrunna4 wrote:

Thanks for all the good stuff guys!!! Does anyone know if plyometrics help, because i read that Rupp does them every day.

Of course they help, feel free to do some research of your own instead of listening to the yahoos on here.

If you are going to listen to any yahoos on here, you'd be best served listening to Runningart and ignoring everything else on these subjects.