TIPS ON CORE STRENGTHENING FOR RUNNERS
Core strengthening should be an important part of long distance runner's schedule. Here, I am presenting some easy exercises that can be done at home. I thank my colleague Dr Sudar Sreekumar for her inputs. #running#fitness#marathon
Anatomy
Importance of core strengthening
How often should they be done?
When is the ideal time to do them?
Best core workouts for runners
Planks
Side planks
Glute bridges
Leg raises
Crunches
V ups
Hollow rocks
Cross body mountain climbers
Crossbody bicycle crunches
Russian twists
Windshield wipers
Superman exercises
Planning a session
Final slide
I am sure this was helpful. Happy working out and happy running.
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Abdominal obesity is not cosmetic.
It indicates poor metabolic health. It is linked to inflammation, and it increases risk of stroke & heart attack.
If you have a “belly,” this thread may reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke & heart attack. 🧵👇
1️⃣ First truth:
You cannot spot-reduce belly fat.
No exercise melts abdominal fat selectively.
Fat loss is systemic.
But yes; visceral fat can be reduced.
2️⃣ Why is abdominal fat dangerous?
Visceral fat:
• Releases inflammatory cytokines
• Worsens insulin resistance
• Raises triglycerides
• Increases BP
• Promotes fatty liver
It is strongly linked to stroke & vascular dementia.
Tailbone pain from prolonged sitting?
Read this before buying a “donut cushion.”
A 50-year-old woman.
Desk job 8–9 hrs.
Commute 1–2 hrs.
Now severe tailbone (coccyx) pain.
Most people immediately buy this 👇 (donut cushion).
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But here is what evidence & biomechanics tell us:
1️⃣ Donut cushions are NOT ideal for coccyx pain
They:
🔸Shift pressure to the rim
🔸Increase pressure on ischial tuberosities
🔸Can paradoxically increase coccygeal strain
🔸Are better for perianal pain and hemorrhoids; not true coccydynia
▶️Several rehabilitation guidelines advise caution with donut cushions for coccyx pain.
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2️⃣ What works better?
✅ Coccyx cut-out cushion (U-shaped wedge)
🔸Offloads direct pressure from the tailbone
🔸Maintains pelvic alignment
🔸Reduces posterior tilt stress
This is the preferred design for true coccydynia.
This video of Mr. Shashi Tharoor tripping while talking on the phone and walking downstairs is not about clumsiness. It’s about the brain.
(Glad to note that Mr Tharoor is doing well🙏)
Your brain is terrible at “walking + phone” multitasking.
Especially while going downstairs.
Why stairs are risky?
When you go downstairs, your brain is busy with:
▪️Balance
▪️Depth perception
▪️Foot placement
▪️Split-second corrections
Add a phone call → attention shifts → reaction time drops.
That’s all it takes.
As a neurologist, I can tell you:
Some of the worst head injuries I see come from simple falls, not big accidents.
Please don’t use your phone when:
🚫 Going up or down stairs
🚫 Crossing roads
🚫 Walking on uneven surfaces
🚫 Driving / riding
Your brain can focus on movement OR on your phone
Not both safely.
✅The simplest safety hack
▪️Pause the call.
▪️Look at the steps.
▪️Hold the railing.
▪️Your brain is too valuable to risk for a notification.
As per reports, Shashi Tharoor has sustained a hairline fracture (which is a very small crack in the bone rather than a complete break). He will be in a cast and using a wheelchair for now.
It could take 4–6 weeks of time for recovery (before the fracture heals sufficiently).
Wishing @ShashiTharoor a speedy recovery.
What is insulin resistance and how to determine (calculate) it? youtu.be/hpW9nBQFgX0?si…
➡️Even if your fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) are normal, it may not mean that everything is normal.
➡️Prediabetes: FBG between 100-125 mg/dL or HbA1C between 5.7 and 6.4 is referred to as prediabetes. People with prediabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
➡️Insulin resistance can occur even if FBG and HbA1C are within normal limits.
➡️HOMA IR (Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin resistance) can be obtained if you have serum insulin and FBG values. HOMA IR above 2 is suggestive of insulin resistance.
➡️Triglyceride/HDL cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio above 2 is considered a surrogate marker of insulin resistance.
➡️Triglyceride Glucose (TyG) index above 4.7 is also a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. If your blood tests reveal insulin resistance, discuss with your physician and nutritionist.
➡️Lifestyle measures such as healthy diet, regular exercise and reduction of weight if overweight or obese can help in improving insulin sensitivity in most cases.
Running is better than walking for insulin resistance (personal experience=anecdotal or Class 4 evidence)
➡️I had switched to walking since May 2024 due to flare up of ankylosing spondylitis. Weekly mileage: 35-40 Km
Blood test reports (Sep 2024)
Serum Insulin- 19.8
Fasting Glucose- 95
HOMA- IR: 4.6
HbA1C- 5
➡️I restarted running from Dec 2024. (Weekly mileage 35-40 Km)
Blood test reports (Feb 2025)
Serum Insulin- 10.8
Fasting Glucose- 92
HOMA- IR: 2.5
HbA1C- 4.3
➡️There was no other change in lifestyle: diet, working & sleeping hours remained same.
➡️Other metabolic parameters, such as weight, Waist circumference, BMI, and lipid profile parameters did not show any significant change (between Sep 2024 and Feb 2025).
Take home message
✅Running is superior to walking for reducing insulin resistance (or improving insulin sensitivity).
(As stated earlier, this is a personal experience of one person, and therefore, the findings are not conclusive).
There are two other ways of measuring insulin resistance: 1. Triglyceride/HDL Cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL ratio) 2. Triglyceride Glucose index (TyG index)
Sep 2024 1. TG/HDL ratio was 1.49 2. TyG index was 4.42
Feb 2025 1. TG/HDL ratio is 1.72 2. TyG index is 4.43
(Reference for cut-off values below is from a small study in South India- Madurai) doi.org/10.7759/cureus…
Why you should NOT reheat your tea and drink?
We all enjoy a hot cup of tea. Sometimes, if one is unable to have tea on time, and it gets cold, tea is often reheated and served. But this practice is unhealthy. Here are the 5 reasons:
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1. Polyphenols and other bioactive compounds in tea can get damaged with repeated heating, thereby reducing their antioxidant properties.
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2. If tea is left for more than 4 hours at room temperature, there is a risk of bacterial growth. Reheating is not enough to get rid of this bacteria, thereby increasing the risk of gastrointestinal infection.
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