Are You Cross Training? If Not, Here's Why You Should

Cross training - the strategy of integrating various exercise modalities into our fitness regimen - is a training approach essential for maximizing time dedicated to exercise. For everyone ranging from the general fitness enthusiast to elite athlete, cross training effectively boosts motivation, helps prevent injuries and increases results. The benefits of cross training are many and do not stand alone. But let us put them into three main categories and examine each one.

Cross train for increased motivation.

We are creatures of habit. It is human nature to be drawn to familiar routines and minimal energy expenditure for the largest outcome. This may be fine for other areas of our lives, but not fitness. Too much of the same type of exercise can lead to boredom and diminished motivation. There are already too many excuses why we skip workouts - lack of time, going on a holiday, gym membership fees doubled, and so on. Lack of enthusiasm should not be an exercise barrier.

Cross training is a way to keep exercise fresh and interesting. Fitness has seasons. January begins the meltdown of holiday indulgences. April is an energizing escape from the dead of winter. September embraces the return to normalcy after summer frolicking. Relish each fitness season with cross training by finding new ways to enjoy being physically active. Register in an innovative class at your local fitness facility. Schedule brisk evening walks with your favorite someone. Join a team regardless of your athletic talent. Get a new piece of equipment or DVD for your home gym.

Cross train to help prevent injuries.

With lack of variety in our exercise program, our bodies move in repetitive, limited motions. Over-trained, tight muscles pull knee, hip, spine and shoulder joints out of alignment. This can lead to injuries, joint degeneration, chronic pain and ultimately reduced quality of life. We can't exercise if we are injured, and so begins a downward spiral. Our bodies are designed to move in all directions through a generous range of motion. Cross training moves our bodies forward and back, side to side, up, down and rotationally. Functional flexibility and muscle development on all sides of every joint make us resilient to injury.
For example, if you are a runner, a weekly swim is a fun, non-impact way to boost your aerobic endurance. If you play on a hockey team, indoor cycling is perfect for non-game days. You get the idea. And full-body resistance training, well, that is an essential fitness regimen component, no matter what your sport or recreational adventure.

Cross train for optimal results.

The reasons for cross training are interconnected. With increased motivation and an injury-free musculoskeletal system, we put more effort into more frequent, more challenging workouts. Moving through a variety of movement patterns and training techniques develops all components of fitness - muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular efficiency, flexibility, as well as more performance-related skills such as agility, power and speed. With an increased fitness level, the elite athlete may experience improved performance and standings. Off the podium, the general fitness enthusiast appreciates life-related benefits such as stress management, disease prevention and a weight loss for a healthy body weight.

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