Be a better runner by strengthening your core.

Sorry that I am just passing along another article, but I've been traveling a lot the last 2 weeks. We will get to some recipes again soon...I hope! Anyway, this article is great and it is what I am currently working on. In case you haven't noticed, I don't do so well if I try and fix everything all at once. So, I pick one area to work on and then add on new elements as I go. I have the "drink 8 glasses of water" down, as well as the portion control. I'm still working on getting enough sleep, but with four kids that may not happen for a long time. So, on to the next part, adding some strength training that will help me run better and longer in a more enjoyable way.

How to Get Ripped Abs. By John Hanc
Published in Runner’s World Magazine 1/10/2008
Go Here to read the full article. This one is condensed

I wish my abs looked this good. Do you think she has carried and given birth to four children?

“Core improves efficiency and endurance as it lowers injury risk. The secret is stability. That's because core strength is the primary force that controls motion in the hips and spine when you run. Think back to when you were learning to ride a bike. You'd wobble and maybe fall until your dad or mom placed a hand on your back. When you run, your core acts as that steadying hand. The stronger the muscles, the more stable your center--and the more efficient your running will be.

“This is precisely why nearly every top runner busts through some core moves. But there is no industry standard. Routines run the gamut from old-school to cutting-edge. Brian Sell, who finished third in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in November, grunts through 150 sit-ups a day. Tollefson does exercises typical of gym classes: planks and curls. And Shayne Culpepper, a 2004 Olympian at 5000 meters, performs Pilates.

“And then there's the routine followed by Team Running USA. In 2006, strength and conditioning coach Dennis Kline of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse overhauled the squad's ab workout, creating a regimen that targets not just the abdominals but also the back, hips, and glutes (see the exercises in this workout by going here). The program combines static exercises that improve overall strength and muscular endurance with dynamic moves that teach the core and legs to work together. "We're mimicking the running motion," says Kline. "So we use some exercises that engage the core while using the legs."