One area of the body that is often overlooked when training is the core. It is crucial in nearly everything you do, from walking with good posture to better athletic performance.

Core training strengthens your hips, lower back and abdominal muscles and will reduce injury and improve stability. For people who are sitting at a desk all day, it is important to train your core as this can reduce lower back pain.

Most movements start at the centre of the body and work outwards, meaning a strong core can help overall efficiency when going about your day-to-day tasks.

All it takes is 3-5 minutes at the end of a work-out to do crunches, medicine ball or simple plank exercises. You can start by doing 30 seconds on, and then 30 seconds off to build up muscle stamina. Aim to repeat this five times.

If you’re unsure as to how to do core exercises ask somebody in your gym or consult a trainer. People are always happy to offer their advice.

CORE TIP FOR BEGINNERS: Start with doing 50 crunches over five sets. If you can do ten sets, then even better.