I have a very vivid memory of my Gran telling me to pull my stomach in. Even in the 60's it was common knowledge that pulling your tummy in was good for you - made you look slimmer and also improved your posture.

Now of course, with all the advances in sports medicine and research we know that even back then the idea had solid reasons behind it. Now the equivalent of "pulling in your stomach" is called "improving core stability".

Core stability is an essential determinant of success for all sports people, be they cyclists, runners or swimmers, football or rugby players, golfers or rowers. That’s because the body's core muscles are the foundation for all other movement. You don't have to be sporty to benefit from a strong core. A strong core is ESSENTIAL for good posture.

Are you sitting and reading this? Don't do anything now except take your attention to your belly - what is it doing? Are your stomach muscles relaxed? Tense them and see what immediately happens. You can no longer slouch so much right? As you tense your stomach muscles your shoulders have to rise and move backwards. This is an over-simplification of what your core does but it's a pretty powerful example.

The muscles of the torso stabilise the spine and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. These core muscles lie deep within the torso. They generally attach to the spine, pelvis and muscles that support the scapula. When these muscles contract, we stabilise the spine, pelvis and shoulders and create a solid base of support. We are then able to generate powerful movements of the extremities.

The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness - that is, fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities.

To learn more about your core and to see all the different muscles involved click here.

Pilates and Yoga are great for strengthening the core - along with these exercises which you can do at home.