"Core" training is one of the stupidest gimmicks ever to become popular among runners

"core" is more than just your abdominals. You know that, right?

Having a strong core stabilizes your spine, strengthens your deep muscles of inspiration and expiration and definitely is beneficial for runners.

Having a SHREDDED six pack does not.

So elites using it doesn´t prove that it works, but when some anonymous idiot says that it´s useless without a shred of evidence, we should listen?

well,. wrote:

So elites using it doesn´t prove that it works, but when some anonymous idiot says that it´s useless without a shred of evidence, we should listen?

You shouldn't listen to anybody; instead, you should use your brain to ask yourself whether there is any rational basis for the things you believe

A strong core stabilizes your torso, reducing unnecessary motion in the shoulders and hips. When you have to much rotation (e.g. http://marklandclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/runner.jpg) you are adding extra torque on your center of gravity, causing it to shift left and right which is highly inefficient.

coach comments nicely wrote:

"core" is more than just your abdominals. You know that, right?

Having a strong core stabilizes your spine, strengthens your deep muscles of inspiration and expiration and definitely is beneficial for runners.

Having a SHREDDED six pack does not.

1. I said "muscles of the torso," not "abdominals."

2. "Core" is not a proper anatomical term. It is an intentionally vague marketing buzzword. Because the term has no firm definition, you cannot say what is part of "it" and what isn't. In reality, the reason "core" has no firm definition, the reason you can't point to "it" on an anatomical chart, is that IT DOESN'T EXIST, period.

3. The exercises that people typically include in their "core" routines don't have the slightest benefit with respect to breathing, nor is "breathing strength" a limiting factor in running to begin with.

3. "Stabilize the spine." You can't show me one grain of scientific evidence of this.

You should see yourself just now. Relax.

coach comments nicely wrote:

A strong core stabilizes your torso, reducing unnecessary motion in the shoulders and hips. When you have to much rotation (e.g.

http://marklandclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/runner.jpg

) you are adding extra torque on your center of gravity, causing it to shift left and right which is highly inefficient.

Another load of 100% pure arbitrary made up bullshit.

1. As noted previously, there is no such thing as the "core," so you can't identify "its" function or quantify "its" strength level.

2. There is no evidence that exercise of any kind accomplishes any of the things you said (i.e. reduction of "unnecessary motion of the shoulders and hips," etc.).

3. Neither you nor anyone else can prove how much "motion of the shoulders and hips" is ideal, so neither can you say what constitutes excess.

Tired of idiots on here wrote:

you can't point to "it" on an anatomical chart, is that IT DOESN'T EXIST, period.

diaphragm, multifidis, pelvic floor, and transversus abdominus.

You can find them on any detailed anatomical chart.

3. The exercises that people typically include in their "core" routines don't have the slightest benefit with respect to breathing, nor is "breathing strength" a limiting factor in running to begin with.

3. "Stabilize the spine." You can't show me one grain of scientific evidence of this.

You forgot what comes after 4, but no matter, both stupid comments can be addressed by the same simple explanation.

The benefit of core strength is not just breathing, it is the enhancement of full-body kinetic chains of motion. It does this by stabilizing the spine at exactly the right moment so that energy can pass efficiently between the upper and lower body without dissipating. It also protects it from injury, but that's another story.

This is the reason that

) tennis players YELL when they serve

) karate fighters YELL when they break lots of boards

) throwers YELL when they throw

here is the world leading women's throw from last year, what do you notice about this throw?

watch the slow-motion replay and you will see how energy transfers from her legs to her arm. If her midsection was soft and flexible, it would have absorbed the energy and maybe gotten injured too.

If you don't think any of this applies to running, it's probably because you've never sprinted and have skinny arms.

I didn't say the transverse abdominis and multifidus don't exist, you context-dropping, straw man making, armchair kinesiologist. I said they don't cumulatively comprise a special/magical/supra-anatomical entity called the "core." The multifidus is just that—the multifidus, and nothing more.

coach comments nicely wrote:

A strong core stabilizes your torso, reducing unnecessary motion in the shoulders and hips. When you have to much rotation (e.g.

http://marklandclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/runner.jpg

) you are adding extra torque on your center of gravity, causing it to shift left and right which is highly inefficient.

I don't support the OP's anti-core view, but nothing you said is true.

Well said tired of idiots. I don't necessarily agree and will prob still continue doing my exercises in the evening - for about 15 minutes. Too many runners spend too much time on core, yoga (gotta be flexible right), zumba, xtraining, drills, etc. at the expense of actually running. Take all that time you're doing supplemental work and ask yourself if you spent that time running, how many more miles a week could you get? For a lot of runners, that could be 30-50 more miles a week.

OP is correct.

However, training your "core", whatever that is, may have two other benefits: better balance (has nothing to do with strength) and suppling of muscles that otherwise would have become stale.

Edward Teach wrote:

Well said tired of idiots. I don't necessarily agree and will prob still continue doing my exercises in the evening - for about 15 minutes. Too many runners spend too much time on core, yoga (gotta be flexible right), zumba, xtraining, drills, etc. at the expense of actually running. Take all that time you're doing supplemental work and ask yourself if you spent that time running, how many more miles a week could you get? For a lot of runners, that could be 30-50 more miles a week.

I see this too. But as a 50+ runner, it's harder for me to stay injury-free on high mileage. My capacity ain't what it used to be 25 years ago.

A strong core is important. Here, I said it.

That said, you will train your core sufficiently by focusing on the big lifts: squats, deadlifts, pullups, bench press, overhead press, rows. You don't need anything else and will still look plenty RIPPED/SHREDDED (e.g. look at Fronings 8-pack).

Why do people with the most developed cores(gymnasts) run with the most floppy erratic form with stuff wobbling and flying all over the place?

I'm not saying that strengthening the muscles of the trunk and midsection isn't worthwhile, just that the philosophy of what currently passes as an attempt to do so among the masses of runners is ridiculous. The muscles of the trunk and midsection are not special and don't require special attention; if you aren't engaged in a whole-body strength training program, any attention devoted to your "core" is a complete waste of time and energy. Further, these muscles should be trained exactly the same as every other muscle in the body: by applying hard resistance against muscular contraction, not by tossing medicine balls, doing planks, and everything under the sun except properly lifting weights. As someone else noted, it is sufficient to do a few compound lifts alone.

Bad Wigins wrote:

You forgot what comes after 4, but no matter, both stupid comments can be addressed by the same simple explanation.

Did you mean he forgot what comes after 3?

OP, what is your 5k PR?